Confused about chicken

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zfitgal
zfitgal Posts: 478 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
I'm measuring cooked chicken by grams and there are 2 listings in MFP for chicken cooked and they're both different calories for the same amount of grams...how do I know which to use? One has a green icon next to it and the other doesnt...all.i do is put chicken breast in the over with some spices, a little water and cook it...
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  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    The listing are user entered, and both might not be accurate for your dish.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 478 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There are a heck of a lot more entries in the MFP database for cooked chicken than just two ;)

    If it was breast and you roasted it, here is the entry to use: Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted.

    Unfortunately, the green check marks in the MFP database are used for both user-created entries and admin-created entries that MFP pulled from the USDA database. To find admin entries for whole foods, I get the syntax from the USDA database and paste that into MFP.

    The USDA recently changed the platform for their database and it is unfortunately a little more difficult to use. I uncheck everything but SR Legacy - that seems to be what MFP used to pull in entries. In order to find the entry I wanted for chicken I had to include a bunch of keywords. "Chicken, breast, cooked, roasted" gave me https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=chicken, breast, cooked and from that you can see the syntax for the MFP entry to use is "Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted"

    Note: any MFP entry that includes "USDA" was user entered.

    For packaged foods, I verify the label against what I find in MFP. (Alas, you cannot just scan with your phone and assume what you get is correct.)

    I'm so confused...isn't chicken breast cooked in the oven boneless skinless the same calories??
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 478 Member
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    I measure in grams and the link you sent me is a bit confusing
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,642 Member
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    Click to select require all words

    Click to de-select Foundation, Survey, and Branded while leaving only the 14 SR Legacy options selected.

    Then look at whichever of the 14 entries best matches your cooking method. Some list with skin, some without.

    You will probably be looking at 171477, or 171534, or 171118. If you used frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts you will probably be looking at 171536

    All of these entries have calories per 100g listed. In order: 165, 151, 137, 148 per 100g

    Pick the entry you want to use and copy and paste the name of the entry into MFP.

    Verify that the entry you select has the same values, or, that at a minimum lists the same calories.

    Note that % of nutrients does not equal the mg or g of nutrients so most entries where the percentage is the same as the actual USDA value are incorrect.

    Log.

    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=chicken, breast, cooked
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
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    zfitgal wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There are a heck of a lot more entries in the MFP database for cooked chicken than just two ;)

    If it was breast and you roasted it, here is the entry to use: Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted.

    Unfortunately, the green check marks in the MFP database are used for both user-created entries and admin-created entries that MFP pulled from the USDA database. To find admin entries for whole foods, I get the syntax from the USDA database and paste that into MFP.

    The USDA recently changed the platform for their database and it is unfortunately a little more difficult to use. I uncheck everything but SR Legacy - that seems to be what MFP used to pull in entries. In order to find the entry I wanted for chicken I had to include a bunch of keywords. "Chicken, breast, cooked, roasted" gave me https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=chicken, breast, cooked and from that you can see the syntax for the MFP entry to use is "Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted"

    Note: any MFP entry that includes "USDA" was user entered.

    For packaged foods, I verify the label against what I find in MFP. (Alas, you cannot just scan with your phone and assume what you get is correct.)

    I'm so confused...isn't chicken breast cooked in the oven boneless skinless the same calories??

    Yes it is the same number of calories. The problem is, as mentioned above, the entries in the MFP food database are added by users like you and me. You still need to check that the amount of calories listed is correct. One way to do this is using the USDA database, or you could for example compare to the calories oer 100g on your packaging.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 478 Member
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    I can't measure raw I cook all my chucken at once and then freeze it once its cooked for the week.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    I think you’re making this harder than necessary. I did the same thing at the start.

    I always weigh my meat raw, log it, and then separately log any oils or sauces or spices I use.

    Put an empty plate on your scale and hit “tare”. That will zero your scale even though the plate is on it. Then it will provide the weight on any meat you place on it.

    If it’s four servings, divide by four and log 1/4 to your food diary. Even if you’re a little off on dividing, the total for the four meals will still be accurate.

    Then weigh any spices, sauces etc. if you’re using a sauce in a jar, take off the cap, tare the scale and add your sauce. Out the bottle back on the scale and now the negative number is how much sauce you used. ( Remember not to weigh the cap. )

    I forgot to weigh a roast the other day and figured that by the time I got done cooking it weighed (very!!!) roughly 39% less than it did raw. That’s a substantial difference if you’re counting calories.

    If you really want to get fancy, use the “recipes” function. If you’re making a pan of lasagna, which is supposed to serve 8, enter “8 servings” then weigh and enter each of your ingredients. By the time you are done it will calculate the calories per serving and you can log a single serving to your diary.

    I wish you could change the number of servings later but you can’t. So when I make something that I don’t know how many servings it will be, I enter it as one serving and then divide myself. For example, I change it up every time I make beef jerky and never know how many 1 ounce servings will result. So if it creates 20 servings, I enter it in my diary as .05 serving.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    And btw, metric will become a lot more user friendly and WAY more accurate as you get into this. I actually find that I prefer weights in metric these days. Easier to divide and do mathematical gymnastics with than Imperial.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,136 Member
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    springlering62 wrote: »

    I wish you could change the number of servings later but you can’t. So when I make something that I don’t know how many servings it will be, I enter it as one serving and then divide myself. For example, I change it up every time I make beef jerky and never know how many 1 ounce servings will result. So if it creates 20 servings, I enter it in my diary as .05 serving.

    When you edit a recipe you can change the number of servings and the ingredients.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    @tinkerbellang83 I have been all over trying to figure out how to adjust servings and can’t. I can easily edit ingredients.

    Please tell me how! This would make life so much easier!

    (Note: I generally use the app.)
  • klrenn
    klrenn Posts: 245 Member
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    springlering62 wrote: »
    @tinkerbellang83 I have been all over trying to figure out how to adjust servings and can’t. I can easily edit ingredients.

    Please tell me how! This would make life so much easier!

    (Note: I generally use the app.)

    After editing ingredients, just before you save, you can click on the serving size and edit it. I use the app too and have attached a screenshot

    i9sb3tmkcujc.png
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    zfitgal wrote: »
    I can't measure raw I cook all my chucken at once and then freeze it once its cooked for the week.

    Why does that stop you weighing it beforehand? Weigh the whole lot and divide by number of portions if they are relatively the same size, you'll have an average and if it's only you eating it, doesn't really matter if one day it's slightly more and another slightly less, you will still have eaten all the overall calories once all consumed.

    this is why i have a bulk chicken recipe tha ti use when i make mine for the week - i adjust the raw amount made and the final cooked weight but otherwise it does it all for me
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,995 Member
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    I must admit I often weigh things cooked.

    I don't think it really matters as long as your entry matches- ie make sure your entry is correctly cooked, or raw, if that is what you are weighing.

    Same goes for rice, pasta etc as well as meat.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,660 Member
    edited March 2020
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    Edited because I'm late to the party, and didn't read all the way to the end before posting. Oops.
  • SlayLikeAWarrior
    SlayLikeAWarrior Posts: 89 Member
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    Please weigh your meats cooked and not raw. The only raw things you should be weighing are veggies (cooked or not) and fruits etc. Calories for chicken breast will be different depending on the size/weight. It will also weigh more with bone in it. So I suggest you use boneless if possible. As far as entering your data, always select or type in homemade grilled, roast or cooked chicken breast. Select one that's closest to your recipe. Don't get stuck on using grams only. Be flexible a little. For example if the chicken weighed 4oz and the selection on the app only displays 1oz. Go ahead and chose 1oz and adjust the serving to 4 servings. I hope this makes sense. Also, depending on the spices you use and amount, you can enter those as well.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
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    I read 'weigh raw unless you buy already cooked chicken'. So why can't we cook the chicken ourselves and then weigh it? I guess I'm not understanding the difference?
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
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    paperpudding wrote: »
    I must admit I often weigh things cooked.

    I don't think it really matters as long as your entry matches- ie make sure your entry is correctly cooked, or raw, if that is what you are weighing.

    Same goes for rice, pasta etc as well as meat.

    Ok, same here for the chicken part.

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