Do you count the calories in small "zero" calorie things (spices, coffee, mustard, tea...etc)

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GloriousNootrient7
GloriousNootrient7 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Do you bother logging the calories in a cup of black coffee, zero cal mustard, spices...etc?

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  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,827 Member
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    I don't
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,961 Member
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    Not zero calorie things. My black coffee is 2 calories, my mustard is 5 calories for a serving so I log them. I don't log most spices because I don't use enough of them to have calories (if you mean dried plants) but I do log salt because of the sodium.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    I do. As above, coffee has a few calories (as does mustard). I log the spices in my recipes (I don’t typically use them outside of a recipe-but I would log them if I did).

    With the exception of water, most 0 calorie foods have sodium and/or carb content (usually a gram or less-which means the actual calorie content is probably 3-4 calories, but labels round down to 0).

    Since my weight fluctuates a great deal based on carb intake, and somewhat to sodium intake, I like to have those numbers as close to accurate as possible in my diary.

    Also-If you’re eating a bunch of “zero” calorie foods every day-they can add up (as they are typically just under 5 calories per serving).
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,596 Member
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    I don't but I also log 200 quick add calories to cover stuff like that along with any mindless eating I do.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    Mostly, but it's not really "a plan". When I'm cooking, I generally just go on autopilot and write down everything I add, without considering whether it has many calories, few calories, few enough calories if I only eat this much, or whatever. Then I put it into MFP when I'm done cooking/eating, also autopilot mode - work down the list, log it all. I've been logging for just over 5 years now. It's a routine habit, not a thought process.

    For me - and I'm not saying this would be true for everyone - the easiest thing is just to do it without giving it a lot of thought. I have some idea what the highest calorie parts of my eating are now, so I can have a general plan for a meal or a day. I pay attention to the calorie level of new foods I'm trying. Otherwise, I just go through the motions and do it. Knowing myself, if I thought about it, weighed/logged some things, didn't others, I'd make more mistakes. For me, this routine doesn't take much time, mindshare or thought, and gives me better accuracy (not because the small items are meaningful, but because I'd forget big ones more often if it were "sometimes log, sometimes don't").

    Tonight's dinner, by coincidence, included 10 items that were each 15 calories or fewer, which is kind of hilarious. As an afterthought, though, some of those ultra-low calorie items have useful amounts of micronutrients, so I guess I get that record from logging them.

    Different routines work for different people.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,995 Member
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    No I do not bother logging spices, diet drinks, black tea etc -

    and I simplify recipes in the recipe builder by omitting any spices I use, since they add no real calories and the purpose of the recipe builder for me is just to get the amount of calories per serve, not to be a cook book
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I log coffee and condiments like mustard and hot sauce. I don't log tea or spices. There's no real logical underpinning here, it's just the way I've been logging. If I wasn't seeing the results that I expected, I would begin logging those things. But since I've been logging this way since 2015, it seems like it is working.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    No, I didn't.
  • SFJULES66
    SFJULES66 Posts: 168 Member
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    No. If I did, I would go mental.
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
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    Nope.
  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
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    Not usually. Only if I want to remember a recipe or exactly what meal I had.
  • Geneveremfp
    Geneveremfp Posts: 504 Member
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    Nope. I do have a quick check if it's something I've not used before as occasionally things can be crazy but if it's less than about 5 calories I don't. However my weight is coming off as expected if not quicker so it's one of the first things I'd tighten up if I stopped losing weight.
  • MeganD1704
    MeganD1704 Posts: 733 Member
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    Nope- I do log coffee as mine is about 3 cals a cup.
    I dont log spices- I hate mustard but since it has calories I'd probably log it in recipes.

    I dont log water either.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited August 2020
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    I log the 30oz of black coffee that I drink each morning, not for the cals but as a reminder, because it's usually the only thing I have for breakfast.

    Don't bother logging condiments or spices nor cooking oil, generally, unless I'll using what I consider a lot of it which requires counting.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    No, I just add an extra 70 calories a day (I eat a LOT of condiments) to counteract all my spices, truvia, mustard, hot sauce, and black coffee.
  • TayaCurragh
    TayaCurragh Posts: 709 Member
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    I don't for herbs and spices unless I'm using a lot of fresh ones. As I usually make 4 portions of each meal, the added calories would be very minimal per portion.

    I don't log tea, only the milk I have with it. I do add diet soft drinks or squash because I like to keep track of how much of this I drink.

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