Drink Logging

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HylesGallii
HylesGallii Posts: 41 Member
in Getting Started
Hello! I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on how to log drinks using weight when all I can usually find for them is measurements in volume. Just converting from calories per ml to calories per gram doesn't seem any more accurate than just sticking to ml since well.. I have to measure out an amount to weigh either way for each different drink I want to log, so if volume measurements are what I risk being off about I don't see how that reduces the risk at all. Perhaps is there a more expansive database of this sort of thing people make use of?

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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,435 Member
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    It's fine to measure drinks in ml or whatever you're comfortable with. Using cups for food though is problematic because you can pack food in losely or stuff it in, and hence have a lot more calories. And how do you measure coarse things?
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,167 Member
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    HylesGallii wrote: »
    Hello! I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on how to log drinks using weight when all I can usually find for them is measurements in volume. Just converting from calories per ml to calories per gram doesn't seem any more accurate than just sticking to ml since well.. I have to measure out an amount to weigh either way for each different drink I want to log, so if volume measurements are what I risk being off about I don't see how that reduces the risk at all. Perhaps is there a more expansive database of this sort of thing people make use of?

    What is your question, precisely? Do you want to measure by volume or by weight?

    I weigh everything because I find it easier, but it's true that not all drinks are 100gr per 100ml (although most water-like drink will be close) and a lot of database entries for drinks are in ml.
    For example, alcoholic drinks will be lighter than 100gr per 100ml since alcohol is lighter. So when I weigh red wine for a recipe, for example, the database entry I use is in ml, so I know that I need to enter a higher number in ml to be accurate.

    You might find these calculators interesting, if only to check your most frequent drinks for how close they are to 100gr/100ml:
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-weight-to-volume
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I've had success literally googling phrases like "what does 1 tbsp olive oil weigh" (about 13g, if you're curious), or weighing my liquids in a measuring cup meant for liquids (this kind - the other kind are meant for dry goods).
  • HylesGallii
    HylesGallii Posts: 41 Member
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    Lietchi wrote: »
    HylesGallii wrote: »
    Hello! I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on how to log drinks using weight when all I can usually find for them is measurements in volume. Just converting from calories per ml to calories per gram doesn't seem any more accurate than just sticking to ml since well.. I have to measure out an amount to weigh either way for each different drink I want to log, so if volume measurements are what I risk being off about I don't see how that reduces the risk at all. Perhaps is there a more expansive database of this sort of thing people make use of?

    What is your question, precisely? Do you want to measure by volume or by weight?

    I weigh everything because I find it easier, but it's true that not all drinks are 100gr per 100ml (although most water-like drink will be close) and a lot of database entries for drinks are in ml.
    For example, alcoholic drinks will be lighter than 100gr per 100ml since alcohol is lighter. So when I weigh red wine for a recipe, for example, the database entry I use is in ml, so I know that I need to enter a higher number in ml to be accurate.

    You might find these calculators interesting, if only to check your most frequent drinks for how close they are to 100gr/100ml:
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-weight-to-volume
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight


    I want to measure by weight, since I'd heard that volume can get quite inaccurate. Those calculators are very useful, so I appreciate them (and the other responses so far)!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    goal06082021 wrote: »
    I've had success literally googling phrases like "what does 1 tbsp olive oil weigh" (about 13g, if you're curious), or weighing my liquids in a measuring cup meant for liquids (this kind - the other kind are meant for dry goods).

    Measuring cups, even ones meant for liquids, do not weigh their contents.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    HylesGallii wrote: »
    Lietchi wrote: »
    HylesGallii wrote: »
    Hello! I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on how to log drinks using weight when all I can usually find for them is measurements in volume. Just converting from calories per ml to calories per gram doesn't seem any more accurate than just sticking to ml since well.. I have to measure out an amount to weigh either way for each different drink I want to log, so if volume measurements are what I risk being off about I don't see how that reduces the risk at all. Perhaps is there a more expansive database of this sort of thing people make use of?

    What is your question, precisely? Do you want to measure by volume or by weight?

    I weigh everything because I find it easier, but it's true that not all drinks are 100gr per 100ml (although most water-like drink will be close) and a lot of database entries for drinks are in ml.
    For example, alcoholic drinks will be lighter than 100gr per 100ml since alcohol is lighter. So when I weigh red wine for a recipe, for example, the database entry I use is in ml, so I know that I need to enter a higher number in ml to be accurate.

    You might find these calculators interesting, if only to check your most frequent drinks for how close they are to 100gr/100ml:
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-weight-to-volume
    https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight


    I want to measure by weight, since I'd heard that volume can get quite inaccurate. Those calculators are very useful, so I appreciate them (and the other responses so far)!

    There are entries in the database by weight for "commodity" liquids (e.g., milk of x% fat, distilled spirits of X% ABV or X proof, olive oil, etc.).

    It helps if you search using the text string from the USDA nutrient database.

    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html

  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited June 2021
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    The reason cups and spoons are not accurate is because they can fit in different ways based on compression and geometry.

    Liquid doesn't compress or have shape to impact amount that will fit.

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