Calories increased by adding water??

lilig81
lilig81 Posts: 20 Member
Could someone please explain this little puzzle.

Ramen noodles come in packs of 100g (in the UK)

However the calorie content is given in per 100ml.

It then says to prepare the noodles with 500 ml of water.

Therefore on my calculation the 93kcal/100ml = 465kcal/500ml

How does adding water to something increase the calorie content if water has no calories?

Ta!

Replies

  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    Adding water won't increase the calories.

    Just add the info based on the back of the package. If there isn't a proper entry in the database already just create one. I would imagine most ramen's have the same NI so you could always take an entry for Mr Noodle and add that instead.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    This also includes the seasoning packet. The reason it says (prepared noodles) Prepared with water instead of another liquid (such as broth, or used in another dish)
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    It doesn't.

    How are you measuring out the 100ml of noodles? Seems like a farce to get around putting accurate info on the packet, to me.

    What brand are they? They should have a nutritional breakdown per 100g on the pack as well as the serving size breakdown.
  • lausa22
    lausa22 Posts: 467 Member
    The pack weighs 100g because its dry noodles, therefore you don't eat it like that.
    Ramen is measures in mls because its basically like noodle soup. Its not measured in grams because the noodles expand.
    Water doesnt add calories, it just allows the food to be in a state where you eat it, therefore you digest the calories.
    the noodles have that amount of calories before you add the water.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    This also includes the seasoning packet. The reason it says (prepared noodles)

    This is what I was thinking. Are you eating just the noodles? Or are you adding the seasoning? That would be where the additional calories (and sodium) come from, not the water.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I buy noodles that are very vague too (also UK) but I just pick another brand to log with and go with dry weight.
  • MsMel123
    MsMel123 Posts: 12 Member
    Just like an egg.....if its fried....1 large is 92 calories...if its scrambled....its 101 calories.....seriously....if its fried in non stick spray or if its scrambled in non stick spray what is the difference in calories? Shouldn't be any! All this according to MFP.
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    Could someone please explain this little puzzle.

    Ramen noodles come in packs of 100g (in the UK)

    However the calorie content is given in per 100ml.

    It then says to prepare the noodles with 500 ml of water.

    Therefore on my calculation the 93kcal/100ml = 465kcal/500ml

    How does adding water to something increase the calorie content if water has no calories?

    Ta!


    WHAT??.... Just go by the nutritional value for the prepared noodles.
    If the 93cal/100ml is for the dry noodles then the 465kcal/500ml for the prepared includes the powder packet which obviously has more calories.
  • KetoTeacher
    KetoTeacher Posts: 163 Member
    Yes Msmel123... this is craz y :laugh:
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    The pack weighs 100g because its dry noodles, therefore you don't eat it like that.

    But I like Ramen noodles dry! That's the lazier version of lazy man cooking!
  • ddslowly
    ddslowly Posts: 46 Member
    Just like an egg.....if its fried....1 large is 92 calories...if its scrambled....its 101 calories.....seriously....if its fried in non stick spray or if its scrambled in non stick spray what is the difference in calories? Shouldn't be any! All this according to MFP.

    scrambled eggs traditionally have some milk or cream added to the egg. if you use water or nothing but egg, the calories are the same.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    When I used to eat Ramen noodles, a package said 2-3 servings. But I always ate the whole thing. :ohwell:
  • mazzzzyyy
    mazzzzyyy Posts: 2 Member
    cripes...

    ok so here's the deal... the weight of the noodles is 100grams.. ok now forget about the weight..

    When you prepare the noodles with water, you get 500ml (note the mls) + a little extra with the noodles. Then if you separate into 100ml each (water + noodles), the calories = 93kcal / per portion. (500ml /100ml = 5 portions)

    so..
    if you have one portion of noodles + water = 93kcal..
    if you have the entire thing = 465kcal...

    Say, if you add only 400ml, the total calories still remains at 465kcal.. because water has no calories. But it will increase to 116kcal/ portion...

    the package says 500ml as a serving suggestion, you need to look at the total of 465kcal for the entire package then work backwards from there.

    i know this is confusing... and the package should really say total kcal p/package when prepared.
  • mazzzzyyy
    mazzzzyyy Posts: 2 Member
    Bang on the money, Lausa22.
  • mazzzzyyy wrote: »
    cripes...

    ok so here's the deal... the weight of the noodles is 100grams.. ok now forget about the weight..

    When you prepare the noodles with water, you get 500ml (note the mls) + a little extra with the noodles. Then if you separate into 100ml each (water + noodles), the calories = 93kcal / per portion. (500ml /100ml = 5 portions)

    so..
    if you have one portion of noodles + water = 93kcal..
    if you have the entire thing = 465kcal...

    Say, if you add only 400ml, the total calories still remains at 465kcal.. because water has no calories. But it will increase to 116kcal/ portion...

    the package says 500ml as a serving suggestion, you need to look at the total of 465kcal for the entire package then work backwards from there.

    i know this is confusing... and the package should really say total kcal p/package when prepared.

    100g of fresh pasta is 160 cals, not a cat in hell chance of a 100g of noodles being another 300 cals just coz water added which is calorie free and the seasoning that comes with it will be 40 cals at best
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,353 Member
    mazzzzyyy wrote: »
    cripes...

    ok so here's the deal... the weight of the noodles is 100grams.. ok now forget about the weight..

    When you prepare the noodles with water, you get 500ml (note the mls) + a little extra with the noodles. Then if you separate into 100ml each (water + noodles), the calories = 93kcal / per portion. (500ml /100ml = 5 portions)

    so..
    if you have one portion of noodles + water = 93kcal..
    if you have the entire thing = 465kcal...

    Say, if you add only 400ml, the total calories still remains at 465kcal.. because water has no calories. But it will increase to 116kcal/ portion...

    the package says 500ml as a serving suggestion, you need to look at the total of 465kcal for the entire package then work backwards from there.

    i know this is confusing... and the package should really say total kcal p/package when prepared.

    100g of fresh pasta is 160 cals, not a cat in hell chance of a 100g of noodles being another 300 cals just coz water added which is calorie free and the seasoning that comes with it will be 40 cals at best

    Ramen noodles aren't fresh pasta though. The "bricks" of noodles I typically see are fried noodles reconstituted with water. It's the frying that changes the calorie count, not the pasta itself.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,943 Member
    Dried pasta is about 350-360kcal per 100gr. So if you have 100gr of those and add water then you still have those 350-360kcal. Is it just dry spices you add or also oil? Is there a little oil film on the water once you add the noodles and spice mix? if so then you can easily get another 100kcal for the added stuff. Makes sense. The wording on this packaging is totally ridiculous though. Only seen this from Aldi and Lidl in the UK in the past.
  • amfmmama
    amfmmama Posts: 1,420 Member
    This has always made me crazy! It's not just ramen!
  • sbwoogie
    sbwoogie Posts: 1 Member
    Right, here's the thing. I have actually emailed bachelor's super noodles about this and waiting for a reply. Packaging for one cup of noodles, which is 1 portion= 90g and 153 calories. It then says cooked weight = 444 calories. Surely in that tiny sachet of seasoning there is not300 calories. No chance. That is cooked in boiled water only.