Pam and Spices

benchstep
benchstep Posts: 18 Member
Does everyone calculate the calories when cooking with pam and spice like onion or garlic powder?
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    No.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    edited May 2022
    Well, Pam and spices have calories...but not at the quantities I use. I don't actually use Pam, I just use butter or coconut, walnut, avocado or olive oil.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    I don't use PAM, but do use spray oils, usually olive or avocado oil. The zero or minimal calories on the label are for like a 1/3 second spray.

    A lot of times, I spray more than that, sometimes quite a bit more. Because oils are calorie dense, I do weigh what I used, in those cases. (Put spray bottle on scale, zero it, spray desired amount, put bottle back on scale, note negative grams - it's what I used.) Usually, it's 4-8g, so 35-71 calories.

    If I'm spraying something like a baking sheet so food doesn't stick, but only put a food on a small area of it and don't spray more oil on top, I maybe wouldn't bother.

    I don't count most spices for calories, other than things I've learned can be calorie dense, that I'm using a fair amount of (sesame seeds, say). I often log spices, more as a reminder of what I ate for future reference or when I've been tracking something for another reason. (Example: I tracked turmeric for a while, to see how much I was eating, when thinking about supplementing.)

    I don't use onion/garlic powder, I use the actual vegetable, and do track those, though usually they're not that many calories (44 for a whole medium onion, around 6-8 for a single garlic clove).

    I find it easier just to log pretty much everything on autopilot, not go through a thought process about what to log and what's not worth logging. I make fewer mistakes that way, but that's a personal idiosyncrasy thing, probably.

    Close is good enough.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited May 2022
    I usually log a little (about 10 cals) for a spray of oil. I don't bother logging spices or garlic or coffee. I don't think this is consistent or the "right" way to do it, it's just what makes sense for me in balancing logging and the perceived burden.
  • benchstep
    benchstep Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks for your input.
  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,797 Member
    I don't.
  • perryc05
    perryc05 Posts: 206 Member
    Anything oil related I log. Dried herbs and spices not so much. Curry pastes in jars which contain oil then yes.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,329 Member
    What is pam?

    When I cook with more spices then yeah, I do log them. I often make spice mixes. Currently have something like a shawarma mix and berbere ready to be used. The berbere comes in at around 70cal per dinner. So that's quite substantial. I put them into meals and use them per weight. For smaller amounts I usually also weigh them and log, though, depending on mood I might only log per teaspoon or something like that. If I just use a pinch of cumin then I don't.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    Yes, that's what it is.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!


    You win the Best Logger Award. :flowerforyou:

    I wouldn't even know how to log something like basil or curry powder. . . you say, "it’s surprising how they can add up." Really? Like how many calories for a tablespoon of dried herbs? I can't imagine it's more than 20 calories and that would totally ruin the joy of cooking for me. I'm a creative! Don't hold me down. :lol:
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,593 Member
    I don’t log spray oil. But I do use a spray bottle that is not aerosolized to keep me from spraying too liberally.

    Anything that I cook that would involve sautéed onions or garlic is a dish that I am already using the recipe builder for. I do include onion and garlic for the recipe builder and also spices. Not because I want more accurate calorie counts on the recipe from minor ingredients. I include them so that I can easily find the ingredient list the next time I want to repeat the recipe.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    @emmamcgarity
    I include them so that I can easily find the ingredient list the next time I want to repeat the recipe.

    ^^This is genius.

    Just as an aside, the database on the Recipe page still uses asterisks, so the Admin-entered ones are so much easier in that database.
    MFP: HOW HARD would it be to bring back the asterisks?? (Pay no attention to my rant if you've only been on MFP for a few years, this is an old-school rant.)
  • GoRun2
    GoRun2 Posts: 448 Member
    I like the idea above about spray oil. I'll have to try that.

    I don't log garlic, coffee or other herbs/spices. If I have a slice of onion, I don't log it. If I have half an onion in something, I log it. Often I'm just logging mixed vegetables, I don't eat half an onion by itself.

    I don't eat my exercise calories and leave about 100 calories for inaccurate logging. My friend logs things like 2 calories for cup of coffee. I just can't do that.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!

    Apologies: I could see how it would read that way. Yes, PAM is spray oil, but it's a specific brand. I was saying that I don't use that brand, but do use other products of the same type.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!


    You win the Best Logger Award. :flowerforyou:

    I wouldn't even know how to log something like basil or curry powder. . . you say, "it’s surprising how they can add up." Really? Like how many calories for a tablespoon of dried herbs? I can't imagine it's more than 20 calories and that would totally ruin the joy of cooking for me. I'm a creative! Don't hold me down. :lol:

    Most dried herbs (i.e., plant leaves) are near zero (couple calories/tsp), ground seeds/bark/roots can be higher (something like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon might be around 7-8 calories/tsp), oily seeds like sesame maybe 15-20 calories. There's no need, arithmetically speaking, to limit your joy.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,329 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!


    You win the Best Logger Award. :flowerforyou:

    I wouldn't even know how to log something like basil or curry powder. . . you say, "it’s surprising how they can add up." Really? Like how many calories for a tablespoon of dried herbs? I can't imagine it's more than 20 calories and that would totally ruin the joy of cooking for me. I'm a creative! Don't hold me down. :lol:

    Most dried herbs (i.e., plant leaves) are near zero (couple calories/tsp), ground seeds/bark/roots can be higher (something like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon might be around 7-8 calories/tsp), oily seeds like sesame maybe 15-20 calories. There's no need, arithmetically speaking, to limit your joy.

    Actually, I remembered I'd saved a meal for a tuna pasta. Lately whenever I cooked it I wasn't too happy with how it tasted. Looking back at this I remembered how much sugar to add, and which herbs. So totally useful to actually log spices and herbs.
  • benchstep
    benchstep Posts: 18 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!

    Pam is an oil based spray.
  • benchstep
    benchstep Posts: 18 Member
    I don’t know what Pam is (always thought it was a brand name for some sort of spray oil, but Ann’s comment above suggests otherwise).

    I always count oil, using the bottle, scale, zero, use, read negative grams method described already. Mostly though, I just cook without any oil, it’s seldom necessary.

    I also always count spices, when making a recipe it’s surprising how they can add up! Although, if I’m honest…I weigh the original tsp of this, 2 tsp of that…but later in the recipe when I’m tweaking the balance I don’t always remember to log the extra shake or two of a spice or herb!

    Pam is an oil based spray
  • benchstep
    benchstep Posts: 18 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I don't use PAM, but do use spray oils, usually olive or avocado oil. The zero or minimal calories on the label are for like a 1/3 second spray.

    A lot of times, I spray more than that, sometimes quite a bit more. Because oils are calorie dense, I do weigh what I used, in those cases. (Put spray bottle on scale, zero it, spray desired amount, put bottle back on scale, note negative grams - it's what I used.) Usually, it's 4-8g, so 35-71 calories.

    If I'm spraying something like a baking sheet so food doesn't stick, but only put a food on a small area of it and don't spray more oil on top, I maybe wouldn't bother.

    I don't count most spices for calories, other than things I've learned can be calorie dense, that I'm using a fair amount of (sesame seeds, say). I often log spices, more as a reminder of what I ate for future reference or when I've been tracking something for another reason. (Example: I tracked turmeric for a while, to see how much I was eating, when thinking about supplementing.)

    I don't use onion/garlic powder, I use the actual vegetable, and do track those, though usually they're not that many calories (44 for a whole medium onion, around 6-8 for a single garlic clove).

    I find it easier just to log pretty much everything on autopilot, not go through a thought process about what to log and what's not worth logging. I make fewer mistakes that way, but that's a personal idiosyncrasy thing, probably.

    Close is good enough.

    When I make roasted butternut squash slices I can't use the actual onion it would not flavor each butternut slice but I can sprinkle the onion powder on the slices. In other recipes I use the actual spice (ie onion, garlic, etc.)