Confusion with accuracy: When a chicken thigh is 30 different things

michwalton
michwalton Posts: 3 Member
edited June 2022 in Food and Nutrition
Best bet is to weigh everything, no problem. Best way to measure!

Unfortunately, in the vast library of food, choices are wildly differing. When the entry states, "baked chicken thigh," and uses "one thigh," as the measure how big is that thigh? How big was that chicken? Some of the chickens in the stores are grown to pterodactyl size, with a chicken breast three or four times the weight of what used to be the standard size. In addition, the caloric count of "one thigh," varies between 150 and 800 calories.

OK- so I try to find and entry closest to what I made (chicken thigh, baked, bone-in, meat with skin,) so... do I eat the meat and skin and subtract the bone? Or does the weight include bone weight?

What's a girl to do? Please help :smile:
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Replies

  • pmckinnis
    pmckinnis Posts: 2 Member
    So funny, I ran into this exact thing yesterday. I decided I can either take the meat off the bone and weigh it and then calculate as dark chicken meat or, forget the drumsticks and buy thighs that are easier to weigh.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,937 Member
    edited June 2022
    I solved the chicken problem by just buying boneless, skinless pieces.

    The other problem is finding the correct entry in the database. I'd suggest going to the USDA "Legacy Foods" section on the USDA website.

    Here's the chicken entry, just add "chicken thigh" or whatever you want, like boneless skinless, in the search box:
    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=chicken

    Then find one in Myfitnesspal that matches or create your own.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    michwalton wrote: »
    Best bet is to weigh everything, no problem. Best way to measure!

    Unfortunately, in the vast library of food, choices are wildly differing. When the entry states, "baked chicken thigh," and uses "one thigh," as the measure how big is that thigh? How big was that chicken? Some of the chickens in the stores are grown to pterodactyl size, with a chicken breast three or four times the weight of what used to be the standard size. In addition, the caloric count of "one thigh," varies between 150 and 800 calories.

    OK- so I try to find and entry closest to what I made (chicken thigh, baked, bone-in, meat with skin,) so... do I eat the meat and skin and subtract the bone? Or does the weight include bone weight?

    What's a girl to do? Please help :smile:

    The weight is for the edible portion.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,531 Member
    Usually if you type in USDA after the item it will have correctly info.i weigh it all. Also boneless skinless if has a bone in (like T-Bone steak), I weigh before and after whatever didn't get swallowed. (Gristle, fat, bone.)

  • michwalton
    michwalton Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you all for your answers and suggestions! Very helpful, indeed.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,531 Member
    Also, look at your label to compare. I had a discrepancy on 2 items right after your post. The manufacturers change up their labels.

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