Portion issue - confusion!

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PixelTreason
PixelTreason Posts: 226 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all! :)

I love almond butter - when I look at the label it says a portion size is 2 tablespoons (28g).

When I spoon out exactly a tablespoon and weigh it on my scale (the scale is correct, I've tested it with other items) it says 22g.
So 2 tbsp will end up being 44g instead of 28! That's a big difference!

How in the world do I log this?

Anyone know what's going on?

Thanks!

Replies

  • girlypop
    girlypop Posts: 80
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    go by the scale. Sometimes a tbsp is different from another tbsp, but a gram is always a gram. Basically if you know your scale is accurate I would go by that, because they would have used an accurate scale but who knows what type of tbsp they used, or what type you are using for that matter.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    that's where a tablespoon isn't a tablespoon. is theirs heaped? is it flattened with a knife-edge?

    i always go by weight. you can't trick a scale!
  • PixelTreason
    PixelTreason Posts: 226 Member
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    Thanks!


    Bad to know I've been eating WAY more than I thought, though! :(
  • audram420
    audram420 Posts: 838 Member
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    ^^agree
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    like they said, I'd go with grams :)

    I love when they list out grams AS WELL as tbs. I really don't know how to create the tbs if there is no weight! heaping, flattened, packed, fluffed? D:
  • percussionbeat
    percussionbeat Posts: 85 Member
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    I know what you mean...sometimes I'm not able to weigh my portions so I'm always wondering if I'm eating more than I log.
  • Mama_CAEI
    Mama_CAEI Posts: 235
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    It depends how the portion was entered into the database. Maybe the person who entered it put in one tbsp and it weighs 28 g and in the drop-down menu, you have the option of choosing a serving of 2 tbsp, but the information is calculated based on the 28 g serving. It's hard to explain. Say you enter a new food in the database. One portion of it weighs 10 g (for the sake of simplicity). You have a container that holds 100 g. Your drop-down menu will say 1 portion (10 g) and 1 container (10 g). It doesn't mean the container only holds 10 g, it means the value calculated for the container is based on the 10 g portion. Go check other foods...you'll see what I mean.

    Edited to say: never mind, ignore my comments...I just re-read your post. I guess the manufacturer made an error or something on the label.
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
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    That's why I weigh EVERYTHING!!!!!!!
  • di0816
    di0816 Posts: 1
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    I was told by my dietitian to weigh meat and measure everything else. I am looking for more friends if anyone would like to add me. I need the motivation.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
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    just out of curiosity and Im sure you didnt, but when you weighed it, you didnt include the weight of the spoon right?

    Like I said, Im sure you didnt, but it doesnt hurt to dbl check.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    an actual tablespoon (unit of measure) is quite smaller than how much nut butter you can fit on a tablespoon (eating utensil). good for you trying it out on the scale. eventually you should be able to get a feel and eyeball it.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Thanks!


    Bad to know I've been eating WAY more than I thought, though! :(

    It is a very common reason why people think they are not losing on what should be the caloric intake to have them at a deficit - not weighing food.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    an actual tablespoon (unit of measure) is quite smaller than how much nut butter you can fit on a tablespoon (eating utensil). good for you trying it out on the scale. eventually you should be able to get a feel and eyeball it.

    I use a tbsp especially for measuring and it still has the same effect. My personal belief is that it is an intentional lie by the companies involved who want to reassure customers.
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
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    an actual tablespoon (unit of measure) is quite smaller than how much nut butter you can fit on a tablespoon (eating utensil). good for you trying it out on the scale. eventually you should be able to get a feel and eyeball it.

    I use a tbsp especially for measuring and it still has the same effect. My personal belief is that it is an intentional lie by the companies involved who want to reassure customers.

    I think you might be right here. There are lots of creative portion sizing which allow companies to make their product seem lighter in terms of calories. Even with a proper measuring spoon, there will be some slight variation (bubbles in the mixture, slightly un-smooth surface) so I'm sure the company could easily justify 14g being a tablespoon.

    I weigh all my condiments and spreads for this reason. 14g seems to be a common weight listed for a tablespoon so I wonder if they are just going off some generic conversion chart. It's about right for mayonnaise, but nut butter is much more dense.

    Measuring spoons work great for liquids which don't hold trapped air, can't be shaken down and won't be heaped. Everything else can't be trusted.
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
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    To keep it simple, I just weigh anything that's not a liquid. If it's some quantum state of liquid and solid, then I just eat a small child.

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