I'm confused *?!$*

Options
Linda1053
Linda1053 Posts: 45 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone. Hope someone can help me on this one. please.

I have been looking at Jacket/Baked Potatoes in the diary section. This being a plain potato, washed, wrapped in foil and baked in the over weighing 300 ml. When I am looking this is what I have found:-

Generic - Jacket Potato - Ovenbaked 300g, 300g approx = 225 Cal

Generic - Jacket Potato 300 g = 240 Cal

Potatoes - white, flesh and skin, baked 300 g = 282 Cal

Asda - Baking potato (oven Baked), 300g = 432 Cal

Once I got to this point I decided not to look any further in case it confused me even more. Anyone got any thoughts on this or maybe a true calorie count?

Thanks

Replies

  • chachadiva150
    chachadiva150 Posts: 482 Member
    Options
    Pick one. Move on. A few calories here and there is not enough to stress over.
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    Options
    Pick one. Move on. A few calories here and there is not enough to stress over.

    This. Just be consistent and all will be well. If it makes you feel better you can go to other sites like calorieking.com to verify. But really who knows if they are correct as well? Just pick one and use it consistently, monitor your progress and adjust as needed.
  • theNurseNancy
    theNurseNancy Posts: 149
    Options
    Just use the usda food calorie website.

    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list


    edit:
    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3151?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&qlookup=&offset=&sort=&format=Abridged&_action_show=Apply+Changes&Qv=3&Q5858=1.0&Q5859=1.0&Q5860=1.0

    291 cals for a 300g russet potato, baked
  • Minimooshable
    Minimooshable Posts: 26
    Options
    I've had the same thing- I've been logging pickled eggs as one brand, not the one I buy but the one I buy isn't there. Today I logged as 'generic' and it's over 3 times the cals and fat! So although stressing over a few cals is unnesesary, sometimes the difference is such that it really messes up the logging.
  • kristyvoo
    kristyvoo Posts: 2
    Options
    I have to agree with the last two posts. I would pick the one with the lowest calories and try it if it were me. If you like the one you pick, just stick with it. Consistency is key. :))
  • PurpleStarKatz
    PurpleStarKatz Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    When I don't know which to chose, I usually go with the highest one within the same general realm of the rest. So I'm skeptical of the 400+ calorie one, but I'd probably go with the 282 one. I know most of my food diary is based of estimations anyway, so personally I wouldn't worry about it too much.
  • WifedUpMartin
    WifedUpMartin Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    I don't really have much to say on this topic, I just agree that you should pick one and use it consistently (that's what I do). I just wanted to comment on your profile pic - I love weimaraners! I used to foster one for a soldier who got deployed (I volunteer for an organization called Soldiers Angels) and they are amazing dogs! It's been 5 years since I had him at my house (he was there for a year and a half) and I still make the drive to go visit him (and his owner) whenever I get the chance!
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    Options
    Even if the potato is HUGE I don't see it being over 225 cals. Look at the nutrition info on a bag of similar potatoes in the fresh area of the store.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    Options
    Marks and Spencer's ones are 437 cals per 300g, then again the packaging says there are 4x175g potatoes in it when in reality they ranged from 220g to 309g. :ohwell:
  • solodancer
    solodancer Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    I agree about picking the highest of the general ones. always better to over estimate ur cals then underestimate. but i also agree that u shudnt worry too much about it being off as most things are off as manufacturers now have to put nutritional info on the packets and also say what weight the item is, or individual item in a multipack is. but they get massively penalised if they tell you there is more in there than what there actually is (i.e. saying something is 40g even though its only 35g) so most underestimate their weight so that they can guarantee they are avoiding overestimating so most will say its 30g when its actually 35g. so u can never be sure anyway
  • wolftrax
    wolftrax Posts: 50
    Options
    Here is a guide that I use :

    small potato = 2" diameter @ 130 cals
    Medium = 3" @ 150 cals
    Large = 4-5 " @ 245 cals.

    add on for any toppings..
  • julia6567
    julia6567 Posts: 27
    Options
    I agree about picking the highest of the general ones. always better to over estimate ur cals then underestimate. but i also agree that u shudnt worry too much about it being off as most things are off as manufacturers now have to put nutritional info on the packets and also say what weight the item is, or individual item in a multipack is. but they get massively penalised if they tell you there is more in there than what there actually is (i.e. saying something is 40g even though its only 35g) so most underestimate their weight so that they can guarantee they are avoiding overestimating so most will say its 30g when its actually 35g. so u can never be sure anyway

    Agree with Solodancer. Alway better to over estimate that under estimate. Going to the lowest one just so that you have more calories for thes rest of the day is a bad way to go. You will regret it in the end when the weight doesnt come off and you will get disheartedned.
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
    Options
    As you can see there are a lot of opinions, and also all foods entered into the MFP database are by users.

    According to the USDA: white flesh potato, baked, peel eaten, no fat added in cooking
    Has 92 Calories per 100 g.

    That would be for any generic white flesh whole potato.

    If you believe the US government, there you go.

    Personal opinion, I find something in the MFP database that seems approximately right or slightly high after doing some research and try to be consistent in using that entry. Given that a lot of the entries into the food & exercise database are approximate and what I'm recording is approximate, I feel better about slightly over stating my food calorie log and slightly under stating my exercise log, figuring I'm probably hitting reality pretty closely then.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    Options
    While I would agree with others that you shouldn't worry too much about a few calories (like 30 cal difference, as long as it doesn't happen all the time because then it adds up) you do have one there that is a 200 calorie difference, but that seems to be the one to ignore since the others are similar. What I would do is look for the entry without the asterisk and go with grams if you have a scale, anything with an asterisk is member-entered.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Options
    I had a similar problems with potatoes on the database, and it was driving me crazy.

    I did some internet research to find the calories in potato, and found some information from the potato council, and entered a new database entry. If you search for "Potato Council " you should find it.

    I hope that helps.
  • Linda1053
    Linda1053 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    Hi there.
    Thanks to everyone for your replies. I think it was the bigger one which confused me. I will look for the Potato Council.
    Thanks again to every one.:smile:
  • Linda1053
    Linda1053 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    He is a lovely dog, not mine I am afraid. But I did fall in love with him the moment I met him. Will see him again later in the year. Animals do tug at those heart strings!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    For something like a simple potato, just choose the one that doesn't have the asterisk. Those are the "system" entries.

    For example: Potatoes - Russet, flesh and skin, raw
  • Love2HikeMT
    Love2HikeMT Posts: 42
    Options
    Google "USDA Calorie Counts" ~ that is the most accurate site I've found for nutritional information.

    Here's the link: http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-35-45-00

Categories