Nutritional value raw vs cooked

[tn94z]

So I was looking through my fitday today and what I have to eat and it hit me....maybe I'm doing this wrong. I'll use chicken for example. I buy the frozen chicken from wal mart. I took the nutritional values from the bag and entered them as a custom food in fitday. We will say that 4oz = 200 calories(which I now assume is for the raw chicken as is in the bag). So I cook the chicken and then measure out 4oz and eat it according to my fitday. This is how I've always done it.

BUT.....the values on the bag are probably as is, correct? So, if I cook the chicken before I measure it out, then the chicken's weight is lighter. This causes me to have to use more chicken to get 4oz. Let's just say the same piece of chicken weighs 2oz after it's cooked. So I double that to get 4oz of cooked chicken. Does this not mean that I have also doubled the amount of raw chicken which is what the values are for? In essence, I am getting 400 calories instead of 200?


Am I thinking of this wrong?

[Michelle Hayden]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

I think they will mean the value of it after it is cooked. I dont think you have to double it. Your soo anal, lol

[tn94z]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

So the value on the package is after its cooked? I am, I can't help it...haha!!

[suprfast]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

That is the nutritional value of the raw food, not cooked value, unless stated (net, yield).

[whitetail]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

4oz of raw chicken should be 120 cals and 27 grams of protein if a fairly lean piece. After cooked dependent on method it should be around 2.5-3oz. Sounds like the label is giving you cooked value.

[guns01]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

i weigh before cooking personally when dieting. now with that said i use fresh chicken turkey and steak though. i guess it is a mind game for me that i feel like i am getting a little more than what i am

[whitetail]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

i weigh before cooking personally when dieting. now with that said i use fresh chicken turkey and steak though. i guess it is a mind game for me that i feel like i am getting a little more than what i am

I weigh before and after then do the math on nurients/oz cooked. The moisture in the meat can vary alot once cooked. It can throw the numbers off quite a bit if you dont know the pre cooked weight of your portion.

I am with you, 6 oz is much better than 4oz :]

[guns01]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

I weigh before and after then do the math on nurients/oz cooked. The moisture in the meat can vary alot once cooked. It can throw the numbers off quite a bit if you dont know the pre cooked weight of your portion.

I am with you, 6 oz is much better than 4oz :]

anything to trick the mind and body when you are on that nice long 16-20wk prep diet haha

[tn94z]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

So it sounds like it's a mental thing. I usually weigh afterwards for my meal but use the value on the pack. I guess as long as it's consistent, it doesn't really matter that much. The only reason I was wondering is because I am that calorie deficit and don't want to over shoot my calories.

[BABY1]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

I think the serving info is based on the raw value, but i don't think that would change when it is cooked

[tn94z]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

I think the serving info is based on the raw value, but i don't think that would change when it is cooked

Well, the values wouldn't change but the weight would. A raw 4oz chicken breast is a little over 2oz, give or take, after cooked. So if you add to your serving to get 4oz cooked, you are essentially adding more calories than you have accounted for in your log...right?

[jipped genes]

Re: Nutritional value raw vs cooked

i have never weighed my food but now you have me interested. i never thought of it before. obviously the weight will change due to water/fluid in the muscle cooking out.

how much protein/ calories are in the water and juice. look at chicken stock it is very low calorie.

so i assume even though the weight has changed the calories in a 4 oz piece of raw chicken will be very similar to a 2.75 oz piece of cooked chicken. all you are cooking out is water.

also if you look at the package, most chicken has water added to plump up the meat and raise the weight

think of it as concentrating your protein.