If you've ever tracked your meals, you know how time-consuming it can be. You might also struggle with accurately counting calories and macros. The biggest challenge? Weighing foods correctly. It's not intuitive to look at a food item and guess its weight. Plus, weighing everything you eat takes time and isn't always possible when you're away from home. In this article, we'll share practical tips and insights to help you improve your accuracy as part of your food logging journey.
Purchase a Quality Food Weight Scale
Food scales can be inexpensive and compact. While cheaper models exist, investing in a high-quality scale is worth it—they're more accurate and durable. For example, we've used the OXO food scale for over three years on its original AAA batteries. A quality scale will save you from frustration and frequent replacements. You’ll also want to make sure the food scale has the following key features:
- A sufficient weight capacity (the OXO has an 11 pound limit)
- A spacious weighing platform that accommodates dinner plates and bowls
- Easy-to-clean materials (glass or stainless steel are ideal)
- A Tare function, which lets you zero out the weight of a container so you only measure the food inside.
- Multiple units of measurement: Look for a scale that easily switches between grams and ounces at the touch of a button.
- Auto shut-off to preserve battery life
- Weight precision: A 1g precision level works well for most needs, though .1g precision offers even greater accuracy
The Food Weighing Units and Conversions
One of the most important skills you'll develop is understanding the relative sizes of grams and ounces, along with having a general idea of how much different foods weigh. One ounce equals approximately 28.3495 grams, but it's simpler to round to 28 grams per ounce. Below is a conversion table showing equivalents from 1 ounce to 16 ounces (1 lb) in grams.
| Ounces | Grams (rounded) | Pounds (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | ~28g | |
| 2 oz | ~57g | 1/8 lb |
| 3 oz | ~85g | |
| 4 oz | ~113g | 1/4 lb |
| 5 oz | ~142g | |
| 6 oz | ~170g | 3/8 lb |
| 7 oz | ~198g | |
| 8 oz | ~227g | 1/2 lb |
| 9 oz | ~255g | |
| 10 oz | ~283g | 5/8 lb |
| 11 oz | ~312g | |
| 12 oz | ~340g | 3/4 lb |
| 13 oz | ~369g | |
| 14 oz | ~397g | 7/8 lb |
| 15 oz | ~425g | |
| 16 oz | ~454g | 1 lb |
Over time, you'll develop a skill for estimating food weights just by looking at them. The more meals you track, the better you'll become at visual estimates. It's important to perform occasional sanity checks to ensure your estimates aren't drifting too far in either direction.
Be Aware of Weight Variations in the Same Item
You might think that because you weighed a banana once at 150g (5.29 oz), all bananas weigh the same. However, bananas like many other fruits and vegetables can vary widely in size. A small banana might weigh 120g (4.23 oz), while a large one can reach 250g (8.81 oz). Sometimes it's enough to simply estimate based on whether it's a small, medium, or large banana. This applies to apples, pears, and many other fruits as well.
Remember that no amount of measuring will be perfect. Even if two bananas have identical weights, their nutritional profiles may differ due to brand variations and genetic makeup. The only way to determine exact calories and macros would be through bomb calorimetry (for calories) or food composition analysis (for both calories and macros). Since this is impractical, we must rely on estimates. It's worth noting that the FDA even allows food labels to have up to a 20% margin of error.
Weighing Raw vs. Cooked Food
First, nutritional information on food packaging is usually based on raw weights (when the product is bought raw). For example, the packaged raw chicken breast will have the weight and nutritional profile for the raw weight.
Once cooked, the weight and nutritional content of the food can be altered. Let’s walk through the two primary changes in cooked food vs. raw food.
Cooking method
Certain foods will lose a significant amount of water weight when cooked, however they will retain their nutritional contents. This has a big affect on meats and poultry. The method and duration in which they are cooked will impact the degree of water weight loss.
Cooking Fats & Oils
Certain foods will lose a decent amount of water weight, however they will retain their nutritional contents.
Did you know?
How much does my steak really weigh?
Steak (from a steakhouse) weights are the raw weights. When steaks are cut, they will have some natural variability. Restuarants will typically round to the nearest standard size they sell. High-end resturants will likely be more precise than casual restaurants. Since nutrition related to protein, calories, fat and carbs is raw weight, it’s important to understand this weight fluctuation. Also, taking into account the cooking oils and/or butter added will contribute to the final macros.
Below is a chart that approximates how much water weight a steak might lose and the resulting total weight for both a 16oz and 20oz boneless NY strip steak.
| Doneness | Weight Loss | 16 oz NY Stripe | 20 oz NY Strip (Raw) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | ~15% | ~13.6 oz | ~17 oz |
| Medium-Rare | ~20% | ~12.8 oz | ~ 16 oz |
| Medium | ~25% | ~12 oz | ~15 oz |
| Medium-Well | ~30% | ~11.2 oz | ~14 oz |
| Well-Done | ~35% | ~10.4 oz | ~13 oz |
Consistency is Key
In conclusion, aim to be consistent and diligent with food weighing, but don't obsess over measuring everything. Perfectionism can lead to burnout and inconsistent logging. As you practice, you'll develop reliable patterns and need fewer measurements. Building a consistent tracking history will help you adjust your goals effectively and achieve the results you want.
