Do you count calories before or after cooking?

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or simply eat healthier, counting calories can be an effective tool for managing your diet. But one question that often comes up is whether you should count calories before or after cooking. The quick answer is that for accuracy, calories should be counted after cooking. However, there are some exceptions and things to keep in mind. Here’s a detailed look at why you should count calories after cooking and how to do it accurately.

Why count calories after cooking?

There are two main reasons why it’s best to count calories after cooking:

1. Raw and cooked foods have different calorie densities

Many foods change in weight, volume and calorie density during the cooking process. Meats, for example, lose moisture and fat when they cook, causing them to shrink in size and become more calorie dense.

According to the USDA, a 3-ounce portion of raw boneless, skinless chicken breast contains about 110 calories. But once cooked, that same 3 ounces of chicken breast shrinks to around 2 ounces and contains 165 calories.[1]

If you counted the calories before cooking, you’d seriously underestimate how many calories you’re actually eating. This applies to most meats, as well as foods like pasta, rice, oatmeal and vegetables which absorb water when cooked.

2. Oils and fats change during cooking

When you use cooking oils and fats to cook foods, some of that oil/fat gets absorbed by the food, while the rest may run off or remain in the cookware. So the oil you add before cooking does not necessarily equal the amount you end up consuming.

For example, if you use 1 tablespoon of oil to sauté vegetables, some of that oil will run off into the pan or evaporate. The amount of oil that actually remains on the vegetables and gets consumed will be less than the full tablespoon.

Additionally, solid fats like butter, shortening or coconut oil can change state during cooking. One tablespoon of solid butter may melt down into significantly less than one tablespoon of liquid fat.

So for accuracy, you need to count the oils and fats after cooking, when the amounts you’re actually eating are obvious.

When is it okay to count calories before cooking?

In some cases, counting calories before cooking can be acceptable:

– For basic pan-fried or grilled meats, poultry and fish that don’t release much moisture, the pre-cooked and post-cooked calorie counts will be very similar.

– For simple boiled foods like eggs, spinach, sweet potatoes or brown rice, the difference between raw and cooked calories will be negligible.

– When baking packaged foods like frozen pizzas, stuffed pastries or packaged dinners, you can use the nutrition information on the label, which provides the calorie count for the final cooked product.

– For packaged raw meats with nutrition labels, such as ground turkey or beef, you can use the raw calorie count as long as you account for any oils, batter or breading added.

So in these instances, looking up calorie information before cooking can be a quicker option without sacrificing too much accuracy.

How to Accurately Count Calories After Cooking

To get the most accurate calorie counts after cooking, here are some tips:

1. Weigh foods after cooking

Get in the habit of weighing cooked foods on a kitchen scale. Measuring cups are less reliable since food volumes can change. Grams or ounces provide a precise cooked weight.

For example, weigh a cooked chicken breast, steak, or piece of fish after it’s done. Then use that weight to calculate calories.

2. Refer to the USDA FoodData Central database

The USDA FoodData Central[2] database provides both raw and cooked calorie counts for thousands of foods.

You can search for items like “chicken breast, roasted” or “rice, brown, cooked” to find the calories per gram or ounce of cooked food.

This database is extremely helpful for getting accurate calorie counts of cooked items.

3. Use nutrition labels selectively

As mentioned earlier, nutrition labels on packaged raw meats can provide reliable pre-cooked calorie counts in some cases. Just make sure you account for any additional oil, batter or breading.

Also use labels for packaged foods cooked as instructed, like frozen meals or packaged pastries.

But avoid using labels for “as prepared” items like dehydrated rice or pasta mixes which require additional water and absorb calories during cooking.

4. Account for added oils, fats, sauces and condiments

Carefully measure oils, butter, shortening, cream or other fats used in cooking. Weigh or spoon sauces onto cooked foods to measure amounts. And count any condiment calories by weighing or measuring teaspoons, tablespoons etc.

This ensures you’re including all the extras that contribute calories at the end.

5. Consider using cooked foods in recipes

When following recipes, use ingredients that provide cooked calorie amounts to remove some guesswork, for example:

– “Roasted chicken breast, shredded” instead of raw chicken
– “Cooked brown rice” instead of uncooked
– “Chopped kale, steamed” instead of raw

Or, weigh key cooked ingredients and calculate calories after making the recipe.

6. Estimate if needed

If you don’t have calorie counts for a cooked food, do your best to estimate based on similar items. For example, use cooked salmon if you can’t find calorie info on cooked trout. Or estimate cooked calories of a zucchini based on cooked summer squash.

Estimating takes more work but can still give you a reasonable idea of calories.

Tips for Counting Calories After Cooking

Here are some additional pointers to help you accurately count and track calories in cooked foods:

– Weigh foods in their final cooked state, such as roasted vegetables, sautéed meats, or mixed dishes like stir fries.

– Choose basic cooking methods like baking, grilling, roasting or poaching whenever possible – these tend to have lower amounts of added calories compared to deep frying.

– Measure added fats before cooking, then portion out any remaining oil or grease after cooking instead of guessing how much was absorbed.

– Save time by cooking batches of chicken, chopped veggies, rice or other basics to have ready portions on hand to combine into meals.

– Refer to calorie counts for generic foods (like “steamed broccoli” or “cooked black beans”) rather than brand-specific prepared items which likely have more added ingredients.

– Create a kitchen “cheat sheet” with calorie counts for commonly used cooked foods, oils, condiments and recipe ingredients.

– Use an app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt to save and track your custom cooked food items for easy logging.

– To estimate calories in restaurant dishes, find similar items in the USDA database or on restaurant nutrition sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are calories different before and after cooking?

Calories change from raw to cooked for several reasons:

– Water loss – Many foods like meat and starches lose moisture and become more calorie dense during cooking.

– Fat loss/absorption – Fats can render out of meats, evaporate, or get absorbed by other foods during cooking.

– Volume changes – Some foods like rice and pasta swell in size after cooking, affecting their weight and calorie density.

– Chemical changes – Cooking breaks down sturctures in foods, changing their metabolic properties and digestibility.

So the weight, water content, and chemical properties of most foods are altered by cooking, thus affecting their calorie content per weight or volume.

What about calories from cooking methods like oil and butter?

Oils, butter, and other fats used in cooking provide significant calories, so it’s important to account for them. Focus on weighing or measuring added fats after cooking when the amounts consumed are clear. If some oil remains uneaten, weigh or measure the leftover amount and subtract it from what was added during cooking.

Which foods can I just use the raw calories for?

Cooking has minimal effects on dense foods like eggs, fruits, some vegetables (like spinach and broccoli), and legumes (beans, lentils). For these foods, using raw calories is unlikely to make a large impact.

However, for accuracy, cooked values are still best for most foods. Use raw as an estimate if needed.

How many extra calories are added through cooking?

There’s no universal answer since it depends on the specific food and cooking method used. Meats, starchy foods, and vegetables that release moisture will increase the most in calories – up to 50% or more. Minimal changes come from boiling or steaming. Frying and adding a lot of oil causes the biggest calorie jumps.

So the extra calories added can range from negligible up to 200+ per serving depending on the food and preparation. Weighing cooked foods gives you the true final numbers.

Should I track calories for meal prep and leftovers separately?

Yes, best practice is to weigh foods after each cooking session or cycle of reheating, rather than relying on previous numbers. Leftovers can lose moisture in the fridge which concentrates calories. And reheating with butter or oil adds calories.

Weighing and tracking calories every time you plate a meal or serving ensures maximum accuracy as foods change over time and with further handling.

The Bottom Line

Counting calories before cooking is less accurate because the process changes a food’s weight, moisture content, and nutrient composition – all of which affect its final calorie content.

For best results, look up calorie information or weigh foods after cooking. This accounts for changes from water loss, absorption of fats/oils, and impact of cooking methods.

Aim to weigh cooked foods and use nutrition resources that provide calories for cooked items, such as the USDA FoodData Central database. With some diligence, you can obtain reasonably accurate calorie counts for your meals.

Knowing the true calorie content of cooked foods empowers you to meet your health goals and manage your weight by understanding exactly what you’re eating.

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