The importance of a food scale

  • So last week, I made some steel cut oatmeal. I used the points for 1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal per the WW online points tracker. 2 points for 1/4 cup which is cool.

    This morning, I made another batch of steel cut oatmeal but weighed and measured it. 1 cup (4 servings) came to 200 grams. I know a usual grain serving is 45 grams so I took out 20 grams to make 4 45 gram servings which are a little under 1/4th cup.

    When I ended up putting the 45 grams into the online points tracker only to see 3 points staring back at me rather than 2 points. So I'm guessing a serving is really 30 gram weight.

    So despite the fact that WW online reports 1/4 cup as 2 points and 45 grams was less than 1/4th cup, the points really are 3 points. Not that 1 point is huge but points can add up if you are estimating and expecting measuring cups to give you the right serving amount.
  • Great info nelie. Thanks.
  • I'm sorry I don't put that much rocket science into it but I rare if ever rely on the database (old school here started in meetings with weighing and measuring then figuring points or selections <yeah I go back that far>) to give me my points.

    LOL

    Oh and I always go by what is listed on the package or I find in nutritional information sites/books.
  • Well online sites say 1/4 cup is 150 calories which would equate to 2 points. I didn't have a package since I bought it in bulk so I wasn't sure the grams per serving, only the measurement cup.
  • The thing with the database you need to remember is they take an average of several different brands.

    I've looked at a few different brands (through online sites for nutritional info) and they range from 145 to 160/2-3 fat/5-8 fiber.