Veggies What is the right measurement?

[TaylorLee42]

What is the right way to measure our veggies. ( Yes I read the book ), is it better to measure in a cup chopped veggies, or am i better to weigh in oz's.

Measuring in oz's is more veggies then cups.

[not2late]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Hi. According to the Forum description, "
For all beginners of the Atkins Diet. This forum will help you along your first 14 days of the Induction Phase. Note: We are strictly by the book in this forum (DANDR - 2002)." The book says we measure veggies using cups. The great thing is that Dr. Atkins did not say you had to measure the veggies chopped, sliced, cubed, minced, etc.

There are folks who prefer to weigh their vegetables. If you do that, you might want cross-reference the carb list in the back of the book with what is on the USDA's Nutrient Database because Dr. Atkin's idea of a "cup" differs somewhat from the USDA. For example, if you compare Dr. Atkin's 1/2 cup lettuce carb values to the USDA's Dr. Atkins' 1/2 cup weighs about 70 grams: the USDA's weighs about 50 grams for 1/2 cup. Be aware that the Atkins Center used to send foods to an independent laboratory for nutritional analysis, which is why their values differ from the USDAs----in one book, there is a story about a "4 net muffin" (or was it a bagel?), anyhow the Atkins CEnter had it analysed and found the muffin was really 50 net carbs!

[not2late]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Whoops! I made a boo-boo. DANDR 2002 lists 1 cup of butterhead lettuce as having .7 net carbs. The USDA lists it as having 0.6 net carbs weight 55 grams. So you would have to weigh out 56 grams of lettuce in order to match Dr. Atkin's cup measurement.

Yes, that seems excessive, but most people weigh their veggies in order to get the most acurrate carb amount. And if you are going to that length to get an accurate carb amount, then you will need to consume the amounts that Dr. Atkins recommended in his carb counter.

[mission to lose]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Hi. According to the Forum description, "
For all beginners of the Atkins Diet. This forum will help you along your first 14 days of the Induction Phase. Note: We are strictly by the book in this forum (DANDR - 2002)." The book says we measure veggies using cups. The great thing is that Dr. Atkins did not say you had to measure the veggies chopped, sliced, cubed, minced, etc.

There are folks who prefer to weigh their vegetables. If you do that, you might want cross-reference the carb list in the back of the book with what is on the USDA's Nutrient Database because Dr. Atkin's idea of a "cup" differs somewhat from the USDA. For example, if you compare Dr. Atkin's 1/2 cup lettuce carb values to the USDA's Dr. Atkins' 1/2 cup weighs about 70 grams: the USDA's weighs about 50 grams for 1/2 cup. Be aware that the Atkins Center used to send foods to an independent laboratory for nutritional analysis, which is why their values differ from the USDAs----in one book, there is a story about a "4 net muffin" (or was it a bagel?), anyhow the Atkins CEnter had it analysed and found the muffin was really 50 net carbs!

Hi Megs,

I use this to keep handy in the kitchen...Is it reliable? I am sure you have seen it. It tells how much 1 "cup" of X food = on a scale.

It is from our site....http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/useful_files/CARB_COUNT.pdf

[2big4mysize]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

accuracy will go best weighed BUT if you want Dr Atkins results then you have to use his screwy measurements. 3 cups of loosely packed veggies.

You and I both know fitday and the USDA will say cheddar cheese has less then .3 grams of carbs per ounce BUT Dr Atkins in DANDR says aged cheese had one carb per ounce so that is what we need to go with.

[Georgiana]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

I use this to keep handy in the kitchen...Is it reliable? I am sure you have seen it. It tells how much 1 "cup" of X food = on a scale.

The list is from USDA. The "problem" is not that the list is not reliable... but it depends how you fit those veggies in the cup, how big the pieces are and so on.

I did an little experiment a few weeks ago with whole mushrooms to see what is the difference between a cup I measure and a cup in the USDA database. My cup of whole mushrooms, after multiple measurements, weighed between 50 and 60 grams. A cup of whole mushrooms in the USDA database is 96 grams.

The main differences likely come from the way I fitted the mushrooms in the cup (that's why I took more measurements... to minimize the errors) and from the size of the mushrooms.

So, the list is correct for the way veggies were measured by USDA. It might just not be accurate for the way you fit the veggies in a cup.

[mission to lose]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

The list is from USDA. The "problem" is not that the list is not reliable... but it depends how you fit those veggies in the cup, how big the pieces are and so on.

I did an little experiment a few weeks ago with whole mushrooms to see what is the difference between a cup I measure and a cup in the USDA database. My cup of whole mushrooms, after multiple measurements, weighed between 50 and 60 grams. A cup of whole mushrooms in the USDA database is 96 grams.

The main differences likely come from the way I fitted the mushrooms in the cup (that's why I took more measurements... to minimize the errors) and from the size of the mushrooms.

So, the list is correct for the way veggies were measured by USDA. It might just not be accurate for the way you fit the veggies in a cup.

Hi G-

I use the chart this way,
Example-
Per the link-1 cup of Spinach= 30 grams, so I will weigh out 30 g of spinach instead of stuffing it into a cup. How's that?

Mushrooms, I personally weigh also. Although this chart from the ADBB link says 1c of mushrooms is 70 g., not 96. I wonder what the source is for this link from the ADBB?

[Georgiana]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Per the link-1 cup of Spinach= 30 grams, so I will weigh out 30 g of spinach instead of stuffing it into a cup. How's that?

Sounds good!

Although this chart from the ADBB link says 1c of mushrooms is 70 g., not 96.

Yes, but it doesn't say if they are whole or pieces. USDA lists 1 cup of white mushrooms, raw, pieces or slices, as having 70 g... so that must be the entry that was added to the list.

[mission to lose]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Sounds good!
.

Thanks,

Have a great week G

~Mary

[TaylorLee42]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

I have a headache!. So I think it's probably wiser for me to use the "3 cups loosely packed" veggies then weighing them? Better less then more or over during induction to be safe if I did it this way.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

>>the USDA's weighs about 50 grams for 1/2 cup.>>

The USDA shows 23.5 grams for 1/2 cup shredded romaine.

For butterhead (including boston and bibb types), 1/2 cup shredded is 27.5 grams.

For green leaf lettuce, it's 18 grams.

For iceberg, 1/2 cup shredded is 36 grams. For 1/2 cup chopped, loosely packed, it's 28.5 grams.

For red leaf, it's 14 grams per 1/2 cup.

So ... not all lettuces weigh the same.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

>>Better less then more or over during induction to be safe if I did it this way.>>

Less is generally not better when it comes to Atkins.

Rule #3 of Induction is clear that you need to get "most" of your 20 net carbs from vegetables ... so being light on your vegetables won't help you achieve that.

And undereating is never a good thing.

[not2late]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

REgarding the discrepancies between Dr. Atkins and the USDA. As 2Big alluded, if you want Dr. Atkins results then you have to follow Dr. Atkins measurements. So to eat what Dr. Atkins wanted you to eat, then you will have to use the book's carb counter volumetric amounts and net carbs in order to figure out how much weight you need to add or subtract from the USDA's website.

And be aware, that when you weigh your veggies, you should weigh them without any extraneous water attached to the veg. 1 ml of water weighs 1 gram. 1 ml of water is less than 1/4 teaspoon. So when weighing for accuracy, any additional water clinging to your veg has to potential to add weight which will give you a false idea of the number of carbs you are eating.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

Megs,

I understood what you were saying ... I was merely going through the USDA list to give the gram weights of the various lettuces in 1/2 cup increments.

[Georgiana]

Re: Veggies What is the right measurement?

If you are measuring in cups and not weighing at all, you are also not eating the number of carbs Dr. Atkins wanted you to eat. You just have no idea how off you are. So weighing to the last picogram is not necessary.

TaylorLee, as J. pointed out, do not try to bring your carbs as low as possible. Atkins is meant to be a healthy way of eating, even at 20 net carbs, and vegetables come packed with good nutrition. Certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also interfere with weight loss, so you should try to make the best of those 20 net carbs you have available. To give you an example, don't choose 3 cups of lettuce just because lettuce is low in carbs. If you are making a salad, add to it some peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, etc.