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As someone who has successfully tracked calories in the past with great effort, the trick is to be strict about measuring calorie-dense foods, but to be liberal
by iwanttocomment 2y ago
As someone who has successfully tracked calories in the past with great effort, the trick is to be strict about measuring calorie-dense foods, but to be liberal with "lighter" foods where the calories are functionally de minimis. An ounce of olive oil has 250 kilocalories. An ounce of lean protein generally has 30-50 kilocalories. An ounce of green vegetables contains virtually no kilocalories.
As such, things like oils and miso can be heavily caloric, and need to be measured strictly. This is also true of most proteins and carbs.
Seeds and tomato sauce can have some caloric density, and should also be measured, but it is less of a priority.
Mustard, lemon juice, most spices (that don't contain sugar), onions, cucumbers (regardless of density) and parsley do not have any substantial caloric density and can be considered "free" unless used in great quantities. Nobody ever gained weight from mustard, lemons, onions, cucumbers and parsley.
As already mentioned, micronutrients like vitamins are not functionally possible to be measured in a home kitchen. If you're concerned about any decrease in micronutrients, simply use vitamin and mineral supplements. Macros like proteins, carbs and fats, on the other hand, can generally be measured using typical cups, spoons and scales, even with leftovers.
When making a meal shared with others if you are looking to strictly track calories, it is easier to break things into macronutrients and mix them on individual plates or bowls rather than cook as a total pot. It's much easier to measure a protein (say, 4oz chicken), a carb (say, a potato), a sauce and a fat individually portioned on a plate than an arbitrary stew. (As above, low-calorie vegetables likely do not need to be measured separately unless there are added macronutrients.)
- aziaziazi 2y agoThat may sense. Most of the folks here seems to track calories and other macro. In the meantime... > micronutrients like vitamins are not functionally possible to be measured ... my concern is micro: I'm engaging on a full vegetable diet (+shrooms +minerals!) and am concerned about thinks like iron, selenium, calcium... I (got-used-to) love vegetable and eat a lot of them so I'm probably fine with most micros, however may miss some selenium for exemple. Some research seems to show that too much vitamins is usually ok but too much minerals may not be. The more I read the more I'm scared! What makes me feel safe is the three long-time vegan I know seems healthy and don't take any supplement appart obvious B12. Perhaps I should just focus on other thinks that doing mad about micros...
- dkarl 2y agoBoth supplementation and dietary strictness are scary because of the consistency. A quantity that is safe every day for a week or a month is not necessary safe every day for a year, and a quantity that is safe for a year is not necessarily safe for ten years. I've known two long-term vegetarians who were diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia in their thirties. One of them passed out while cycling home from work, which I'm guessing meant that she was suffering in small ways for a long time before she realized it. But if she took a mineral supplement every day for twenty years, how might she find out if she was getting too much of something? They sell the same supplements to people who are 5' 100 lbs and 6'4" 250 lbs.
- tombert 2y agoI mean, in regards to iron specifically, I get bloodwork done in my yearly checkup and it will tell me my iron levels. Historically mine have always been low but in September of 2023 I started a diet and started taking iron supplements, and when I got my bloodwork I was in the happy "green" range. ETA: I should point out that I'm a pretty tall dude (~6'5"), which might make it easier for me to avoid getting too much iron, but if I were getting too much iron I assume it would probably show up in my blood tests?
- broof 2y agoBrazil nuts are so high in selenium that you aren’t supposed to eat too many of them