When preparing meals and tracking calories, you probably ask yourself one common question: Do I weigh food before or after cooking? The answer is simple, but requires some math. To make your life easier, we developed a Raw to Cooked Food Converter that does exactly this for you.
Why Weight Changes During Cooking
During the cooking process, the weight of foods changes dramatically due to water loss or water absorption. Pasta and rice absorb water (becoming heavier), while meat loses water (becoming lighter).
However, the calorie and macronutrient content does not change! 100g of raw chicken breast contains about 23g of protein. After frying, the same piece might only weigh 75g – but it still contains exactly 23g of protein. If you are dieting, our Calorie Calculator can also help you determine your goals.
Method 1: Weighing Raw (The Most Precise Method)
Nutritional information on packaging almost always refers to the raw, uncooked state. 100g of raw rice has about 350 kcal and 75g of carbs. This method is flawless – as long as you weigh all ingredients *before* cooking.
Method 2: Weighing Cooked (The Realistic Way)
Sometimes you cook for the whole family or forget to weigh beforehand. Then you have to convert the weight. Since chicken loses about 25-30% of its water weight, 100g of cooked chicken corresponds to about 133g of raw chicken.
Conclusion
Both methods work as long as you are aware of water loss and absorption. If you are ever unsure, use our Food Converter to instantly calculate raw and cooked nutritional values, or calculate your overall needs using the Protein Calculator.