Do you measure protein before or after cooking reddit?

November 8, 2025 •

5 min read

According to numerous Reddit threads and nutrition forums, there is significant confusion over the correct way to measure protein for macro tracking. This article provides a definitive guide, sourced from user experiences and expert advice found on Reddit, to answer the question: do you measure protein before or after cooking reddit?.

Quick Summary

Clarifying the macro tracking debate, the most accurate method involves weighing food raw, as cooking primarily removes water, not protein. Nutritional labels are based on the uncooked state, making it the most consistent measure for tracking protein intake. Weighing cooked food is less precise due to variable moisture loss during preparation.

Key Points

Weigh Raw for Accuracy: Weighing food in its raw, uncooked state is the most accurate method, as nutritional labels are based on the raw product.
Cooking Removes Water, Not Protein: During cooking, meat and other foods primarily lose water weight, meaning the total amount of protein remains constant even though the weight decreases.
Consistency is Key: Measuring raw eliminates the variable of moisture loss, which can differ with various cooking methods, ensuring more consistent tracking over time.
Measure Cooked for Pre-Made Items: If you purchase pre-cooked food like rotisserie chicken, weigh it cooked because the nutritional information is based on its final state.
Use a Scale for Powders: Always measure protein powder with a food scale by weight, not with the provided scoop, to ensure accuracy.
Batch Cooking Exception: For large-batch meals, you can weigh all raw ingredients, track the total macros, then weigh the entire cooked dish to calculate macros per gram.

The Core Principle: Why Raw Weight Matters

When discussing the topic of whether to measure protein before or after cooking on Reddit, the consensus among experienced macro trackers and nutrition-focused communities is to weigh your food in its raw, uncooked state. This method ensures the highest level of consistency and accuracy for several key reasons.

First, nutritional information provided on food packaging is almost always based on the raw product. When you input a raw weight into a macro tracking application, you are using the precise data intended by the manufacturer. If you were to weigh the food after cooking, the weight would be lower due to moisture loss, but the protein content would remain the same. This would lead to overestimating the protein density of your food per gram of cooked weight, distorting your overall macro count.

Second, the amount of moisture lost during the cooking process can vary significantly depending on the cooking method, temperature, and duration. For example, a chicken breast grilled over high heat will lose a different amount of water than one slow-cooked in a stew. By weighing the food raw, you eliminate this variable, ensuring that your measurements are consistent day-to-day, regardless of how you prepare your meal.

The Exception to the Rule: When to Measure Cooked

While the general rule is to weigh raw, there are a few practical scenarios where weighing after cooking is acceptable, especially when batch cooking meals.

Batch Cooking and Division: If you are preparing a large meal and plan to divide it into equal portions, weighing the total finished product is a valid approach. You can input the raw ingredients into a tracking app, find the total macros for the entire batch, and then weigh the final meal to determine the macros per gram. This allows for accurate portioning after the food is cooked. For example, if you cook 1000g of raw chicken and end up with 750g of cooked chicken, you can still accurately calculate that each gram of cooked chicken contains the same macros as the raw batch, but with a different weight ratio.
Pre-Cooked Products: For products that are sold pre-cooked, like rotisserie chicken or certain deli meats, you should weigh them in their cooked state. The nutritional information on these products is based on their final, cooked form. Always check the packaging for specific instructions.

Comparison: Raw vs. Cooked Measurement

To further clarify the difference, let's compare the outcomes of measuring a 100g raw chicken breast using both methods.


Feature	Measuring Raw Weight	Measuring Cooked Weight	Winner
Accuracy	High. Matches nutritional labels directly.	Low. Calorie density changes due to moisture loss.	Raw
Consistency	High. Unaffected by cooking method variables.	Low. Varies based on cooking time and temperature.	Raw
Convenience	Lower. Requires measuring before cooking, potentially creating mess.	Higher. Can measure directly on plate, no prep-time mess.	Cooked
Macro-Tracking Apps	Straightforward. Apps are designed for raw inputs.	Confusing. Requires manually calculating adjusted calorie/macro density.	Raw

Frequently Encountered Reddit Scenarios

On subreddits like r/nutrition, r/fitness, and r/mealprep, users frequently discuss common scenarios. Here’s a breakdown of how to approach some of the most common protein sources.

Meat (Chicken, Beef, Fish): Always weigh raw. Meat can lose a significant amount of water (and sometimes rendered fat) during cooking. A 100g raw chicken breast might become 70g cooked but still contains the same amount of protein. If you weigh the cooked piece, you will over-report your protein intake per gram. To track accurately, weigh 100g of raw chicken, cook it, and log the 100g raw entry in your app, regardless of the post-cooking weight.

Pasta, Rice, and Grains: Weigh these before cooking. Dry pasta and rice absorb water, dramatically increasing their weight and volume. The nutritional information is based on the dry product. For example, 50g of dry pasta has a consistent calorie count, but 50g of cooked pasta will vary depending on how much water it absorbed.

Protein Powder: Always use a food scale to measure protein powder, not the included scoop. Scoops can be inconsistent based on how packed the powder is. Weighing the powder in grams is the only way to ensure you are getting the amount stated on the nutritional label.

Stew, Chili, and Mixed Dishes: When making a large batch of mixed ingredients, the best practice is to measure all raw ingredients separately and total the macros for the entire dish. Once cooked, weigh the entire finished product. Then, to calculate the macros for your portion, divide the total macros by the total cooked weight to get the per-gram macro density.

Practical Steps for Accurate Macro Tracking

To put it all together, here is a simple process to follow for accurate protein tracking.

Get a reliable food scale: This is the single most important tool for accurate macro tracking.
Zero (Tare) the scale: Place your container on the scale and press the 'tare' button to zero out the weight of the container.
Weigh raw ingredients: Always weigh your proteins, carbs, and other ingredients in their uncooked state. This aligns with the nutritional information on packaging.
Log the raw weight: Enter the raw weight into your macro tracking app. For example, log '150g raw chicken breast'.
Cook and enjoy: Prepare your meal as desired. Don't worry about the final cooked weight for single servings. If you are batch cooking, use the method described above.
Stay consistent: The key to successful macro tracking is consistency. Pick one method and stick with it. Since measuring raw is the most accurate, it is the recommended approach for most users.

For additional support and community discussion, the r/nutrition subreddit is an excellent resource for discussing the finer points of macro tracking with other enthusiasts.

Conclusion

The debate over measuring protein before or after cooking is a common one, but for the most accurate and consistent results, the Reddit community and nutritional experts agree: weigh your food raw. By doing so, you match the data on nutritional labels and eliminate the variable moisture loss that occurs during cooking. While weighing cooked food can be useful for meal prep, weighing raw is the gold standard for precision. Investing in a food scale and following this simple raw-measurement rule will significantly improve the accuracy of your macro tracking and dietary goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, cooking does not significantly destroy or remove protein from meat. The molecules are denatured, meaning they change structure, but the total protein content remains the same. The weight difference is primarily due to moisture loss.

The amount of weight lost can vary, but Reddit users and cooking experts report a loss of approximately 20-30% of the raw weight. This is a key reason why weighing raw is more consistent, as this percentage can change based on the cooking method and initial moisture content.

It is inaccurate because the weight of the cooked product is inconsistent due to variable moisture loss. This makes it impossible to consistently compare measurements or rely on nutritional labels that are based on raw weight. For example, 100g of cooked chicken will have a higher protein density per gram than 100g of raw chicken.

For mixed dishes, the best method is to weigh all ingredients raw before cooking and add them to a recipe in your tracking app. The app will calculate the total macros. Then, weigh the final, cooked dish and divide the total macros by that weight to find the macro count per gram of the finished meal.

If your app offers both options, you can choose to weigh either raw or cooked, but consistency is key. However, the raw weight option is typically more precise because it is based on the food's original packaging data and is not affected by moisture loss. If using the cooked option, be aware that calorie density will be higher per gram.

Always weigh pasta raw, as the nutritional information is based on the dry product. Cooking pasta involves absorbing water, which adds weight but not calories. For example, 50g of dry pasta will weigh significantly more once cooked, but the macro count remains the same as the original 50g dry portion.

While eyeballing can work for general estimates, it is not recommended for accurate macro tracking. Even small errors can accumulate over time and lead to significant discrepancies. For precision, especially when tracking specific goals like muscle gain or fat loss, a food scale is essential.