Keto Dieting: Do Food Scales Help Or Hinder?

A food scale is a useful tool for anyone on the keto diet. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat method of eating that can help with a number of health issues, including diabetes, epilepsy, and hormonal imbalances. To follow the keto diet, it's important to restrict your daily carb intake to 20g or below. A food scale can help you accurately measure your food and ensure you don't exceed this limit.

Using cups to measure dry ingredients like vegetables, cheese, or fruit is not accurate. The number of ounces or grams you get in a cup can vary depending on how small you cut things up. A food scale can help you measure these ingredients accurately and prevent you from overeating carbs or fat.

In addition to helping with portion control, a food scale can also be useful for baking and cooking. Many keto recipes use a scale, so having one can expand the number of dishes you're able to prepare.

There are a variety of food scales available on the market, ranging from basic, affordable options to more advanced scales with additional features like nutritional calculators and smartphone compatibility. When choosing a food scale, consider factors such as capacity, accuracy, ease of use, and additional features like tare function, unit conversion, and automatic shut-off.

Accuracy in tracking macros

Why You Need a Food Scale for Keto

The Ketogenic diet is about restricting carbohydrates to get your body to burn fat as fuel. This means keeping your daily carb intake at or below 20g. To do this accurately, you need a digital food scale to measure what you're eating so you can be precise about your macros.

How Food Scales Help

Food scales provide more accurate measurements, which is essential for tracking macros in a bulk or cut phase, or even when baking. Measuring by weight is a lot more accurate than measuring by volume (using traditional measuring cups). Ingredients vary in density, leading to differing weights per volume. Weighing a specific number of grams of food consistently yields the same quantity each time.

How to Choose a Food Scale

When choosing a food scale, consider factors such as capacity, accuracy, ease of use, and additional features like tare function, unit conversion, and automatic shut-off. Decide what style, size, and features are most ideal for you.

Look for a scale that's precise and accurate, with a clear display that's easy to read. Consider the size of the scale and whether it fits comfortably on your kitchen counter or is easy to store when not in use. Also, think about what you plan to measure food in, and whether the scale is big (or small) enough to accommodate the vessel.

Recommended Food Scales

• Greater Goods Nutrition Food Scale: This scale has over 2,000 foods already programmed into it, and you can program custom entries. It's a decent size without being too big.
• Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale: Compact and basic, with functions like being able to zero out the scale to account for the weight of your bowl and plate. It's also affordable.
• Etekcity Food Scale With Bowl: This scale comes with a detachable stainless steel bowl, great for measuring messy or mixed ingredients. The bowl can also be flipped and placed over the scale unit for easy storage.
• TICWELL Essential Food Scale: Boasts the ability to withstand 33 pounds, with a large and easy-to-read display and a 3-minute auto turn-off function.
• OXO Good Grips Food Scale with Pull-Out Display: Features a pull-out display to prevent shadowing from your plates or bowls. It also has a large, easy-to-read display and a smudge- and fingerprint-resistant stainless steel surface.

Tracking food intake for weight loss

Tracking your food intake is a great way to ensure you are consuming the right number of calories and nutrients to meet your weight loss goals. One of the most effective tools for doing this is a food scale.

The Benefits of a Food Scale for Weight Loss

Food scales provide more accurate measurements than traditional measuring cups, which can help you track your food intake more precisely. This is especially important if you are following a specific diet such as keto, which requires careful monitoring of your macronutrient intake.

Choosing the Right Food Scale for You

When choosing a food scale, consider factors such as capacity, accuracy, ease of use, and additional features. Look for a scale that is precise and accurate, with a capacity to measure weights from 2 grams up to about 5000 grams. Additionally, look for features such as a tare function, unit conversion, and automatic shut-off to enhance the versatility and functionality of your scale.

Recommended Food Scales for Weight Loss

• Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale: A basic and straightforward option that comes with two AAA batteries and can measure up to 11 pounds.
• Etekcity Food Scale: A sleek and compact stainless steel scale that can weigh up to 11 lbs with increments as small as 1 g. It also has a backlit LCD display and a tare button.
• Food Kitchen Scale With Bowl: This scale comes with a detachable bowl, making it convenient for measuring ingredients. The bowl fits perfectly on the weighing platform and can be flipped upside down to save space when not in use.
• TriScale Digital Display Kitchen Food Scale: A compact and practical option for on-the-go use, with an "add and weigh" function that simplifies prep by allowing you to measure multiple ingredients in the same bowl.
• Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale: Designed for meal preppers and multi-person households, this scale can handle up to 11 pounds and has a pull-out display to eliminate any shadowing or view obstruction.

Using a food scale is a helpful tool for anyone looking to track their food intake for weight loss. It allows you to measure precise portions and accurately count calories, macros, and nutrients, ensuring you stay on track with your nutrition and weight loss goals.

Measuring dry ingredients

A digital food scale is the best way to ensure you are getting an accurate measure of your food. It is especially useful for dry ingredients like veggies, cheese, or fruit. You can weigh a specific number of grams of food, which will always yield the same quantity. This is far more accurate than measuring by volume.

You can buy a good digital food scale for as little as $10-$15, and it will be one of the most important tools in your kitchen. Look for one that can convert between imperial and metric measurements and has a tare function, which allows you to put a plate or bowl on the scale and set the weight back to zero.

Some scales also come with a detachable bowl, which can be useful for messy ingredients like grated cheese or almond flour.

Measuring liquids

Liquids are an important part of the keto diet, and measuring them accurately is crucial for maintaining the right balance of nutrients and ensuring the desired results. Here are some tips and guidelines for measuring liquids on the keto diet:

Choose the Right Liquids

The keto liquid diet focuses on consuming liquids or foods that become liquid at room temperature, such as smoothies, shakes, soups, juices, and keto ice cream or cheese. These liquids should be low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats to promote ketosis and weight loss. Examples include unsweetened almond and coconut milk, olive and avocado oil, bone broth, and MCT oil.

Measure with Precision

When measuring liquids, accuracy is essential. Use measuring cups or a liquid measuring jug to get the correct amounts. You can also use a digital food scale that measures in milliliters or fluid ounces. For example, when adding cream to your coffee, place the cup on the scale, tare it to zero, and then pour the cream to measure the exact amount. This ensures you don't exceed your desired calorie intake.

Track Your Macros

Keep track of your macronutrient intake by using a keto app or calculator. Enter the amounts of liquids you consume, such as oils, milk, or broth, to ensure you're staying within your desired fat, protein, and carbohydrate ratios. This is crucial for maintaining ketosis and achieving your weight loss goals.

Be Mindful of Hidden Carbs

Some liquids, such as fruit juices or starchy vegetable purees, may contain hidden carbohydrates that can knock you out of ketosis. Be sure to read labels carefully and choose liquids with low or no added sugars. If you're blending your own smoothies or shakes, opt for low-carb ingredients like leafy greens, avocado, or nut butter.

Consider Calorie Density

Liquids can vary significantly in their calorie density, so it's important to be mindful of this when measuring. For example, a tablespoon of olive oil contains about 120 calories, while a cup of unsweetened almond milk has only around 30 calories. Be sure to factor in the calorie density of the liquids you're consuming to stay within your daily calorie goals.

Stay Properly Hydrated

The keto diet can be diuretic due to the reduced intake of carbohydrates, so it's important to stay properly hydrated. Aim to consume adequate amounts of liquids throughout the day, focusing on water and other no-calorie or low-calorie beverages. This will help support your body's functions and ensure you don't confuse thirst with hunger.

Baking

Flour is the bedrock of most baking recipes, and it's also the ingredient that is most prone to being mis-measured. Too much flour can make cakes, bread, and cookies dry and crumbly. A kitchen scale helps you nail the exact amount every time.

Measuring cups are notoriously inaccurate. They suck at measuring flour, and when you mismeasure flour, things get weird. A baking scale, however, ensures you get the same amount every time, no matter where you are in the world.

Measuring cups also don't account for the different ways people measure flour. Some dip-and-sweep, others fluff-and-spoon, and then there are those who tilt the bag over the measuring cup, hoping for the best. A scale removes all this variation.

The benefits of a baking scale go beyond flour. It's much easier to measure sticky substances like peanut butter, molasses, or honey with a scale. And when a recipe calls for chocolate or nuts, a scale is the only way to ensure consistency.

A scale can also help you bake faster and with less mess. Why use a full set of measuring cups when you can simply place a bowl on a scale and hit 'tare' to reset the weight to zero between ingredients?

If you're following a recipe that doesn't list weights, you can use a conversion chart to figure them out.

So, do you need a food scale for keto baking? While it's not essential, it can certainly help you get more accurate measurements and, therefore, better results.

Frequently asked questions