I have been wondering for a long time how I should measure the amount of food according to SWAMI recommendations. When it comes to veggies that I steam or stir-fry, do I measure the "finished product" or the veggies in their raw state?

I remember reading about meat, that it should be weighed after it's cooked, and that grains should be measured when cooked as well. But what about veggies that can be eaten either raw or cooked?

I've been measuring raw veggies, regardless of how small they shink when cooked. I count 1/3 cup of cooked spinach as 1 cup of greens, even if it started out as 1/3 cup of frozen spinach from a package.

I may be doing this incorrectly, but that's how I've  been doing it, and I've posted my opinions numerous times on this message board. Dr D has never corrected me.

Oh I see! In that case I am definitely eating enough portions of veggies every day  

I count meat portions raw 3 oz raw meat
I count grain dry 1/4 cup of dry oats+1 cup of water=1 cup of oatmeal (I count the 1/4 cup.
I count raw vegetables cup into a 1 cup measuring cup like celery cut into slices, or raw spinach, or lettuce, or green placed in the cup, so usually 3 cups to a salad
fruit-medium size fresh fruit, like apricot, or 3 strawberries, or 1/2 grapefruit

Recently I had a phone consultation with Dr. Nash. In a follow-up email to clarify certain details of my new diet plan, I asked Dr. Nash about the measurements. Here is her explanation:

Quoted Text

Cooked for veggies and meats, dried for grains

So here we have the final verdict! That means I can have a lot more grains that I had allowed myself, but I need to up the veggies and meat portions coz they shrink after cooking

You might like to read this article

A Harvard study shows that cooking substantially increases the energy a mammal extracts from vegetables and meat

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/c52a3d8e-100b-11e1-a468-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1eFES6D8N

Balletomane - good to know as I often wonder about that! Thanks for sharing that information!

So I've been counting veggies wrong all this time?

It doesn't matter so much with things like carrots or squash, but 1 cup of greens  cooks down to about 1/3 cup of cooked greens. So this either means that 1 cup of raw lettuce (such as  a salad) is only equal to 1/3 cup of veggies (meaning I'd need a 3 cup salad to count as 1 cup of veggies) or 1/3 cup of cooked veggies counts as a whole cup of veggies (which is how I'd been counting them.)

This whole thing is so confusing. It would be far easier if Dr D used the same "portions" as the ADA, then I'd just know to have, say, 10 portions of veggies per day, and the portion counts as a cup of salad or half a cup of cooked greens- when he just says "10 cups" it's hard to know what's really meant.

I think that the measurement for cooked veggies only applies to veggies that you cook, e.g. steam or sautee. I would still count salad veggies in their raw form. But I have just been making assumptions. Maybe I should ask Dr. Nash again and see what she says.

I do not tend to worry about it since I get 6 live food servings daily, and I thought it was okay to go over in this category.

I count green beans here instead of under vegetable proteins.

If going by Dr. Nash's above quote which means we're supposed to be measuring meat cooked but grains raw, how are we supposed to be measuring beans?  Cooked or raw?

Quoted from Chloe

If going by Dr. Nash's above quote which means we're supposed to be measuring meat cooked but grains raw, how do are we supposed to be measuring beans?  Cooked or raw?

In the blood type diet it is dry uncooked beans.

In SWAMI and GenoType their is no measure given for bean servings so it does not matter whether you consider it cooked or uncooked.

Quoted from C_sharp

In the blood type diet it is dry uncooked beans.

In SWAMI and GenoType their is no measure given for bean servings so it does not matter whether you consider it cooked or uncooked.

I assumed that since the measure under Vegetable Proteins was for "Nuts, Seeds", that it would be uncooked (and that it would apply for beans as well).

Quoted from ABJoe

I assumed that since the measure under Vegetable Proteins was for "Nuts, Seeds", that it would be uncooked (and that it would apply for beans as well).

.  I can't really figure out what a serving of beans should be.  I can't
tell if I'm under eating or overeating portions of beans from my list.

Here's what my SWAMI says and I can't imagine eating 1/4 cup of cooked beans OR 1/4 c of nuts and I only get 8 individual portions for a whole week?  I have to choose between nuts, nut butter or beans?  Makes absolutely no sense at all.

Nuts, Seeds: quarter cup; Nut Butters: 1 tablespoon
Frequency: 8 servings weekly.

I honestly don't think beans belong on a list with nuts and are to be treated as they were
equals. No fat in beans, lots of fiber...a lot of fats in nuts, some fiber.  How could I ever make a meal out of beans?  1/4 cup?

Quoted from Chloe

.  I can't really figure out what a serving of beans should be.  I can't
tell if I'm under eating or overeating portions of beans from my list.

I honestly don't think beans belong on a list with nuts and are to be treated as they were
equals. No fat in beans, lots of fiber...a lot of fats in nuts, some fiber.  How could I ever make a meal out of beans?  1/4 cup?

I'm with you on that Chloe. Beans and nuts have such a different composition. I get 1/2 cup of beans daily for 6x weekly. I've been having 1/2 cup of cooked. Perhaps I should be eating more but I do find this measuring stuff confusing. I also get 1/2 cup carbs 3x daily. So...1 1/2 cups of dry rice would be around 3 cups of rice daily! I would soon pack on the pounds if I did that, as is, I can't eat all that is recommended for me on a daily basis. One of the many amazing benefits of this type of eating is that one does not starve!

I was just questioning this myself tonight. I'm allowed 9 servings a week of

1/2 C. nuts/seeds & 2 T. nut butters.

So, does that mean I can have 2 T. peanut butter 7x a week and 2 - 1/2 C. servings of cooked beans a week? Or is that 1/2 cup dry beans cooked?