Why is there a difference between raw and cooked vegetables?

[BonnieDoerr]

Why is there a difference in the nutritional information on foods? For example, raw butternut squash (2 oz) lists at 25.5 cal, .057g fat, 6.6g carbs, and .57g protein; and baked w/o oil or salt lists as 22.7 cal, .051g fat, 5.9g carb and .51g protein.

What happens to the food to change its makeup?

[RunbikeSki]

Hi BonnieDoerr,
Exactly what FitDay does to cooked veggies is a bit of a mystery. Often the website assumes some added fat and salt. Sometimes changes in water content will change the % of various nutrients, but quite how that is calculated into the nutrient contents is not clear.

The best thing to do is to use the raw value and add any other ingredients you use in the cooking proccess. Raw onions sauteed in butter. Add onions, raw and butter, 2tbsp (or however much you think is absorbed).

Hope that helps!

[vabeachgirlNYC]

Some macro nutrients may be increased or lost by cooking/heating because it changes the chemical properties that are present in the natural (raw) foods. Depending on what food it is, how high of a temp and how long it cooks.

And like RunbikeSki said some of the choices assume you have used added ingredients in the preparation process.

If unsure you can make it a custom food too.