SECTION
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
HOW TO STUDY THIS SECTION
This section deals with the various weighing and measuring methods/techniques
used in finding the weight and volume of foodstuffs at the household
level. The most important feature of the section is the discussion on the items of
the practical kit. So, it is essential for you to keep your practical kit by your side
while reading.
As you will read through this section, you will find that the main stress in the
section is on learning by doing. The section is divided into five subsections.
There are inbuilt activities in each of these subsections. These activities if
performed, as you read, will-not only provide you the understanding of this
section but also provide you the basic skill for doing the activities related to
other sections of the manual. By doing so. you can also bring perfection in your
day-to-day cooking or improve your meal plans. Make sure that you spend
sufficient time in doing the activ~tiksgrven here.
Structure
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Weighing and Measuring Equipment
1.2 Relatihg Weight to Standard Measures
1.3 Relating Weight to Size and Number
1.4 Relating Household Measures to Standard Measures
1.5 Finding the Relationship between the Amount of Cooked Foodstuffs and Raw
Foodstuffs
1.6 Summing U p
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Have you ever observed your mother while she is cooking meals for the family? You
would probably have noticed that she uses a cup, glass or katori as a measure for
cooking. Sometimes, she does not even need that also. She manages even with her
fistlhand She knows that a big katori of raw dal or two medium steel.glasses of rice
(raw), when cooked, will be enough for her family. You are sometimes surprised at
how accurate she is in her estimate ! She has learned this through experience. She
probably won't be able to tell you the weight of a particular foodstuff she has cooked.
But in her day-to-day cooking, she rarely needs this.
However, as a student of nutrition, you need to know the approximate weight/volume
of foodstuffs in many situations like
If you want to know the nutrient conte:lr of the katori of dal you ate yesterday at
d i n e r time, you must know how much dal (raw) it contained.
If you recommend a minimum of 500 ml of milk for a pregnant woman, you
. should be able to tell her which elass/cu~is to be used for measurine this amount.
,Pa* I If you want to cook a dish according to the recipe given in this practical
manuaVblocks/any other recipe book, you should know how to measure the
ingredients given for a particular recipe.
Like these 'there are many other situations in meal planning where you might need to
know the weight/volume of foodstuffs. Mow can you determine weightlvolume of
foodstuffs at home? One way which you can think of, is a weighing balance. Other
things which can help are a measuring glass, measuring cups and spoons. These are
known as standard measures. If you open the practical kit you have received as part
of your study material, you will find these standard measures. You should note here
that a weighing balance is not included in the practical kit. However, one weighing
balance is provided at your study centre. You can go to your study centre and use it,
if needed
Now, the questions which may arise in your mind are - From where can you obtain
a weighing balance ? What should you do if you don't have a weighing balance ?
What is a measuring glass, cup or spoon ? How are they different from the glass or
katai you use at home ? How can you use them for determining weight/volume of
foodstuffs ? In this section, you will find answers to all these questions.
Objectives
After going through this section, you will be able to :
identify the various ways of determining weight and volume of foodstuffs
differentiate between household measures and standard measures
weigh foodstuffs on a household weighing balance
use your practical kit for determining the weight/volume of foodstuffs and
relate household measures to the items of the practical kit.
1.1 WEIGHING AND MEASURING EQUIPMENT
We are starting this subsection, with the understanding that you are familiar with
terms like 'weight' and 'volume' and the units in which they are expressed In case
you need to recall, go through Box 1.1.
You have read that you can use a weighing balance or the measuring cups or spoons
for weighing and measuring. These are known as weighing and measuring equipment.
On this basis, let us try to define 'weighing equipment' and 'measuring equipment'.
Weighing Equipment: Any equipment which is used for determining weight is
known as a weighing equipment or weighing balance. There are various kinds of
weighing balances. You must be familiar with the weighing balance used at shops or
other commercial places. The weighing balance used at the household level is
different from that used at commercial places, as it is not very accurate and can
measure only small quantities. However, it is suitable for the purpose of weighing at
household level. You will learn more about household weighing balances on page 10
of this subsection
Measuring Equipment: Measuring equipment or measures refer to devices which
help in measuring the quantity/volume of foodstuffs. Can you think of some examples
of measuring equipment? Yes, the cup, glass or katori which you use at home can be
termed as measuring equipment. You can use them for determining the quantity of
foodstuffs in certain measuring units - half katodone katodtwo katoridor one small
katoriltwo large katoridhalf a medium katori These utensils are termed as household
measures. The household measures are quite useful in day-teday cooking. However,
they have one limitation. They cannot tell you the exact amount i.e. weight or volume
of foodstuffs.
In such a situation, (where you want to find out eight or volume of foodstuffs), the
standard measues of your practical kit may be helpful. As you know, the standard
measures'provided to you in your practical kit include a measuring glass, measuring
cups and spoons. Can you tell the difference between the standard measures and
household measures ? Find out for yourself by doing the following activity.
, Weights and Measures
I Very often you make use of terms like 'weight' or 'volume'. Do you know h6w
these terms are defined ? Here are the definitions for bath these terns,
Weight: The earth attracts or pulls every object
pull or attraction of the earth on an object is called
Volume : The quantity of space an object takes up
Do remember that every object which has a weight also has a volume and vice
versa. Usually for measuring raw solid foodstuffs like atta d& sugar, etc, we
use weight as a measure. Liquid foodstuffs like milk, water are taken in volume
measures.
I The units in which weight/volume are commonly expressed are giv?r, below : 1
Units to express weight Units to express v
Ki~ol3ram(kg) ; gram (B) Litre (.I;)millilitres
milligram (mg) ; microgram (mcg)
1 Kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
1 gram (g) = 1OOO mi'lligrams (mg)
1 milligram (mg) = 1000 miciograms
in grams and kilograms.
. at some places you may
nd units like pound and ounce being
used for weight
1 pound (Ib) = 0.453 kg
or
ACTIVITY 1
@ TAKE OUT T H E MEASURING GLASS (standard measure) FROM YOUR
PRACTICAL KIT AND A STEEL TUMBLER (household measure) FROM
YOUR KITCHEN SHELF. LOOK FOR THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
T I E TWO.
@ FILL T H E STEEL TUMBLER WITH W A T E R HOW MUCH WATER
DOES IT CONTAIN ?
......................................................................
@ TRANSFER T H E WATER FROM T H E STEEL TUMBLER T O THE
MEASURING GLASS. NOW, WRITE THE-VOLUME O F WATER
CONTAINED IN IT
By doing this activity you will find that the measuring glass has certain markings 03
it, which indicate volume. You will notice similar markings on measuring cups ar.1
spoons indicating volume. Any measure which has markingsicalibrations indicating
vdume is termed as a standard measure, According to this definition, the measuri1:g
glass and the measuring cups and spoons of your practical kit are standard measures.
Can you call any calibrated equipment a standard measure ? No, any device/
equipment is a standard measure only when t' e markings on it give the accurate
measure of volume.
, RaetkaI M-u.1- Pan 1 NOW,YOU are familiar with the terms like weighing balance, standard measures and
household measures. Let us now come back to your problem in meal planning, when
you need to fmd out weight/volume of foodstuffs.
Your practical kit includes only the standard measures and not a weighing balance. In
this situation, you would like to know the answels to questions such as the
following : Are the standard measures provided to you enough for your practical
activities or do you need to buy a household weighing balance. The answer is - you
need not buy a household weighing balance. A household weighing balance is needed
only for knowing the exact weight of foodstuffs However, for practical purposes in
meal planning you can make do even with the approximate weight/volume of
foodstuffs. The standard measures ie. measuring glass, cups and spoons, can provide
you sufficient information for this purpose. However, you should note hem that the
standard measures can tell directly the volume of foodstfls but not the weight.
For the purpose of finding weight using the standard measures, you need some
additional information. What is this additional information ? How is it used for finding
the weight of foodstuffs ? You will have to wait a little while for getting the answers to
these questions. The secret behind these aspects will be revealed to you in subsection
1.2. Before learning about them, let us first learn how to use a household weighing
balance and the standard measures in your kit
How to use a household weighing balance ?
It is important for you to learn the use of a household weighing balance. You can use
the weighing balance provided at your study centre as a cross check for standard
measures.
A household weighing balance can measure from 5-10 g to 500-2000 g depending
upon its capacity. Look at the figure given below. The weighing balance
shown in the figure can measure from 5 g to 1000 g. The same weighing balance is
provided at your study centre. You can go to the study centre and examine i t This
weighing balance has two main parts - (i) the body and (ii) detachablepan. By
carefully looking at it, you will fmd that the body is attached to the pan by means of a
stud. You will also notice three things on the body of the balance :
markings which indicate weight
0 a pointer and
0 an adjustment knnb. -- .
- - -
--,
When any object is placed on the pan, the pointer moves and indicates weight If you
want to adjust the pointer at a particular point you can use the adjustment knob.
You can weigh any foodstuff from raw to cooked on the household weighing balance.
As you know, some of the foodstuffs are dry and when removed from the utensil in
which they are placed, leave it clean e.g. rice, apple, guava etc. You can place these
foodstuffs directly on the pan of the weighing balance. Other foodstuffs are
liquidy/sticky/greasy/powderye.g. cooked dal/atta,oil etc. You snould not place them
directly on the pan of the weighing balance. In fact, you can classify foodstuffs in two
a o u ~ sas shown in Table 1.1. .
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
HOW TO STUDY THIS SECTION
This section deals with the various weighing and measuring methods/techniques
used in finding the weight and volume of foodstuffs at the household
level. The most important feature of the section is the discussion on the items of
the practical kit. So, it is essential for you to keep your practical kit by your side
while reading.
As you will read through this section, you will find that the main stress in the
section is on learning by doing. The section is divided into five subsections.
There are inbuilt activities in each of these subsections. These activities if
performed, as you read, will-not only provide you the understanding of this
section but also provide you the basic skill for doing the activities related to
other sections of the manual. By doing so. you can also bring perfection in your
day-to-day cooking or improve your meal plans. Make sure that you spend
sufficient time in doing the activ~tiksgrven here.
Structure
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Weighing and Measuring Equipment
1.2 Relatihg Weight to Standard Measures
1.3 Relating Weight to Size and Number
1.4 Relating Household Measures to Standard Measures
1.5 Finding the Relationship between the Amount of Cooked Foodstuffs and Raw
Foodstuffs
1.6 Summing U p
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Have you ever observed your mother while she is cooking meals for the family? You
would probably have noticed that she uses a cup, glass or katori as a measure for
cooking. Sometimes, she does not even need that also. She manages even with her
fistlhand She knows that a big katori of raw dal or two medium steel.glasses of rice
(raw), when cooked, will be enough for her family. You are sometimes surprised at
how accurate she is in her estimate ! She has learned this through experience. She
probably won't be able to tell you the weight of a particular foodstuff she has cooked.
But in her day-to-day cooking, she rarely needs this.
However, as a student of nutrition, you need to know the approximate weight/volume
of foodstuffs in many situations like
If you want to know the nutrient conte:lr of the katori of dal you ate yesterday at
d i n e r time, you must know how much dal (raw) it contained.
If you recommend a minimum of 500 ml of milk for a pregnant woman, you
. should be able to tell her which elass/cu~is to be used for measurine this amount.
,Pa* I If you want to cook a dish according to the recipe given in this practical
manuaVblocks/any other recipe book, you should know how to measure the
ingredients given for a particular recipe.
Like these 'there are many other situations in meal planning where you might need to
know the weight/volume of foodstuffs. Mow can you determine weightlvolume of
foodstuffs at home? One way which you can think of, is a weighing balance. Other
things which can help are a measuring glass, measuring cups and spoons. These are
known as standard measures. If you open the practical kit you have received as part
of your study material, you will find these standard measures. You should note here
that a weighing balance is not included in the practical kit. However, one weighing
balance is provided at your study centre. You can go to your study centre and use it,
if needed
Now, the questions which may arise in your mind are - From where can you obtain
a weighing balance ? What should you do if you don't have a weighing balance ?
What is a measuring glass, cup or spoon ? How are they different from the glass or
katai you use at home ? How can you use them for determining weight/volume of
foodstuffs ? In this section, you will find answers to all these questions.
Objectives
After going through this section, you will be able to :
identify the various ways of determining weight and volume of foodstuffs
differentiate between household measures and standard measures
weigh foodstuffs on a household weighing balance
use your practical kit for determining the weight/volume of foodstuffs and
relate household measures to the items of the practical kit.
1.1 WEIGHING AND MEASURING EQUIPMENT
We are starting this subsection, with the understanding that you are familiar with
terms like 'weight' and 'volume' and the units in which they are expressed In case
you need to recall, go through Box 1.1.
You have read that you can use a weighing balance or the measuring cups or spoons
for weighing and measuring. These are known as weighing and measuring equipment.
On this basis, let us try to define 'weighing equipment' and 'measuring equipment'.
Weighing Equipment: Any equipment which is used for determining weight is
known as a weighing equipment or weighing balance. There are various kinds of
weighing balances. You must be familiar with the weighing balance used at shops or
other commercial places. The weighing balance used at the household level is
different from that used at commercial places, as it is not very accurate and can
measure only small quantities. However, it is suitable for the purpose of weighing at
household level. You will learn more about household weighing balances on page 10
of this subsection
Measuring Equipment: Measuring equipment or measures refer to devices which
help in measuring the quantity/volume of foodstuffs. Can you think of some examples
of measuring equipment? Yes, the cup, glass or katori which you use at home can be
termed as measuring equipment. You can use them for determining the quantity of
foodstuffs in certain measuring units - half katodone katodtwo katoridor one small
katoriltwo large katoridhalf a medium katori These utensils are termed as household
measures. The household measures are quite useful in day-teday cooking. However,
they have one limitation. They cannot tell you the exact amount i.e. weight or volume
of foodstuffs.
In such a situation, (where you want to find out eight or volume of foodstuffs), the
standard measues of your practical kit may be helpful. As you know, the standard
measures'provided to you in your practical kit include a measuring glass, measuring
cups and spoons. Can you tell the difference between the standard measures and
household measures ? Find out for yourself by doing the following activity.
, Weights and Measures
I Very often you make use of terms like 'weight' or 'volume'. Do you know h6w
these terms are defined ? Here are the definitions for bath these terns,
Weight: The earth attracts or pulls every object
pull or attraction of the earth on an object is called
Volume : The quantity of space an object takes up
Do remember that every object which has a weight also has a volume and vice
versa. Usually for measuring raw solid foodstuffs like atta d& sugar, etc, we
use weight as a measure. Liquid foodstuffs like milk, water are taken in volume
measures.
I The units in which weight/volume are commonly expressed are giv?r, below : 1
Units to express weight Units to express v
Ki~ol3ram(kg) ; gram (B) Litre (.I;)millilitres
milligram (mg) ; microgram (mcg)
1 Kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
1 gram (g) = 1OOO mi'lligrams (mg)
1 milligram (mg) = 1000 miciograms
in grams and kilograms.
. at some places you may
nd units like pound and ounce being
used for weight
1 pound (Ib) = 0.453 kg
or
ACTIVITY 1
@ TAKE OUT T H E MEASURING GLASS (standard measure) FROM YOUR
PRACTICAL KIT AND A STEEL TUMBLER (household measure) FROM
YOUR KITCHEN SHELF. LOOK FOR THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
T I E TWO.
@ FILL T H E STEEL TUMBLER WITH W A T E R HOW MUCH WATER
DOES IT CONTAIN ?
......................................................................
@ TRANSFER T H E WATER FROM T H E STEEL TUMBLER T O THE
MEASURING GLASS. NOW, WRITE THE-VOLUME O F WATER
CONTAINED IN IT
By doing this activity you will find that the measuring glass has certain markings 03
it, which indicate volume. You will notice similar markings on measuring cups ar.1
spoons indicating volume. Any measure which has markingsicalibrations indicating
vdume is termed as a standard measure, According to this definition, the measuri1:g
glass and the measuring cups and spoons of your practical kit are standard measures.
Can you call any calibrated equipment a standard measure ? No, any device/
equipment is a standard measure only when t' e markings on it give the accurate
measure of volume.
, RaetkaI M-u.1- Pan 1 NOW,YOU are familiar with the terms like weighing balance, standard measures and
household measures. Let us now come back to your problem in meal planning, when
you need to fmd out weight/volume of foodstuffs.
Your practical kit includes only the standard measures and not a weighing balance. In
this situation, you would like to know the answels to questions such as the
following : Are the standard measures provided to you enough for your practical
activities or do you need to buy a household weighing balance. The answer is - you
need not buy a household weighing balance. A household weighing balance is needed
only for knowing the exact weight of foodstuffs However, for practical purposes in
meal planning you can make do even with the approximate weight/volume of
foodstuffs. The standard measures ie. measuring glass, cups and spoons, can provide
you sufficient information for this purpose. However, you should note hem that the
standard measures can tell directly the volume of foodstfls but not the weight.
For the purpose of finding weight using the standard measures, you need some
additional information. What is this additional information ? How is it used for finding
the weight of foodstuffs ? You will have to wait a little while for getting the answers to
these questions. The secret behind these aspects will be revealed to you in subsection
1.2. Before learning about them, let us first learn how to use a household weighing
balance and the standard measures in your kit
How to use a household weighing balance ?
It is important for you to learn the use of a household weighing balance. You can use
the weighing balance provided at your study centre as a cross check for standard
measures.
A household weighing balance can measure from 5-10 g to 500-2000 g depending
upon its capacity. Look at the figure given below. The weighing balance
shown in the figure can measure from 5 g to 1000 g. The same weighing balance is
provided at your study centre. You can go to the study centre and examine i t This
weighing balance has two main parts - (i) the body and (ii) detachablepan. By
carefully looking at it, you will fmd that the body is attached to the pan by means of a
stud. You will also notice three things on the body of the balance :
markings which indicate weight
0 a pointer and
0 an adjustment knnb. -- .
- - -
--,
When any object is placed on the pan, the pointer moves and indicates weight If you
want to adjust the pointer at a particular point you can use the adjustment knob.
You can weigh any foodstuff from raw to cooked on the household weighing balance.
As you know, some of the foodstuffs are dry and when removed from the utensil in
which they are placed, leave it clean e.g. rice, apple, guava etc. You can place these
foodstuffs directly on the pan of the weighing balance. Other foodstuffs are
liquidy/sticky/greasy/powderye.g. cooked dal/atta,oil etc. You snould not place them
directly on the pan of the weighing balance. In fact, you can classify foodstuffs in two
a o u ~ sas shown in Table 1.1. .
