# Is a pound 450 grams or 500 grams?



## goboenomo (Sep 16, 2006)

I feel like when places charge you for food by the pound, a pound is 450.
But when you want to make a recipe at home or something it's 500.


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 16, 2006)

Roughly 1lb is about 453grams.  Unless I need to specify exactly, I would just say 1kg = slightly more than 2lb, or 1/2kg = a little more than a pound, which in most cases suffice.


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## goboenomo (Sep 16, 2006)

Why is 500 used then?


At school we are brought up using 1 kg as 2.2 lbs


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 16, 2006)

I don't know who said 1lb = 500g, but your education is correct, 1kg is just about the same as 2,2lbs.  If you want to be more exact, I would go for 450grams rather than 500, but in many cases depending on the recipe, just using a 1/2kg of something wouldn't hurt when the recipe says 1lb.


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## goboenomo (Sep 16, 2006)

In Canada all our foods are portioned in pounds, so I don't know how I would find a kilogram measurement.


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 16, 2006)

http://www.digitaldutch.com/unitconverter/

Well I am accustomed to using both measures, once you get it in your head 

1lb = 450g
1oz = 28g
you learn to do the conversion in your head quickly after a little practice


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## FryBoy (Sep 16, 2006)

500 grams to a pound is just a handy rule of thumb. But understand that it's 10% extra. That won't make any difference when you're preparing a stew or a soup or a casserole -- 1 pound of beef vs. 1 pound 1.6 ounces, or 1 cup of chopped potatoes vs. 1 cup plus 1.5 tablespoons -- but it could be a problem in baking, where proportions of ingredients are more critical. 

If you're worried about it, buy a good electronic scale (look for Salter brand), which will convert grams to pounds and vice versa at the press of a button.


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## goboenomo (Sep 16, 2006)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> http://www.digitaldutch.com/unitconverter/
> 
> Well I am accustomed to using both measures, once you get it in your head
> 
> ...


 
I know conversions, no problem.
It just that one thing I've always wondered.
When you go to school and you hear alot of drug talk, you learn a little bit too. So i know how pounds and grams 
 and ounces work 
But I took cooking classes in grade 9, 10 and 11. So I know this stuff.


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## AllenOK (Sep 17, 2006)

Well, it's kind of like how folks over here in the US like to use even, "round", numbers, like 350°F, or 1 lb.  Over in other parts of the world where metric is used, they like to use "round" numbers as well, so instead of 454 g (what I learned a pound is), they just go with 500 g.  Same goes with temperatures.  You'll see many metric temperatures for 180°C, which is actually 356°F, not 350°F.

I actually have a webpage that I wrote years ago, with some javascript "calculators" that will convert Temp's, grams and oz., and mL and fl. oz.  I'm keeping that stored on my pc's HDD, so that if I come across a recipe with metric measurements, I can convert it to US measurements quickly.


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## daisy (Sep 17, 2006)

When Australia went metric 40 years ago, the government provided conversion guidelines. I've followed them ever since, and found it very easy from Day One, even though I'd grown up with Imperial measurements.

The thing you need to remember is ROUNDING, for convenience. This makes for easy divisions. Forget laboratory-style precision measurements, or mathematical accuracy. It isn't needed. 

1lb is 500g. 

That leads to 250g being half a pound (8 ounces). And cut that in half again, and it leads to 125g (4 ounces). 

1oz is 30g. That leads to 1/2 oz being 15g. And 2oz being 60g, and 3 oz being 90g. Then there's a small adjustment, with 4oz being 125g. And so on upwards to 1kg (kilogram) being 1000g being 2lb. 

Also - 1 teaspoon is 5g or 5ml. 

Not being good at maths, this system works like a dream for me, and for millions of others throughout Australia and the world. It will work for you, too.

It would be a LOT easier on everybody if America just caught up with the rest of the world and went metric. It astonishes me that a country which prides itself on being 'ahead of the rest' could be half a century behind the rest in this area.


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## AllenOK (Sep 17, 2006)

Tell me about it.  When I was in college, and learning how to convert recipes up and down in yield, my instructor said we wouldn't have to worry about the metric stuff.  WRONG!  He started assigning metric recipes as well.  I didn't complain, and just did the math, and found out that it's actually much easier!


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## karadekoolaid (Sep 17, 2006)

goboenomo said:
			
		

> I feel like when places charge you for food by the pound, a pound is 450.
> But when you want to make a recipe at home or something it's 500.


 
I don't understand your question. Why would place charge you per pound, then  convert it into metric?   Or vice-versa?


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## kitchenelf (Sep 17, 2006)

I think the issue here is gobo didn't really ask a question.  He made a statement.  Everyone thought he wanted help with it but he states he already knows what everyone is telling him.  So.............with that being said I'm not sure what he wants to know here.  

Gobo - did people provide you with thoughts on what mystifies you on the topic? 

I too wish we would go metric.  When I was in the 7th grade we were told that by high school everything would be metric.  Well high school passed by about 33 years ago!!!!


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## buckytom (Sep 18, 2006)

lol elfie, i think it was just a misunderstanding at the center of the universe.

i wish we'd go metric too. i like the idea of driving 100 (kph). 

just a technicality, 1 oz. = approx 28.35 grams.

.35 grams adds up when talking kilos or larger.


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## Dove (Sep 18, 2006)

I thought that 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon....
Am I right? Important for a diabetic to know.
Dove


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## Ishbel (Sep 18, 2006)

I find it easier to keep all my 'old' recipes in the lb/oz measurements and newer ones come g/kilos. I don't mix or match, and use my scales for anything where measurement is crucial such as a sauce or baking. All other dishes, well a couple of grammes here or there ain't going to make any difference whatsoever!

I also find that Gobo makes statements which often masquerade as questions, which he then goes on to tell us he knows the answer to...


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## DaCook (Sep 18, 2006)

goboenomo said:
			
		

> In Canada all our foods are portioned in pounds, so I don't know how I would find a kilogram measurement.


Not sure what part of Canada you are in, but everything in my supermarkets is in kilograms or grams. We went metric years ago....


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## DaCook (Sep 18, 2006)

Dove said:
			
		

> I thought that 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon....
> Am I right? Important for a diabetic to know.
> Dove


I am not sure of the weight measurement of one teaspoon of sugar is, but 1 teaspoon by volume is 5ml.


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## RDG (Sep 18, 2006)

I'm really interested in this topic. We have always had a metric system, and for us was very difficult to understand yours. We can discuss about what system is better, but I think that the real important matter is to understand what we are doing. Lbs and Kgs are about one the double of the other, so it's easy. Something more difficulties can be found in minor measures.
For us, with decimal system, everyting is counted about 10. 1Kg=1000 grms =10 hgs =10 x 100 grms, and so on. We divide for ten, for five or for two.
1/2 kg, 1/2 hg, and so on.
I remember that a lb was about 450 g, a onze about 30, and....I don't know nothing more . But I have never thought to temperature. For us, water is boiling at 100°. And frozen at 0°.
I remember some years ago, examining some drawings coming from Malaysia: we had a lot of problems in converting them in our measures, until we realized that the scale was not 1:100, but something similar to 1:98, according to dimension of yards.....


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 18, 2006)

Having been used to the both ends, I must agree that metric system is much more simple.  Just going by 10s and 100s, it is much easier on the non-mathematical brains.


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## Ishbel (Sep 18, 2006)

It's the cup versus weight by scales that gets me!


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 18, 2006)

daisy said:
			
		

> Also - 1 teaspoon is 5g or 5ml.


 
This is true as a liquid measure, but you must remember that if you are measuring flour or something, it could be much less in weights.

That is why, in addition to metric measurements, I prefer going by weights rather than volume (like cup, spoon etc.) when you need to be exact about the amounts of ingredients. When I was less wise, I made a big mistake when I saw a cake recipe saying "200g of flour" and going on to use just 1 cup of it.


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## goboenomo (Sep 18, 2006)

When you buy stuff at the supermarket... it says $So much /per pound.
When you take it home, it would measure to 450 grams.
When you are using a recipe sometimes it says use 1lb (500g)


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## FryBoy (Sep 18, 2006)

If you had a gold mine and I wanted to buy a pound of gold, and all you had was a metric scale, would you give me 500 grams? I doubt it. Why would you think the supermarket or butcher would do any different when selling you "stuff"? The problem isn't with the stores -- it's either your recipes or your understanding of them.


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## goboenomo (Sep 18, 2006)

I'd probably charge you per gram if it was gold.
:P


The recipe says (500g) ... so I think I understand just fine.


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## FryBoy (Sep 18, 2006)

Gobo, the problem is that no one understands what it is you want. Do you have a question, or are you just here to annoy the grownups?


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## goboenomo (Sep 18, 2006)

My question was is it 450 or 500
I got an answer already, but you kept going.


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## buckytom (Sep 18, 2006)

sometimes, i love pain.


gobo, which weighs more? a pound of lead, or a pound of goose down feathers?


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## goboenomo (Sep 18, 2006)

where are you going with this?


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## buckytom (Sep 19, 2006)

(in my best foghorn leghorn)

i said, i said; just answer they question boy...


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 19, 2006)

Okay guys... Gobo says he has the answer already (whatever that is...), so lets call it enough for this thread....


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