annoyed at MFP food database!

I have found that so many of the food facts listed in the MFP database are totally incorrect. Even on items that are published and not estimates. Obvi with estimates we know they wont always be accurate BUT whats the reason for items that are published being wrong?

For example, I just checked on a gourmet everyday soup item, that was off by 200 calories! major. and gourmet everyday includes their nutrition facts so no excuses

its too bad they dont verify the items in the database
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Replies

  • bbbgamer
    bbbgamer Posts: 582 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....
  • ssdivot
    ssdivot Posts: 193
    I just wish there were a way to fliter only the MFP entries (one without a star) so that when i look for unpackaged foods such as potatoes, broccoli, chicken etc I only get the plain entries.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Make your own entries. Make sure it's complete. For instance, make sure you add potassium, as I'm tracking that.
  • tootchute
    tootchute Posts: 392 Member
    It might be when someone copies it down, you can always add your own food into the database and share it with other's. Like if you know that Gourmet everyday soup is off, put a corrected version up.
  • HereCOMESErika
    HereCOMESErika Posts: 16 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....


    YES!!!!!:explode:
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Some items have slightly different counts if they are manufactured in different countries. Ultimately, we have to check and be responsible for ourselves.
  • DragonSquatter
    DragonSquatter Posts: 957 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    Does sea salt count as salt?
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    Does sea salt count as salt?

    No. The sea washes out all the sodium leaving pure protein.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    I don't know what you would do about the sea salt but for fruit and other "whole" foods adding "raw" to the end helps narrow it down. I would love for there to be a way to filter out the user-entered entries, but with practice and a little patience it gets better.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    Does sea salt count as salt?

    No. The sea washes out all the sodium leaving pure protein.

    I log my sea salt as water
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    Does sea salt count as salt?

    No. The sea washes out all the sodium leaving pure protein.

    I log my sea salt as water

    Only noobs log water.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Keep in mind that sometimes product nutritional information can change. I've had that happen to me, so I have to manually enter it. Tonight I used the bar code, which came up with a different product, which has also happened to me before. Also, using the word "raw" helps for fruits, veggies, and the like. For example, today I ate a peach and looked up raw peach rather than scroll through all the stuff with peaches in it.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    When you come across something in the database that is way off because someone didn't want to own up to the actual calories in the food or wanted to alter the data for some other reason, there is a way to correct it. When you click the nutrition info button, it asks if the information is correct. Click "no." Then it will have a "to correct this information click here" button. Click it and change it.

    This reduces the number of incorrect entries on the database. Rather than making a new entry that adds to the problem, just correct the incorrect entry.

    I do this and put the word "corrected" at the beginning of the entry. If I pull the correct information from the USDA or nutrition data, I also put that in the name of the food item. Doing this signals to other users that someone took the time to look up the information.

    If the entry is correct, please click "yes." Confirming correct entries also helps other users and you when you go to add that food again.
  • Shadowcub
    Shadowcub Posts: 154 Member
    Like if you know that Gourmet everyday soup is off, put a corrected version up.

    Please, for the love of GOD, do NOT do this! When you look at the nutritional information and see that it's wrong, say "No" that it's not right and you have the option to EDIT the existing entry, rather than adding yet ANOTHER copy to the mix!
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I agree. You should ask for a refund.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
    geezzz quite yer whining. Do what i do and enter your own in the recipes section so you know what you are eating.
  • red8424
    red8424 Posts: 160 Member
    Agreed. I search using key terms like "vegetables romaine" or "fruit mango". Otherwise you get some pretty random stuff. I also put a "g" at the end of my search to get things that are measured in grams rather than just cups, tsbp, etc. since I weigh my food. If all else fails, I add it to myfoods.
  • red8424
    red8424 Posts: 160 Member
    Like if you know that Gourmet everyday soup is off, put a corrected version up.

    Please, for the love of GOD, do NOT do this! When you look at the nutritional information and see that it's wrong, say "No" that it's not right and you have the option to EDIT the existing entry, rather than adding yet ANOTHER copy to the mix!

    Good advice.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    Does sea salt count as salt?

    No. The sea washes out all the sodium leaving pure protein.

    I log my sea salt as water

    I'm looking for the "land salt" entry... still haven't found it.
  • dxwatson2
    dxwatson2 Posts: 69 Member
    I agree. You should ask for a refund.

    I intend to do just that. I mean, with the amount of money MFP is paying people to use the product and enter the information you think people would take pride in what they're doing and at least be 100% accurate.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    I have this one solved for you. Put in: sea salt spice. Works every time!
  • OrionG
    OrionG Posts: 32 Member
    Yep, the database has some inaccuracies but I have to say its amazing compared to one I was using just prior to joining MyfitnessPal. It was completely, utterly unusable.
    Today I made road stop at Chipotle and rounded up a Chicken bowl, and there were quite a few entries in the database. I found one that had the ingredients I had, but the calories was 690, and according to the Chipotle nutrition calculator, should have been 495, so I created one for me with that amount and shared it.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    When you find one that is accurate - What I do is to add it as a "meal" to "My meals" - this makes finding it again super easy.

    This way, your pain is limited to once each time for each new item - at least for foods you commonly eat.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt.

    I've noticed that on other kinds of foods too! (I don't log salt). I wish the search engine was a little better, I"m not sure typing bacon wrapped date and bacon wrapped dates should come up with such wildly different answers.

    But I've long since given up on the idea that the calorie counts are perfect and just live with good enough. I do delete items that have no macros listed. That's irritating.

    And this isn't MFP's fault, but I was trying to find the calorie count for this tapas thing at macaroni grill the other day and kept staring at the calorie count/carb listing thinking there was no it was right until I figured out that it came with some flatbread/cracker stuff that I didn't eat. I could not find it split out anywhere on a basic internet search either. Annoying.
  • OrionG
    OrionG Posts: 32 Member
    When you find one that is accurate - What I do is to add it as a "meal" to "My meals" - this makes finding it again super easy.

    This way, your pain is limited to once each time for each new item - at least for foods you commonly eat.

    Good idea. I may do the same.

    I wish this site had the +1 support.....
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
    LOL, pure sarcasm. Sea salt is a bit better than regular salt but not as much as people think.
  • cwaters120
    cwaters120 Posts: 354 Member
    it is getting very hard to search also, with so many duplicates. Also when searching for the simplest of things, strawberries for example, can be really trying....

    This is my biggest issue. When I search for sea salt (just plain salt), I have to scroll down pages of "sea salt chips" and other crap to just find plain ole sea salt. So annoying!

    when I search for "sea salt" - and its only sea salt I want, not something WITH it - I always search "generic sea salt" and it works fine. You only have to choose Canada, UK or the just plain sea salt entry. works great with many other things too.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    It might be when someone copies it down, you can always add your own food into the database and share it with other's. Like if you know that Gourmet everyday soup is off, put a corrected version up.

    You can also edit the food. I think that's better because otherwise you are adding more and more things to the database
  • armywf07
    armywf07 Posts: 245 Member
    I just edit what needs to be edited after I look up all the nutritional information. Before I share I mention that I obtained the information from the site/manufacture/ restaurant etc.