Selecting Food Entries

Labouffecestbon

I eat pretty close to TDEE, so the wrong entry on a high caloric item easily makes a huge difference in my weekly deficit, especially if it's a frequent item in my diet.

I'm usually pretty good at spotting correct entries (for ex, I prioritize entries with drop down options that seem to be from the nutritiondata website). Just curious how you guys select entries when some defer a lot from each other.

For example, I love having a piece of ribeye steak (lean and fat) with a salad. However, there are so many options, I'm not sure I've been going with the right now. And going with the wrong one can make as much as a 200 cal difference! Aïe!

How would you select the entry with that case? Just bid on the highest number?

tibby531

look for one that has "usda" in the name. I cross-reference new-to-diary foods with nutritiondata.com all the time. it's a bit of a hassle, but I think it's worth it.

Babygurl721

Good question cause I was having the same problwm and wanted to know which on to pick also.

BernadetteChurch

Look for the entries that don't have an asterisk next to them. These are MFP entered based on USDA data. Most of the basics are there - fruit, veg, meat, butter, sugar, etc.

I use these entries all the time as I figure a carrot is a carrot no matter which shop I buy it from. Processed foods I always work from the packaging and fix any incorrect entries as I go along.

Labouffecestbon

BernadetteChurch wrote: »

Look for the entries that don't have an asterisk next to them. These are MFP entered based on USDA data. Most of the basics are there - fruit, veg, meat, butter, sugar, etc.

I use these entries all the time as I figure a carrot is a carrot no matter which shop I buy it from. Processed foods I always work from the packaging and fix any incorrect entries as I go along.

I find that's easier to do with such general items. Got no problem with that.
I also scan packages and always double check (coz some ppl are just so lazy they don't enter all the info).

In the case of the steak, I searched "beef ribeye steak raw lean fat" and didn't find any ribeye without asterisk. If I'm looking at the wrong place or searching incorrectly, I certainly would appreciate any correction!

Labouffecestbon

tibby531 wrote: »

look for one that has "usda" in the name. I cross-reference new-to-diary foods with nutritiondata.com all the time. it's a bit of a hassle, but I think it's worth it.

It IS worth it. I do that too.
Perhaps I should go on the site now and search for ribeye steak. Now, THAT, I haven't done.

ETA: I just did. No ribeye steak. Chuck, sirloin, round...but not rib.
Just want to know what you guys do in such cases...

CM9178

if you still can't find it in the database (I've found meats are very difficult to locate correctly), search for it here: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search and then create your own custom entry.

Labouffecestbon

CM9178 wrote: »

if you still can't find it in the database (I've found meats are very difficult to locate correctly), search for it here: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search and then create your own custom entry.

Thanks for the link.

I can't find an entry that takes the fat into account so I might have to increase calories to make up for it.

dawnna76

I crossed referenced all my foods i regularly eat with calories king and measure everything in grams to find the most accurate. it took time in the beginning but now i just have to hit add cause i tend to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch daily and dinners is usually the same mostly with few changes here and there.