Reliable site for calorie calculations?

nooboots

lemurcat2 wrote: »

nooboots wrote: »

Yes as I said, I do use the package information but I like to double check on some things as my experience has been so varied with say 'salmon', or 'apples'. I measure everything from the 100g calculation but dependent on what site you use or company or supermarket there is such variation.

I'd take the package as more accurate than a secondary source for most packaged things (not apples, I'd use the USDA for the type of apple and usually don't even bother specifying type since apples aren't that caloric -- I do put in the weight of the apple based on weighing it myself). However, in the US apples aren't sold with a nutrition label.

Salmon will vary based on type of salmon and sometimes other factors (smoked, obviously); chicken will vary if you buy one with a saline solution, beef varies based on fat context, who knows. The USDA or what not is good and the source I mainly use (since I don't buy that much packaged and the packaged stuff I buy doesn't seem to vary much), but it's for a broad average so also is not going to be perfect for whatever specific piece of chicken breast or whatever.

Well I wouldnt expect that smoked and non smoked would be similar, they are very different goods.

I suppose I feel slightly paranoid and suspicious about manufacturers sources because in many cases they might not want to put the real calorie values on products and look like their food is 'healthier' than it is what with all the government focus on products needing to cut their fat/sugar/salt etc down. (in the UK at least)

lemurcat2

But that focus is why they basically have to be honest or they will get in trouble. Not that there aren't mistakes and there's likely an accepted error rate (as in the US, but that's more for amount in the package).