Food Log

hicim705

So - I am a member of SparkPeople and have been since 2008. I'm sure that many of you heard by now tht the site is closing and we are all looking for alternatives for our daily posting. I like MFP and have been a member (but MOSTLY quiet until now). I have a question...

When trying to enter a food not listed, I get:
Enter Nutritional Information

Brand / Restaurant:
Food Description:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
Servings per container: (about)

Amount Per Serving
Calories Sodium mg
Total Fat g Potassium mg
Saturated g Total Carbs g
Polyunsaturated g Dietary Fiber g
Monounsaturated g Sugars g
Trans g Protein g
Cholesterol mg
Vitamin A % Calcium %
Vitamin C % Iron %

There are so MANY MORE nutrients listed on a label. For instance, Breakstone Cottage Cheese has all of these ingredients listed on their label (see below) ... why limit us to what is listed above?

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 1/2 cup (117g)

Servings Per Container:

AMOUNT PER SERVING

Fat 3.00%DV
Sodium 14.00%DV
Fiber Amt 0G
Nutrition Calories Amt 80KCAL
Protein Amt 11G
Saturated Fat Amt 1.5G
Protein 22.00%DV
Vitamin D Amt 0UG
Fat Amt 2.5G
Potassium Amt 0MG
Cholesterol 5.00%DV
Potassium 0.00%DV
Iron 0.00%DV
Trans Fat 0G
Fiber 0.00%DV
Sugars Amt 2G
Carbohydrates Amt 3G
Vitamin D 0.00%DV
Serving Size 117.00GR
Carbohydrates 1.00%DV
Saturated Fat 8.00%DV
Calcium Amt 60MG
Calcium 4.00%DV
Cholesterol Amt 15MG
Iron Amt 0MG
Sodium Amt 330MG


Thanks in advance for your help! I heard that MFP is awesome, but I'm not sure why there seem to be nutritional posting limitations.
Thanks!
HICIM705

heybales

They give access to what was required on labels in the US.

Even then some labels could give more, but wasn't required and most didn't.

So incomplete data would be the result.

Why even log incomplete data?

Half of what you show is merely a % based on some government level, and total quantity gives the same thing, but even easier to read.
Perhaps you know you need more fiber - rather read how many grams you have, or what % of some total value you have that doesn't match the value you personally have as a goal.

What in your list besides vitamin D is actually missing from what can be logged?

hicim705

Honestly if a label gives info, I want to be able to record it. Maybe no reason, not 100% sure, but when I really looked, I was surprised at how much was left out. Necessary or not ~ I thought I would ask.

springlering62

Entries on MFP are crowd sourced. Some people enter the calories, some enter the calories/protein/fat/carbs. Others enter everything on the label.

Your logging is never going to be 100% complete. It’s up to you to find entries you can live with and that you feel are accurate.

heybales

hicim705 wrote: »

Honestly if a label gives info, I want to be able to record it. Maybe no reason, not 100% sure, but when I really looked, I was surprised at how much was left out. Necessary or not ~ I thought I would ask.

I reread your list and really looked - only Vitamin D is left out on MFP. Nutrition labels added that later, so many entries never had it.

Literally everything else is there. Don't be too surprised.

Perhaps you are thinking the % of a nutrient is useful.
Do you know what that is based on?
Is that your eating goal?
Is that what you need?


Now think about the reason for wanting any figures - is it to know your daily totals, to see if it matches some amount you have researched and know to be useful to you?

If say half the food items don't even list those figures to be logged somewhere, then of what real usefulness is the other half of food items that do happen to list them. Will that change anything in what you eat?