Food database lacking nutrients

fallingtrees

I've noticed that the food entries are often lacking in nutritional info. For instance, I entered a potato this morning, and it gave me the calories, carbs, and fat, but zeroed the fiber and potassium, both of which are abundant in potatoes. This would reinforce the myth that potatoes are empty, worthless sources of calories and carbs.

Since I'm tracking fiber and potassium, this is a negative for me.

I don't really feel like correcting every food I come across. I wish that people would take more care to provide as much info as possible when they add to the database. Calories, carbs, and fat are only part of the overall food picture.

MelodyandBarbells

Are you looking for the database entries with the asterisk , if you're using the website to log? (no asterisks on iPhone app) These generally should be more accurate, though I do not specifically know that they would fit your requirements. I've done the math to get some 100g entries in for ease of logging (item weighs 142g, enter 1.42 as quantity, done) and sometimes the math just get tedious to calculate every single nutrient. My bad if I had a decent computer I might make a spreadsheet to do the conversions for me :blushing:

Cherimoose

For instance, I entered a potato this morning, and it gave me the calories, carbs, and fat, but zeroed the fiber and potassium, both of which are abundant in potatoes. This would reinforce the myth that potatoes are empty, worthless sources of calories and carbs

Since potassium deficiency is rare in the US, and fiber deficiency is rare if you're eating enough fruit, grains, and non-starchy veggies, i conclude that potatoes are mostly just a tasty source of carbs & calories. From a fat loss perspective, calories are the #1 factor.

asciiqwerty

the key here is that most of the database entried are user entered and most of us are too lazy to put in all the information

if you are tracking something specific, then you should check and update any entries that you use before logging them
if in doubt use the non-*-ed entried that are not user entered and tend to reflect the usda database

fallingtrees

I try to use the non-asterisk entries, but they're buried among so much stuff. Like, if I stir-fry some veggies, I really don't like having to scroll through the entire menu of P.F. Chang's.

I wish MFP would put the generic, plain entries at the top.

Fuzzipeg

Potassium is not the only nutrient it would be good to be able to track. Our foods are generally low in iodine and when this mineral is so important, even vital to our bodies working properly it would be good to be able to track it.