Don't trust MFP food values

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Replies

  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
    You mean the metric cup, imperial cup or U.S. customary cup?.
    What does a metric cup look like exactly? :wink:

    A cup measure is approx 237ml. Personally, I like when volume measurements are provided given that not everyone has a food scale.
  • elmarko123
    elmarko123 Posts: 89

    1 cup of something? How is that an accurate measure?

    Because it's a standard sized, uniform unit of measurement, perhaps?
    You mean the metric cup, imperial cup or U.S. customary cup?.

    A US measuring cup... it will measure 8 fl oz. of liquid... the weights will vary for solids, milk, etc. on a scale, but it's the same standard, uniform unit when measured by volume. Not really any different than anyone else's forms of measurements... I don't see what the confusion or disdain is?
    The confusion is that it's recorded as "one cup" in the MFP database, you had to specify which cup - the imperial cup is 10 fl oz, the metric cup 8.8 fl oz. & the US one 8.3 fl oz.

    Anything in the MFP database with "1 cup" is worthless unless it states which region cup or the volume in the cup.

    It's standard for the US, not globally - this is a global website.
  • elmarko123
    elmarko123 Posts: 89
    I don't get this problem too often at all. Perhaps it's because I've been doing this for so long. For the most part, I know what the general calorie count is for the things I eat but if I notice something is off, I'll double check my packaging and edit it accordingly.

    But yes, I can understand this being an issue for non-Americans since their measurement system is different, but hey, the site creators are American so what can you expect? If the roles were reversed, I'd just enter in all my foods in the measurement system I use. I've defintely come across foods that were logged in grams; it doesn't bother me at all, I just find the entry that matches mine and move on. I wouldn't start a post about how off the database is.

    Can't please everyone I guess.
    You do know this could cause problems for you also?, it's not that complicated.

    EU people "correcting" the entries for the foods which results if you getting the wrong information.

    It works both ways, something we need to be aware of.

    It's nothing about conversion ratios, it's the fact when I look at an MFP entry, I have no indication as to which region the information was created from.

    The same with the term cup, "cup" isn't a standard global measurement.

    If I created an entry I'd use UK based measurements, which if you used would be wrong - it's not an idle complaint at the site - I was stated a fact that many of the entries will be wrong (pending on geographic location) & advising others to check/create a personal food list (which can't be edited/corrected by people from different regions).
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    I don't get this problem too often at all. Perhaps it's because I've been doing this for so long. For the most part, I know what the general calorie count is for the things I eat but if I notice something is off, I'll double check my packaging and edit it accordingly.

    But yes, I can understand this being an issue for non-Americans since their measurement system is different, but hey, the site creators are American so what can you expect? If the roles were reversed, I'd just enter in all my foods in the measurement system I use. I've defintely come across foods that were logged in grams; it doesn't bother me at all, I just find the entry that matches mine and move on. I wouldn't start a post about how off the database is.

    Can't please everyone I guess.
    You do know this could cause problems for you also?, it's not that complicated.

    EU people "correcting" the entries for the foods which results if you getting the wrong information.

    It works both ways, something we need to be aware of.

    It's nothing about conversion ratios, it's the fact when I look at an MFP entry, I have no indication as to which region the information was created from.

    The same with the term cup, "cup" isn't a standard global measurement.

    If I created an entry I'd use UK based measurements, which if you used would be wrong.
    It hasn't caused a problem for me in a year and a half but I appreciate your concern. :flowerforyou:
  • nikkiprickett
    nikkiprickett Posts: 412 Member
    I always either add my own or double check EVERYTHING I put in, I evn ask for nutrition menus when I go out to eat or look online before I go....I'm not sure why people would put them in wrong but they need to stop :)
  • nikkiprickett
    nikkiprickett Posts: 412 Member
    Instead of creating a new food, there is the option to confirm it or change the values to what is correct isn't there?

    yes, there's this too, i've done this a few times too
  • steffanyjames
    steffanyjames Posts: 47 Member
    I agree and that's why I use my HR monitor. I find it helps me nail down the calories burned and I never rely on the machines anymore. I am also trying to do more exercise outside... no machines there, the HR monitor is essential.
  • Noor13
    Noor13 Posts: 964 Member

    1 cup of something? How is that an accurate measure?

    Because it's a standard sized, uniform unit of measurement, perhaps?
    You mean the metric cup, imperial cup or U.S. customary cup?.
    *ggg*
  • Noor13
    Noor13 Posts: 964 Member

    1 cup of something? How is that an accurate measure?

    Because it's a standard sized, uniform unit of measurement, perhaps?
    You mean the metric cup, imperial cup or U.S. customary cup?.
    *ggg*

    The problem is, that not everybody packs the same amount of something in a cup. So even if you use the same let's say metric cup-it still does not mean it will weigh exactly the same as when somebody else fills it. 100gr will always be 100gr. Just use proper measurements and not volumes
  • MileyClimb
    MileyClimb Posts: 414 Member
    my friend said some of those food values are not accurate and we really don't know what calories we are eating. when I am doing 1tbs of peanut butter when i measure how do I know I didn't get 1 1/2 tbsp. eating more calories than what I said. the food values are just a ballpark figure.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member

    1 cup of something? How is that an accurate measure?

    Because it's a standard sized, uniform unit of measurement, perhaps?

    I have 3 'cups' right in front of me right now and one of them is at least 3 times bigger than the other one..
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I wish everything was in the db in grams. If I'm going to bother measuring and logging I may as well aim for accuracy.

    As for comparing to labels, I think the majority of what I eat has no label.
  • trink68
    trink68 Posts: 48 Member
    I always check the package first....generally MFP is right.If not I just edit it and do the correction

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