Inaccuracies in food database, what to do?

ceejay000
ceejay000 Posts: 402 Member
edited January 8 in Food and Nutrition
What do you guys do when you come across an entry in the food database that you think is inaccurate? I'm wondering because I've come up with a few options, but I'm trying to decide which would be best. I'm fairly anal when it comes to my food diary, so I always double check the nutritional data in the pre-existing entries before I add something to my diary. I fairly regularly find that the numbers in the database do not match the numbers on the food label or the company's website. Usually, I just create a new entry with the numbers I find on the label/website, but I know that this then creates more confusion and increases the number of duplicates in the database. I could edit one of the existing entries, but sometimes that would involve changing every single value for that entry. I figure that someone found those values somewhere, or they're using them for a specific reason, so I generally don't edit the entry unless only one or two values is off.

What does everyone else think? I know this has come up several times, but I was just curious if there was a general consensus.

Replies

  • ceejay000
    ceejay000 Posts: 402 Member
    bump
  • mfoy94
    mfoy94 Posts: 228 Member
    You can (online) say that an entry is "inaccurate" and fix it there. You should do that instead of create a new entry.
  • ceejay000
    ceejay000 Posts: 402 Member
    You can (online) say that an entry is "inaccurate" and fix it there. You should do that instead of create a new entry.

    Well that's part of what I said - I know I can edit it, but if there's an entry there, and every single value is different from what I see on the label/company website, and 4 people have "confirmed" the values on MFP, should I really edit that?
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Enter it yourself.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Well that's part of what I said - I know I can edit it, but if there's an entry there, and every single value is different from what I see on the label/company website, and 4 people have "confirmed" the values on MFP, should I really edit that?

    Are you sure you are comparing like with like quantity wise?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    life isn't perfect.

    neither is myfitnesspal.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I fix it and write something snarky in the notes.
  • dmcole13
    dmcole13 Posts: 133 Member
    sounds like i'm just as anal as you are :) !!! i always edit, even if one number is off.........
  • L14nDv
    L14nDv Posts: 33 Member
    I usually double check and fix it. When you fix it it asks what you changed and why and I just add a little note. Doesn't happen too often though. A couple of times people have entered kj values instead of kcals but not much else.
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    When you 'Edit' an existing entry, it just makes a copy of it for your own personal use. The #1 thing I do, which is difficult on the mobile app, is search for foods without * in front of them. Like Broccoli - Raw. The ones without * are from the USDA nutrition site and are accurate.
  • aBoldengirl
    aBoldengirl Posts: 11
    Sometimes things are different because of the size of the packaging. I know that the Boca Vegan burgers have different values for boxes bought in the grocery store VS boxes bought at Sam's Club (larger burgers).
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    I don't use the ones that are incorrect. I just used the ones that I find to be correct. I guess I'm not that anal.
  • dmcole13
    dmcole13 Posts: 133 Member
    The #1 thing I do, which is difficult on the mobile app, is search for foods without * in front of them. Like Broccoli - Raw. The ones without * are from the USDA nutrition site and are accurate.

    I always try to do this as well
  • ceejay000
    ceejay000 Posts: 402 Member
    Sometimes things are different because of the size of the packaging. I know that the Boca Vegan burgers have different values for boxes bought in the grocery store VS boxes bought at Sam's Club (larger burgers).

    Very interesting, I didn't know that.

    Thank you everyone for the replies. I guess everyone does it a little differently. I'll just continue doing what I have been doing. I'll use the entries that are correct, tweak the ones that have a few imperfections, and create my own when I have to. I was just looking to see if anyone else had any input.

    Thanks again!
  • cameronaldus
    cameronaldus Posts: 2 Member
    I tend to overestimate foods if I can't find an exact match them.

    For example if I eat a meal at a restaurant (eg a pasta dish), I search for a similar meal, choose the highest calorie entry in the database and put in 1.5 - 2 servings just to be sure.
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