Watch out for inaccuracies in database..

Options
2»

Replies

  • kristinacottle
    kristinacottle Posts: 52
    Options
    Right now, if you look up strawberries, 1 cup is 49 calories. 2 cups is 49 calories, and a half a cup is 39 calories. I honestly have no idea which one is right. But a basic raw fruit should be accurate in the database.

    Thanks to everyone who takes the time to verify and correct!

    I buy whole frozen strawberries and the bag says 1 cup is 50 calories. It obviously won't change if they're thawed. Just if you actually wanted to know lol!! :happy:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    I always look for the ones with higher confirmations.

    ^^^^This.

    I need to start using the bar code scanner a lot more too
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    Options
    Thanks for posting I put in something the other day and it said no sodium I knew that was not right especial since it was lunch meat
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    Options
    Absolutely! Tonight I was scoping out to see if I could fit spaghetti and meatballs into my night. One of the spaghetti and meatballs heading said it was 4 carbs for one cup.

    Wut? More like 40....... at least.
  • Shelgirl001
    Shelgirl001 Posts: 476 Member
    Options
    I found one that was inaccurate in the exercise section for treadmill walking for an hour. Compared to what my Mom's really good treadmill said on the calories burned the system said around 2 times as many as the treadmill said. The treadmill said approx. 320 and the system said approx 600, if I recall correctly.
  • tlblood
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    Options
    I found one that was inaccurate in the exercise section for treadmill walking for an hour. Compared to what my Mom's really good treadmill said on the calories burned the system said around 2 times as many as the treadmill said. The treadmill said approx. 320 and the system said approx 600, if I recall correctly.

    This is why I use a HRM. No system that isn't hooked up to your body will be accurate for calorie burn.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    Options
    Just entered rotisserie chicken breast (without skin) in my diary for dinner tonight and saw this issue.

    Tried two different entries in the database, both for 4 oz. chicken. First one gave me 33 calories. I KNEW that couldn't possibly be correct. Second one gave 168 calories, which I could confirm from another source.

    It's crazy how huge a difference is in the database for that.
  • Agator82
    Agator82 Posts: 249 Member
    Options
    I hear that. I typically check and if it is something that I get routinely I will actually add it as my own food.. There should be a way for the MFP community to thin the database a little otherwise it might become too cumbersome in time. I still can't figure out why I get a Diet Coke with 5 calories when I search for 21 oz Diet Coke.
  • LastMinuteMama
    LastMinuteMama Posts: 590 Member
    Options
    I scan the bar code labels as much as I can with my smartphone. Makes for better accuracy.

    I thought that too...but when I scanned in Hood Ice Cream recently, it came up as chicken breast??? Crazy but true. So,double check what you scan with your phone as well. I've noticed a few other discrepancies, but the ice cream/chicken was definitely the most bizarre and way off one so far!
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    Options
    Wait, you mean that 4 slices of chocolate cake isn't really 80 calories? MFP HAS BETRAYED ME :<<<<<<<<<
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
    Options
    You're quite right, it's the risk of having a database with member-entered data.... the good side about member-entered data is that there are so many entries, it's pretty rare that i have to enter a new food, and I'm not in the US.

    Someone has already mentioned looking for entries with no * in front - these have been entered by MFP and are highly likely to be correct. They are also useful because they have a range of serving sizes - usually cups, grams, pieces (or fruit etc) and more.

    For other entries - you do have to be aware that there may errors or differences. Not all of the different entries are errors though, some are due to the food in different countries having the same name but a different recipe or serving size.

    The bar code feature is really handy but there is no guarantee that it will be any more accurate than any other entry - I quite often get it bringing up a different food.
  • SlidingDown
    SlidingDown Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    I wish that when you confirm the nutrition on a product it would store in a foods section or something. So even when you don't eat something everyday you have an easy way to quickly add it knowing it is correct
    @HeaderAutumn and others with the same wish, your wish is almost granted lol
    All you have to do is edit the nutritional information, confirm it, and from then on, that particular entry will appear in your "My Foods" list. If you don't go into Edit though, no it doesn't get added to your list.
    Once it's in your list, any time you are Adding Food to your diary, just go to the tab My Foods and choose it from the list.

Categories