Diary Database.....

Questfor250
Questfor250 Posts: 155
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
One thought that has been running through my head for the last few weeks is whether or not the Food Diary Database is really accurate when it assigns calories to food items. Why would I question this? one item that really confuses me is grilled chicken. 4 ounces of chicken is 120 calories per the label. Yet in the database I am not seeing those numbers represented as a whole. Many different variables. So many that I wish it was more detailed. Maybe Mike the creator of MFP could add a notes section to the database for entries to include details of the preparation. Since there are so many discrepancies with grilled chicken, I wonder who many other things are out there different. One other thing that comes immediately to mind is the many different entrees for beef tenderloin (filet). There are few entries that are alike to this item. When broken down to 1 ounce the values are different for each listing.

I am trusting my intake to this database. I am losing weight but I want total control and if I knew a few more details on the diary items I could feel more comfortable with my diet selections.

I would like to throw this out to MFP members and ask for your feedback on the database. Is there any way it can be be more accurate?

Replies

  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    The database is user generated, so it's only as accurate as the people who put the data in.

    Everything with a * next to it was entered by a member here. The generics are fairly accurate, I've found. If you find the label you are looking at is different than what you find in the database, feel free to edit it or add a revised version (use the yes/no as to accuracy buttons). Keep in mind that something like "grilled chicken" might include a marinade or oil or other extra calories, and it might be thighs, legs, wings or breasts.

    You can add your own data and save it under my foods, as well. Double check your numbers on http://www.nutritiondata.com/.
  • angelakseverson
    angelakseverson Posts: 3
    That has been a concern of mine as well. There is a way you can check the nutritional value and correct it if need be. When you select the food from the list, on the right-hand side it asks you how much you had. Just above that in real tiny letters it says how many people have confirmed it. Click there and you'll be able to see the nutritional value of the selected food. You can either confirm the value or correct it. Hope that helps. :)
  • StaceG1986
    StaceG1986 Posts: 350
    I always check the nutrional value of the foods in the database, more for specific brands, and if they are different to what it says on the packet I have, I change it and put in the note that I have updated it :smile:

    Or, I add my own, and it appears under 'My Food'

    Also like stormieweather said, it may include marinades or such, if that's the case and I couldn't find one in the list with the same nutritional values as mine, I would just add a new entry, which you can allow other members to also use or keep just for yourself :smile:

    HTH
This discussion has been closed.

Categories