Accuracy of calories

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sgjohnson59
sgjohnson59 Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
How accurate are the calories listed for each food. Many are submitted by members and I have found big differences in the amount of calories depending on who posted them. How can I be sure I'm getting the correct calorie count?

Replies

  • DrewMartGrawr
    DrewMartGrawr Posts: 23
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    I've had the same concern. If they're wrong, I figure some will be high and some will be low and it will even out.
  • VFBloch0725
    VFBloch0725 Posts: 37
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    If you know the caloric intake and servings, then you can choose an entry that matches. If I am unsure, I choose something that is the closest to what I eat. The good thing about the large selection is that you'll be able to find something that is either close or matches; you can always create your own entry.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
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    Not particularly user friendly, but I use this when in doubt: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list

    Or I enter my own stuff from labels. It's a pain, but worth it in the long run, altho I do agree with Drew that most of it evens out in the end. If you are close to goal and need to make sure it's all correct, tho, I say enter your own stuff.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    If you know the caloric intake and servings, then you can choose an entry that matches. If I am unsure, I choose something that is the closest to what I eat. The good thing about the large selection is that you'll be able to find something that is either close or matches; you can always create your own entry.

    I choose the calorie count on my food choice or else I search around to see what else matches.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    The DB is mostly right, with some bizarre entries here and there. A lot of what I find is people underestimating, or not understanding a serving. Most of it is designed so that they can eat more.

    I just take a quick glance and make sure it seems right.

    On the other side, some people are not savvy, and they just enter a calorie amount for something and don't really pay attention to the fact that now it's in the database. Like, they may enter a PB&J sandwich. They just eat like a quarter of a sandwich, so they enter PB&J, 150 cals. It's really 600 for a whole sandwich, but they enter it as 150 for a whoel sanwich, even though they only eat a 1/4. See what I mean? I think people do that a lot, and they don't realize that what they enter goes into the actual database.

    As a word to everyone. When you find those things, please correct them. the database relies on all of us to make the corrections.
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
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    I have noticed this too and generally check the packaging before I use the database. Where I come across ones inputted incorrectly I will normally edit it so the info is correct.
  • jnp96
    jnp96 Posts: 163
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    I use Calorie King to determine the calories in a singular food. I use a scale to determine the total calories per ounce. Time consuming, but it works. I do find the calorie counter here fairly accurate though.

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