Inaccuracies in food database, what to do?

ceejay000
ceejay000 Posts: 402 Member
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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