Selecting Food Entries

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Labouffecestbon
Labouffecestbon Posts: 182 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I eat pretty close to TDEE, so the wrong entry on a high caloric item easily makes a huge difference in my weekly deficit, especially if it's a frequent item in my diet.

I'm usually pretty good at spotting correct entries (for ex, I prioritize entries with drop down options that seem to be from the nutritiondata website). Just curious how you guys select entries when some defer a lot from each other.

For example, I love having a piece of ribeye steak (lean and fat) with a salad. However, there are so many options, I'm not sure I've been going with the right now. And going with the wrong one can make as much as a 200 cal difference! Aïe! :s

How would you select the entry with that case? Just bid on the highest number?

Replies

  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
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    look for one that has "usda" in the name. I cross-reference new-to-diary foods with nutritiondata.com all the time. it's a bit of a hassle, but I think it's worth it.
  • Babygurl721
    Babygurl721 Posts: 10 Member
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    Good question cause I was having the same problwm and wanted to know which on to pick also.
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Look for the entries that don't have an asterisk next to them. These are MFP entered based on USDA data. Most of the basics are there - fruit, veg, meat, butter, sugar, etc.

    I use these entries all the time as I figure a carrot is a carrot no matter which shop I buy it from. Processed foods I always work from the packaging and fix any incorrect entries as I go along.
  • Labouffecestbon
    Labouffecestbon Posts: 182 Member
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    BernadetteChurch wrote: »
    Look for the entries that don't have an asterisk next to them. These are MFP entered based on USDA data. Most of the basics are there - fruit, veg, meat, butter, sugar, etc.

    I use these entries all the time as I figure a carrot is a carrot no matter which shop I buy it from. Processed foods I always work from the packaging and fix any incorrect entries as I go along.
    I find that's easier to do with such general items. Got no problem with that.
    I also scan packages and always double check (coz some ppl are just so lazy they don't enter all the info).

    In the case of the steak, I searched "beef ribeye steak raw lean fat" and didn't find any ribeye without asterisk. If I'm looking at the wrong place or searching incorrectly, I certainly would appreciate any correction!
  • Labouffecestbon
    Labouffecestbon Posts: 182 Member
    edited April 2015
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    tibby531 wrote: »
    look for one that has "usda" in the name. I cross-reference new-to-diary foods with nutritiondata.com all the time. it's a bit of a hassle, but I think it's worth it.
    It IS worth it. I do that too.
    Perhaps I should go on the site now and search for ribeye steak. Now, THAT, I haven't done.

    ETA: I just did. No ribeye steak. Chuck, sirloin, round...but not rib.
    Just want to know what you guys do in such cases...
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    if you still can't find it in the database (I've found meats are very difficult to locate correctly), search for it here: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search and then create your own custom entry.
  • Labouffecestbon
    Labouffecestbon Posts: 182 Member
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    CM9178 wrote: »
    if you still can't find it in the database (I've found meats are very difficult to locate correctly), search for it here: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search and then create your own custom entry.
    Thanks for the link.

    I can't find an entry that takes the fat into account so I might have to increase calories to make up for it.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    I crossed referenced all my foods i regularly eat with calories king and measure everything in grams to find the most accurate. it took time in the beginning but now i just have to hit add cause i tend to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch daily and dinners is usually the same mostly with few changes here and there.

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