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How to choose the right entry in a food database
Wrong database data is among the most common complaints about calorie apps. Often, however, it is not an error – two entries simply describe different things: raw vs cooked food, another brand or another portion.
In short
- Most common reasons: raw vs cooked, brand vs average, 100 g vs portion.
- Quick check: fat × 9 + carbs × 4 + protein × 4 ≈ calories.
- For packaged food, the label in your hand wins.
- Save a verified entry once and keep using the same one.
Why entries differ
- Raw vs cooked: 100 g of dry rice has about 365 kcal, cooked about 130 kcal. Both entries are correct – just for a different state of the food.
- Brand vs average: a generic 'ham' is an average; a specific product can have more or less fat.
- 100 g vs portion: an entry of '1 portion' without grams means something different to everyone.
- Recipe changes and country: a product can differ between years or countries.
- User-created entries: in many apps users add items themselves and not all are checked.
The 10-second check
Label energy is calculated from nutrients using fixed factors (fat 9 kcal/g, carbohydrate and protein 4 kcal/g, fibre 2 kcal/g). If an entry shows fat, carbohydrate and protein, do a quick sum:
fat × 9 + carbs × 4 + protein × 4 ≈ kcal
If the result is far from the listed calories, the entry is probably wrong – for example swapped columns or per-portion values instead of per 100 g. Small differences come from rounding, fibre or alcohol.
How to choose
- Packaged product: scan the barcode and compare with the label. If they differ, the pack wins.
- Basic food: pick the entry that exactly matches the state (raw/cooked, with/without bone, with/without skin).
- Prefer entries with complete nutrients and values per 100 g.
- Save a verified entry and keep using the same one – even if it is not perfect, you will at least be consistent.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the same food have different calories in an app?
Entries often describe a different state (raw/cooked), another brand or another portion. Some user-created entries are also simply wrong.
How do I spot a wrong entry?
Calculate fat × 9 + carbs × 4 + protein × 4. If the result is far from the listed calories, the entry is probably wrong.
What should I trust when the scanner differs from the pack?
The label of the product in your hand. Recipes change and product versions differ by country.
Sources
This guide is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have or have had an eating disorder, or need a therapeutic diet, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.