How the Food Database Works

সারাংশ

The Food Database lets you search, browse, and compare nutritional data for 142 whole foods. Every value comes directly from USDA FoodData Central — the US government’s authoritative food composition database — and is expressed per 100g of raw weight.

You can search by name, filter by 14 food categories, sort by any macronutrient, and switch between grid and table views. Clicking a food reveals its full nutritional profile: macros, fibre, sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, glycaemic index, and 25 micronutrients with percentage of daily value.

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Data source

All food data is fetched programmatically from the USDA FoodData Central REST API using a curated list of 142 common whole foods. Each food’s nutrient values are stored per 100g — the standard base unit for food composition data and UK/EU nutrition labelling (EU Regulation 1169/2011).

The database covers 14 categories: fruit, vegetable, grain, legume, nut & seed, dairy, meat, poultry, fish & seafood, egg, oil & fat, herb & spice, beverage, and other.

Macro energy split

Each food card shows a colour-coded bar representing the protein/carbs/fat energy breakdown, calculated using the standard Atwater general factors:

Each macro’s percentage is its energy contribution divided by the total. The calorie value shown on the card comes directly from USDA (which may use food-specific Atwater factors), so the macro bar percentages and the displayed calories may not perfectly correspond — this is normal and matches standard practice.

Micronutrient % daily value

Expanding a food shows its top micronutrients as progress bars against the reference daily value:

The calculator tracks 25 micronutrients: vitamins A, B1–B12, C, D, E, K; minerals calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, manganese; omega-3, omega-6, and choline. Reference daily values are a hybrid of EU NRV (Regulation 1169/2011), NIH RDA, and UK SACN, chosen to reflect the most current science for adults 19–50.

Search and filter

• Text search — case-insensitive partial match across food name and tags. Multiple words use AND logic (e.g. “brown rice” matches foods containing both “brown” and “rice”).
• Category filter — click one or more category chips to filter. Categories are additive (OR logic).
• Sort — sort by name, calories, protein, carbs, fat, or fibre. Numeric sorts are highest-first by default.

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যাচাই

All values are fetched directly from the USDA FoodData Central API, so they are inherently accurate against the source.

অনুমান এবং সীমাবদ্ধতা

• USDA data only — all 142 foods are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy and Foundation Foods). Branded products, restaurant meals, and UK-specific preparations are not included.
• Per 100g raw weight — values are for the raw food unless the name specifies “cooked”. Cooking changes nutrient density per gram due to water loss or absorption.
• No portion-size calculator — this page shows per-100g values only. Use the Meal Builder to build meals with custom portion sizes.
• 142 foods — the database covers common whole foods. It is not exhaustive; for branded or niche foods, consult USDA FoodData Central directly.
• Micronutrient completeness varies — some foods have null values for certain micronutrients where USDA data is unavailable. These are shown as 0% in the display.
• RDA values are for adults 19–50 — requirements differ for children, pregnant/lactating women, and older adults.
• Atwater approximation — the macro energy bar uses the general 4-4-9 factors. For high-fibre or high-alcohol foods, the bar may not perfectly match the USDA calorie value, which uses food-specific factors.