MyFitnessPal is one of the most comprehensive platforms for tracking your food and nutrition, making it a valuable resource for people working toward a weight or health goal. By tracking your intake, you can ID eating patterns, like eating too few vegetables or too much fat.
But it’s a consistent logging practice that’s been shown to help people be more successful in reaching their goals. (1)
So, we’re going to dive into how MyFitnessPal’s food database works, go over some logging mishaps that can cause inaccuracies—and discuss ways to prevent them—and share practical tips for getting the most from food tracking without getting overwhelmed.
How MyFitnessPal’s Food Database Works
MyFitnessPal’s food database is an extensive library of foods. It offers detailed nutritional information, such as calories, macronutrients, and some micronutrients like calcium and sodium.
With over 20.5 million foods, it’s one of the largest food databases in the world. You can find foods from a huge range of cuisines, restaurants, and packaged food brands. Whether you’re counting carbs, watching sodium, or balancing your macros, MyFitnessPal’s database will simplify tracking for you.
There are a few different categories in the food database:
- Best match: These entries are labeled at the top of your search results. They were created and verified by MyFitnessPal’s team of registered dietitians. Choose these when possible to get the most accurate and complete results for commonly logged foods.
- Verified foods: When MyFitnessPal has reviewed or added a food to our database and believes that the nutrition information is accurate, the food is marked with a green checkmark.
- Member submitted foods: Anytime you see a food without a check, it was submitted by a MyFitnessPal member like you and has not been reviewed by MyFitnessPal.
The Importance of Logging Accuracy
While accuracy in food logging can help improve awareness of calorie and nutrient intake, it’s important to remember that perfection isn’t necessary for progress. It’s often better to strike a balance between accuracy, consistency, and your sanity.
So, don’t feel like you have to get everything exactly right, log every morsel you put in your mouth, or log every single day.
In fact, on average, MyFitnessPal users who log their food at least four days in their first week are seven times more likely to show progress towards their weight loss goals than those who don’t. So, stay with it as best you can!
Using MyFitnessPal’s Premium features like Voice Log or Barcode Scanner can help make tracking even quicker and more manageable.
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Common Challenges
One challenge many users face is determining portion sizes. Don’t worry, it’s not just you! Studies suggest that people commonly misjudge portion sizes for a variety of reasons, including (2):
- The size of a serving plate
- Whether the food is a single unit (such as a large cookie or sandwich)
- Large restaurant portions that may be two servings or more
- Variability in user-submitted data
Try using Voice Log if you aren’t certain about the portion size. Just eyeball your portion sizes, and use Voice Log to add things like “a handful of blueberries” or “a palm-size chicken breast.” Voice Log will help interpret those portions for you.
Of course, food scales, measuring cups, and measuring spoons are the most accurate way to log portion sizes. You don’t need to do this all the time, but Stephanie Nelson, RD, MyFitnessPal’s Lead Nutrition Scientist, suggests making sure you have an awareness of your most commonly used foods, such as a tablespoon of oil, 5 ounces of chicken, or a cup of cooked oatmeal.
About the Experts
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nationally recognized food and nutrition expert, media personality, nutrition consultant, and author. Cassetty is a former nutrition director for Good Housekeeping and the co-author of the book Sugar Shock.
Stephanie Nelson, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and is MyFitnessPal’s in-house nutrition expert and nutrition scientist. Passionate for promoting healthy lifestyles, Stephanie graduated from San Diego State University with a focus on research and disease prevention
Tips for Logging Accurately Using MyFitnessPal
Here are some ways to help enhance your experience when using MyFitnessPal:
1. Choose Best Match & Verified Food Entries When Possible
For the most accurate tracking, prioritize MyFitnessPal’s Verified Foods and Best Match entries. Verified Foods, marked with a green checkmark, come from trusted sources, while Best Match entries, pinned to the top of search results, are curated by MyFitnessPal’s registered dietitians.
2. Use the NEW Voice Logging Feature (Premium feature)
Voice logging can help simplify faster tracking by allowing you to describe your food choices and portion sizes verbally. For example, you can say, “I had peanut butter that was about the size of my thumb.” The tool will identify the best matches in the database. I love this feature because it can help save time while logging my meals.
3. Take Advantage of the Barcode Scanner (Premium Feature)
For packaged foods, the barcode scanner is the way to go. By scanning the product’s barcode, MyFitnessPal pulls exact nutritional information directly from the label, reducing guesswork and helping make logging faster.
4. Customize Foods and Recipes
When cooking at home, use the “Create a Recipe” feature to log each ingredient. Once saved, these recipes can be reused for future meals, so you won’t have to add individual ingredients again. This makes your logs more consistent and convenient.
5. Make a Meal
This is another way to improve accuracy while saving you time. “Meals are combinations of foods you typically make in one serving increments. If you go into a meal in your diary, just tap those 3 dots and tap save as a meal. And then, if you want to log it again, just search in the “my meals” tab of food search. Then, boom! You can log an entire meal in seconds!” explains Nelson.
For example, I eat the same smoothie on repeat, so I have that combination of smoothie ingredients saved as a meal, preventing me from having to search for and add the ingredients one by one. You can do this for anything you eat repeatedly, such as your usual sandwich, salad, overnight oats, etc.
6. Pre-log Your Meals
If you’re trying to hit some specific macro or nutrient goals, it can be helpful to plan your meals and log them in advance. That way, you can see ahead of time how the meals will support you as you work toward those daily goals–and make tweaks before eating so you stay on track.
Addressing Common Concerns About Food Logging Accuracy
MyFitnessPal’s database is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our members. Still, you may have some concerns. Here are a few common ones and how to handle them.
“What if I Can’t Find My Exact Food?”
Don’t worry if your exact food isn’t listed in the MyFitnessPal database. With over 20.5 million entries, the database is incredibly extensive and may include a close match. Plus, you can always add a food that’s missing.
You can always prioritize Best Match entries curated by registered dietitians or foods with a green checkmark, which indicates they come from a reliable source and have been reviewed and verified by MyFitnessPal. If you’re on the premium plan, the barcode scanner and voice logging features are great ways to log your food quicker.
“Are All Database Entries Accurate?”
While MyFitnessPal’s database is one of the largest in the world, you may come across incorrect entries sometimes.
If an entry looks off, report it using the “Report a Food” feature at the bottom of the screen. This will help flag an entry for our experts to review. This also helps improve the database for everyone, so don’t sleep on entries that seem inaccurate.
Consistency is Key—Get started now! Logging just a few days a week can make a difference. Open the MyFitnessPal app now and start building a habit that works for you!
The post Understanding MyFitnessPal’s Food Database and Logging Accuracy appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
