How to read the food values

Values are shown per 100 g. Calories come from three sources: protein and carbohydrate give about 4 kcal per gram and fat gives about 9 kcal per gram, which is why oil, ghee and nuts add up quickly.

Raw and cooked weights are not the same. Rice, dal and pasta absorb water when cooked, so 100 g of cooked rice has fewer calories than 100 g of raw rice. Choose one way to weigh each food and stay with it, and compare raw entries with raw and cooked with cooked.

Indian and Middle Eastern foods

Home cooking varies a lot. Oil, ghee, coconut and sugar change the numbers more than the main ingredient does, so treat a database value as a starting estimate. When accuracy matters, weigh your own recipe once and save it.

Three ways to use it

Set your daily targets first with the Calorie and Macro Planner.
Build a week of meals around familiar foods with the Adaptive Diet Builder.
Estimate portions without a scale using the Hand Portion Guide.

Questions

Why do two databases show different numbers for the same food?

Samples, cooking methods and rounding differ. A small gap is normal. Pick one source and use it consistently.

Do I need to count calories exactly?

No. A weekly average and a steady weight trend matter more than any single day. See how to read your trend in how to track fitness progress.

Where can I read more about common foods?

Our food guides cover roti, dal and rice.

Regional Food Database