Accurate Nutrition Data Sources?

[wesheilman]

Does anyone know of trustworthy nutrition data sources? I usually check nutritiondata.self.com, but I have no idea if they are accurate or not.

@haidut, where do you get your nutrition info? Or does anyone know where Peat, Roddy get theirs?

Lastly, does anyone know why the nutrition facts on foods often lack the info that we (the bioenergetics community) claim they have? None of the packaged liver and oysters I have seen show any high B vitamins, copper, zinc, selenium, or any vitamins and minerals besides A and iron.

 

[Amazoniac]

Nutrition for Women:

Coca-Cola claims that phosphoric acid and sugar the only nutrients in their product, yet a standard text book indicates that Coke is rich in potassium (while Pepsi has more sodium than potassium).

However something must have changed since then, otherwise they would be putting it on the label.

 

[Queequeg]

Nutritiondata.self.com and Cronometer are probably the most reliable as they both use the USDA and Nutrition Coordinating Center Databases. You can go straight to USDA and download their data as a spreadsheet too.

 

[haidut]

Does anyone know of trustworthy nutrition data sources? I usually check nutritiondata.self.com, but I have no idea if they are accurate or not.

@haidut, where do you get your nutrition info? Or does anyone know where Peat, Roddy get theirs?

Lastly, does anyone know why the nutrition facts on foods often lack the info that we (the bioenergetics community) claim they have? None of the packaged liver and oysters I have seen show any high B vitamins, copper, zinc, selenium, or any vitamins and minerals besides A and iron.

After a few years of reading up on food ingredients and using cronometer you start to remember what food is what on what nutrient. Taste is also a good guide. I do not crave PUFA. In fact, the very thought or smell of peanut butter makes me want to puke, as does fish oil. I never got the whole madness around PBJ sandwiches but I guess to each his own.

 

[wesheilman]

@haidut, I'm pretty well-versed in the nutrients now, but never knew if I was getting trustworthy numbers. My main concern comes from the food packages themselves. The liver I buy gives only Vitamin A and iron as nutrients, and the oysters list almost nothing but iron. No claims to have high zinc, copper, B vitamins, etc.

Am I buying deficient food products, or are they for some reason not reporting the full nutrient content? If they are deficient, who sells nutrient-dense liver and oysters?

 

[haidut]

@haidut, I'm pretty well-versed in the nutrients now, but never knew if I was getting trustworthy numbers. My main concern comes from the food packages themselves. The liver I buy gives only Vitamin A and iron as nutrients, and the oysters list almost nothing but iron. No claims to have high zinc, copper, B vitamins, etc.

Am I buying deficient food products, or are they for some reason not reporting the full nutrient content? If they are deficient, who sells nutrient-dense liver and oysters?

I don't think you are buying deficient products, they only have so much space to report on all nutrients. I think they report on the ones FDA deems the most important, so iron, calcium, sodium, cholesterol, etc get priority on the label. Fir comparison, the Brazil nuts which contains a lot of selenium and zinc usually do not list these minerals on the label (if they are packaged).

 

[tara]

Does anyone know of trustworthy nutrition data sources? I usually check nutritiondata.self.com, but I have no idea if they are accurate or not.

Be aware that even if these sources are based on accurately measuring samples, the nutrition in specific individual food items also depends on the environment it grows in. Eg. fruit and vegetables cannot contain minerals that are not present in the soil, or can contain widely varying quantities of minerals depending on soil and growing conditions.