Nutritional Data

[Guest guest]

Tony pointed out that the carbs, fat, protein data do not always add up

to the total calories.

It seems that many reference sources also show inconsistent nutritional

data. Example: NutritionData.com Here's the reference for 1 Tbs of

cocoa...

Calories: 12

Fat: 1gm (9 calories)

Carbohydrates: 3 (12 calories)

Fiber: 1 (minus 4 calories)

Protein: 1 (4 calories)

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s047z.html

[Guest guest]

Trish,

NutritionData.com derives its information from the USDA database. The

information in your link corresponds to NDB No: 19165 in the USDA

database. So how does the USDA get its nutrition information? By

independent analysis? Only to a small degree. Unfortunately, they

largely rely on the information provided by the manufacturers. This

is explained here:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/sr17.html

The sources of the USDA SR17 database are given here:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/asc/DATA_SRC.txt

This file links the NDB numbers and the sources of the data:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/asc/DATSRCLN.txt

I could not find NDB 19165 here, though.

As you scan the list of sources, you cannot help noticing the large

role that manufacturers play in supplying the data. Some of the

sources include:

Produce Marketing Association (PMA)

National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA)

Hazelnut Marketing Board

Kraft Foods, Inc.

Would some of these associations juggle the data to portray a better

image for their products? Never! ;-)

Tony

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> Tony pointed out that the carbs, fat, protein data do not always add up

> to the total calories.

> It seems that many reference sources also show inconsistent nutritional

> data. Example: NutritionData.com Here's the reference for 1 Tbs of

> cocoa...

> Calories: 12

> Fat: 1gm (9 calories)

> Carbohydrates: 3 (12 calories)

> Fiber: 1 (minus 4 calories)

> Protein: 1 (4 calories)

> http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s047z.html