By Sophie Lane
Hi there! I’m Sophie, and I’ve been using MyFitnessPal for over six years now. During all this time logging my food, I’ve always wondered: where does all this nutrition information come from? How does MyFitnessPal know that an apple has 95 calories or that a slice of pizza has 285 calories?
After doing lots of research and talking to other users, I finally have answers! Today, I want to share everything I’ve learned about where MyFitnessPal gets its food data and why this matters for your health journey.

What Is Food Data Anyway?
Before we dive into where the data comes from, let me explain what food data means in simple terms.
Food data is like a giant recipe book that tells you:
- How many calories are in each food
- How much protein, fat, and carbs it has
- What vitamins and minerals are inside
- How big a normal serving size is
Think of it like having a super smart friend who knows everything about every food in the world. That’s what MyFitnessPal tries to be for us!
My Journey to Understanding MyFitnessPal’s Data Sources
When I first started using MyFitnessPal, I just trusted that the numbers were right. But after a few months, I noticed something weird. Sometimes the same food would have different calorie counts depending on which entry I picked.
For example, when I searched for “banana,” I found three different entries:
- One said 105 calories
- Another said 89 calories
- A third one said 110 calories
This made me curious. How can the same food have different numbers? That’s when I started digging deeper to understand where MyFitnessPal gets its data.

The Main Sources of MyFitnessPal’s Food Database
After lots of research, I discovered that MyFitnessPal gets its nutrition data from several different places:
1. Government Databases
Source | What It Is | Why It’s Important |
---|---|---|
USDA Food Data Central | Official US government food database | Most reliable and accurate |
FDA Nutrition Facts | Required labels on packaged foods | Legally required to be correct |
International databases | Food data from other countries | Helps with global foods |
The USDA Food Data Central is like the gold standard of food information. It’s run by the United States Department of Agriculture, and they test foods in real laboratories to get exact numbers.
This is the most trustworthy source because:
- Real scientists test the foods
- They follow strict rules
- The government requires accuracy
- It’s updated regularly with new research
2. Food Companies and Manufacturers
Many of the foods in MyFitnessPal come directly from the companies that make them. When you scan a barcode and the app instantly knows the nutrition facts, that’s because:
- Food companies submit their data directly to MyFitnessPal
- The nutrition facts panels on packages are legally required to be accurate
- Companies want their products listed correctly
- It helps people find and buy their foods
3. User-Generated Content (The Tricky Part)
Here’s where things get complicated, and it’s something I learned the hard way. MyFitnessPal allows regular users like you and me to add foods to the database.
How User-Generated Content Works:
- Anyone can add a new food to the database
- Users type in the nutrition information themselves
- No one checks if it’s correct before it goes live
- Other users can edit or “verify” entries
Why This Can Be a Problem:
- People make typing mistakes
- Some users guess at the numbers
- Different brands of the same food have different nutrition facts
- Home recipes vary from person to person
4. Restaurant and Chain Data
MyFitnessPal also gets information from restaurants and food chains. Most big restaurants like McDonald’s, Subway, or Chipotle provide their official nutrition information.
Restaurant Data Sources:
- Official restaurant websites
- Corporate nutrition departments
- Menu labeling requirements (required by law in many places)
- Third-party nutrition analysis companies

My Experience with Different Data Sources
Let me share some real examples from my own food logging journey:
The Good: Government Data
When I log basic foods like “apple” or “chicken breast,” the USDA-sourced entries are usually very reliable. I can trust these numbers because they come from scientific testing.
The Confusing: User-Generated Data
I once spent 10 minutes trying to figure out which “homemade spaghetti” entry to use. There were dozens of options, all with different calorie counts. Some seemed too low, others seemed too high. It was really frustrating!
The Convenient: Barcode Scanning
When I scan packaged foods, the data is usually accurate because it comes directly from the food manufacturer. This is my favorite way to log processed foods.
How to Tell Where Your Food Data Comes From?
MyFitnessPal doesn’t always make it obvious where their nutrition information comes from, but here are some clues I’ve learned to spot:
Signs of Reliable Data:
- Green checkmark next to the food name
- “Verified” label on the entry
- Matches the nutrition label on the package exactly
- Consistent numbers across similar entries
Signs of Questionable Data:
- No verification marks
- Round numbers (like exactly 100 calories – real food rarely has perfect round numbers)
- Missing information (no protein, carbs, or fat listed)
- Wildly different from other similar entries
The Quality Control Problem
One thing that surprised me during my research is how little quality control MyFitnessPal has over user-generated content. Here’s what I discovered:
What MyFitnessPal Does:
- Allows users to “verify” entries
- Has some automatic systems to catch obvious errors
- Removes entries if many users report them as wrong
- Partners with some companies for official data
What MyFitnessPal Doesn’t Do:
- Check every user-submitted entry
- Test foods in laboratories
- Require proof when users add new foods
- Remove old, outdated entries regularly

Impact on Your Health Journey
Understanding where MyFitnessPal gets its data has actually changed how I use the app. Here’s why it matters:
For Weight Loss:
- Inaccurate calorie counts can slow down your progress
- Overestimating calories might make you eat too little
- Underestimating calories could prevent weight loss
For Nutrition Tracking:
- Wrong protein numbers affect muscle building goals
- Incorrect vitamin information impacts health decisions
- Bad macro ratios can throw off your diet plan
My Tips for Finding the Best Data
After years of using MyFitnessPal, here are my strategies for finding the most accurate nutrition information:
1. Prioritize Official Sources
Always look for:
- USDA entries for whole foods
- Verified entries with green checkmarks
- Barcode-scanned items for packaged foods
2. Cross-Check Suspicious Entries
If something seems off:
- Compare multiple entries for the same food
- Check the actual food label if you have it
- Look up the food on other nutrition websites
3. Be Careful with These Categories:
- Restaurant foods without official nutrition info
- Homemade recipes from other users
- Generic entries like “chicken dinner”
- Very old entries that might be outdated
4. When in Doubt, Use These Backup Sources:
Backup Source | Best For | Why I Trust It |
---|---|---|
USDA FoodData Central | Whole foods | Government-tested |
Nutrition labels | Packaged foods | Legally required accuracy |
Restaurant websites | Chain restaurants | Official company data |
Cronometer app | Cross-checking | Known for data accuracy |
Common Problems I’ve Encountered
Let me share some real problems I’ve faced with MyFitnessPal’s data sources:
Problem #1: Multiple Entries for Same Food
- What happens: 15 different entries for “grilled chicken breast”
- Why it happens: Different users add the same food multiple times
- My solution: Always pick the USDA-verified entry first
Problem #2: Outdated Information
- What happens: Old entries with incorrect serving sizes
- Why it happens: Companies change their products but old entries stay
- My solution: Double-check against current product packaging
Problem #3: Regional Differences
- What happens: Same food brand has different nutrition info in different countries
- Why it happens: Companies adjust recipes for local tastes and regulations
- My solution: Make sure I’m using entries from my local region
The Future of MyFitnessPal’s Data
Based on my observations, here’s where I think MyFitnessPal’s data sources are heading:
Improvements I’ve Noticed:
- More barcode partnerships with food companies
- Better verification systems for user entries
- Increased government database integration
- AI-powered error detection for obviously wrong entries
What Still Needs Work:
- Removing duplicate entries
- Updating outdated information
- Better labeling of data sources
- More quality control for user submissions
How This Knowledge Changed My Approach
Understanding where MyFitnessPal gets its data has made me a smarter user. Now I:
Always Do This:
- Scan barcodes whenever possible
- Choose verified entries over unverified ones
- Double-check suspicious numbers against food labels
- Stick with USDA entries for whole foods
Never Do This:
- Blindly trust user-generated entries
- Pick the first result without checking verification
- Use entries with obviously wrong numbers
- Ignore the source of my nutrition data
Final Thoughts Being a Smart MyFitnessPal User
After six years of using MyFitnessPal and researching where they get their data, here’s my biggest takeaway: the app is only as good as the information you put into it.
MyFitnessPal has access to some amazing nutrition databases from the government and food companies. But they also rely heavily on users like us to add and verify information. This means we need to be smart about which entries we choose.
My Three-Step Rule:
- Look for verification marks first
- Cross-check against the actual food label when possible
- Trust your instincts – if numbers seem way off, they probably are
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection – it’s progress. Even if the nutrition data isn’t 100% perfect every time, consistent tracking with mostly accurate information will still help you reach your health goals.
The most important thing is that you keep logging your food and making healthy choices. Don’t let concerns about data accuracy stop you from using this helpful tool!
Sophie Lane has been using nutrition tracking apps for over six years and has logged more than 2,000 consecutive days. She enjoys researching health technology and sharing practical tips to help others succeed in their wellness journeys. When not analyzing food databases, Sophie loves cooking healthy meals and trying new fitness apps.