Confused? Overwhelmed? A simplified guide to a healthy diet

Who knew food could be so complicated?  Look up "apples" on NutritionData, for example, and you'll find over a hundred nutritional facts about them. In fact, you won't find a more complete nutritional analysis anywhere on the web, which is great for those who really want to know what they eat. 

But if you're new to the world of nutrition, all those numbers can be a bit overwhelming.  Relax. You don't need a PhD in biochemistry in order to have a healthy diet! Here's a simple, interactive guide that anyone can use to start improving the quality of their diet.

What does your body need?

At its most basic, a healthy diet is one that gives your body what it needs (and not more than it needs). So the first step is simply to figure out your body's nutritional requirements.  We'll start with the most general need (energy) and work our way down to more specific needs (individual nutrients).

Energy

First off, your body requires energy, or calories.  But how many? This is important to know because eating more calories than you need will lead to weight gain and eating fewer calories than you need will cause you to lose weight. 

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

The National Association for Eating Disoders (NEDA) has declared this week National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This year's key message, “Be comfortable in your genes. Wear jeans that fit the TRUE you,” is highlighted by a Great Jeans Giveaway event.

From NEDA:

"Too often individuals struggle against their natural, genetically influenced size just to fit into that pair of “skinny jeans” in the back of their closets. Fighting your natural size and shape can lead to unhealthy dieting practices, poor body image and sometimes eating disorders.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week highlights the fact that body size and shape are strongly influenced by biological factors – such as genetics, while also calling attention to some of the new discoveries surrounding the role of genetics in the development of eating disorders.

While you can adopt a healthy lifestyle and aim to be fit for your particular body type, you cannot change your genes. NEDA encourages everyone to start feeling comfortable in their genes by wearing comfortable jeans. The Great Jeans Giveaway events empower individuals to donate old (or new) pairs of jeans that do not comfortably fit. "

To learn more about Eating Disorders and participate in the Great Jean Giveaway, visit NEDA online.

ADHD: Fatty acid supplements could help

A new study in Nutrition Journal finds that adolescents with ADHD have a noticably different distribution of fatty acids in their cells. But, contrary to what many have suggested, it doesn't seem to have much to do with what they eat.

When you examine the red blood cells of kids with ADHD, there are some striking differences compared with cells from healthy kids. In general, you'll find a higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s. The cells of the kids with ADHD are also quite low in DHA, a specific omega-3 fatty acid that is closely linked with healthy brain development.  In fact, low omega-3 levels correlated directly with behavioral symptoms.

But here's the surprising finding: both groups consumed about the same amount of omega -3 and omega-6 fats. In other words, the difference in the cells doesn't seem to be due to differences in diet. Instead, it appears that ADHD kids metabolize the fats that they eat differently.  (In another interesting finding, ADHD kids tended to consume more calories but were not more likely to be overweight. All that hyperactivity apparently burns calories!)

Even though diet may not be the cause, it may still play a role in the cure.  A diet that is higher than normal in omega-3 fats might help to compensate for the metabolic issue.  Foods that are naturally high in omega-3 fats (salmon, mackerel, flax seed) may be a tough sell for the typical teenager. But products such as omega-3 fortified eggs, peanut butter, and cereal could help. (Here's a list of foods high in omega-3 fats generated with our Nutrient Search Tool.)  In addition, I think a supplement containing extra DHA would be worth a try.

Secrets of Anti-Aging Nutrition: Join me in Virginia

Because our world-wide community of users convenes here in cyberspace, I rarely get an opportunity to meet NutritionData users in person.  So I want to let you know about a seminar and retreat that I'll be leading in April in Northern Virginia and invite any of you who might be within striking distance to join me!

The 4-day program will focus on the principles (and practice) of anti-aging nutrition and will be held at the fabulous Airlie Center, one of the nation's premiere "green" conference centers. The whole thing is being organized by Decadent Health, a company that specializes in wellness travel. 

If this is the type of thing you might enjoy, you can get more information on the Decadent Health website.  If you decide to join me for the program, be sure to mention that you learned about it through my blog here on NutritionData.com and Decadent Health will extend a 10% discount on the registration fee.

For all of you who cannot attend, I promise to report on all the highlights of the program here on the NutritionData blog!

Organic, free-range eggs less likely to carry salmonella (but no guarantees)

Q. I recently heard someone claim that you can't get salmonella poisoning from organic eggs. I thought that salmonella was a risk for ALL eggs. What's the truth?

A. You are correct that all eggs and poultry carry some risk of salmonella, which is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S.  Organic or free-range eggs and poultry are not immune from contamination with this bacteria. The only way to eliminate all risk of salmonella is to thoroughly cook all eggs and poultry to a temperature that kills the bacteria. (That means no runny yokes.)

That's not to say that every egg is contaminated. People regularly order their eggs sunny side up or easy over.  Classic recipes for Caesar salad dressing, mayonnaise, and chocolate mousse all involve raw eggs--and many enjoy these foods every day and live to tell the tale. Nonetheless there is always some risk involved. And it is true that the risk is lower with free-range eggs.

Conventionally (industrially) raised egg layers are kept confined in very close quarters, where as free-range layers have more space. The extra space translates into less contact with waste and lower contamination rates.  A recent British survey found that about about a quarter of caged hen  populations tested positive for salmonella, versus less than 5% of organic flocks and 6.5% of free-range flocks. In fact, the amount of salmonella contamination was directly parallel to the size of the flocks. Huge industrial chicken farms housing 30,000 or more birds had four times the level of bacteria of the smaller flocks mandated by U.K. organic standards.

Obviously, if you want to eat your eggs raw or undercooked, free-range, organic eggs are much safer (although the risk is not zero). They also appear to be a lot more nutritious.  Analysis conducted by Mother Earth News found that eggs from pasture-raised chickens contained twice the omega-3 content, three times more vitamin E, and a whopping seven times as much beta-carotene as commercially produced eggs. They also had a third less cholesterol and a fourth less saturated fat.

In my household, we buy all of our eggs right at farm at which they are laid, an arrangement that is becoming increasingly common as many Americans attempt to forge a more direct connection with their food suppliers. I know our layers have plenty of room to roam around because I see them lounging around in their huge pasture whenever I go up to the farm. To find an egg producer (or any other type of farmer) near you, check LocalHarvest.org.

If you are using pasture-raised eggs, here's a custom entry with nutrient values approximated based on the Mother Earth reports that you can add to your pantry and use for more accurate dietary analysis.

Complementary proteins: How much does timing matter?

Q. I limit my meat intake to only a few times a week.  On non-meat days, I eat grains and legumes. Do I need to mix my complementary proteins at the same meal, or can I safely have legumes and grains at different times of the day? (I consume yogurt and milk daily.)

A. The concept of complementary proteins stems from the fact that vegetarian protein sources are often "incomplete" proteins, meaning that one or more of the nine essential amino acids are missing altogether or (more usually) available only in limited quantities. 

If you get all of your protein from vegetable sources, its important to combine complementary proteins, such as legumes and grains (the classic beans and rice combo) to ensure that you are getting enough of all the essential amino acids.

Because you are consuming dairy products every day, this is really not a concern for you, because dairy products are a good source of complete protein.  But let's say you weren't.  You already know that you need to eat both legumes and grains in order to have a source of complete protein. But how important is the timing?

For years, it has been thought that you need to eat complementary proteins at the same meal in order to get the benefit. But the Vegetarian Resource Group (a great resource for all kinds of information about vegetarianism) says, "It is not necessary to plan combinations of foods. A mixture of proteins throughout the day will provide enough essential amino acids."  This view is supported by the American Dietetic Association's 2003 position paper on vegetarian diets.

Bottom line for vegans: As long as you are eating enough calories overall and consume a reasonably varied and balanced diet, you probably don't need to worry about protein quality or quantity.

Diet for a healthy prostate

As part of a long-term study on prostate cancer prevention, researchers in Seattle analyzed the diets of thousands of men to see if they could identify any connection between what the men ate and their risk of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous inflammation of the prostate gland. Although BPH is by definition benign, this very common condition is a major quality-of-life issue for men over 50.  And having BPH is a risk factor for eventually developing prostate cancer.

In any case, the researchers spotted a few trends.  Men who ate a low-fat diet and got four or more servings of vegetables a day had a dramatically reduced risk of BPH.  They also reported that consuming lean protein appeared to be protective, while frequent consumption of red meat increases your risk.

That last statement betrays an annoying bias in this type of research.  The dietary questionnaires they use to collect this data don't distinguish between a McDonald's hamburger (25% fat) and a grass-fed bison steak (2.4% fat). It's all just red meat.  "Lean protein" appears to be reserved for other types of meat.  (Why?)   Personally, I'm reserving judgment on the red meat thing.

Finally, moderate alcohol consumption (2 drinks per day) appeared to be protective.  (Read more details about the study here.)

So, to keep your prostate healthy, avoid excess fats and eat your vegetables. Hmmm, sounds awfully familiar.

Winter Warning: Your vitamin D levels may be at their lowest right now

Unless you are lucky enough to live in a location that enjoys year-round sunshine and mild temperatures, you are likely to experience a drop in your Vitamin D levels during the winter. Getting direct sun on your skin is one of the chief ways in which you get vitamin D. With the colder weather, we spend less time outdoors and when we are outdoors, we try to cover as much skin as possible. 

But even in a mild winter, the northern half of the country simply doesn't receive enough UV to power sufficient skin production of the vitamin. As a result, your vitamin D levels are probably at their lowest toward the end of the cold weather season.  Some experts are concerned that the increased use of high-powered sunscreens threathens to make vitamin D deficiency a year-round phenomenon. In fact, a recent Harvard Study found that 60% of Americans may be vitamin D deficient.

Low vitamin D levels are serious business

Not only do you need vitamin D to keep your bones strong but it also plays an important role in your immune defenses against winter colds and flus, and can help prevent cancer, heart disease, and auto-immune diseases.  According to the UV Foundation, low vitamin D levels can also lead to fatigue, depression, and aches and pains.

Fortunately, there are other ways to get your vitamin D.  There aren't a whole lot of foods that  are naturally rich in vitamin D. (Mackerel, sardines, and fish liver oil are among the top providers.) Because our diet does not contain a lot of vitamin D-rich foods, the government also mandates fortification of milk and baby formula with vitamin D.  Other dairy products, like yogurt or cottage cheese may or may not contain additional vitamin D.  Vitamin fortified cereals can be another good source, and the nutrient can also be taken as a dietary supplement.

However you choose to take your vitamin D, just be sure you're getting enough on a regular basis. The current recommendations for vitamin D intake is 200IU per day for adults up to 50, 400IU a day for those between 51-70, and 600IU a day for those over 70. (Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic among the elderly). And there is a major movement afoot in the scientific community to get the government to raise--even double--those recommendations.

A cup of fortified cow or soymilk contains about 100IU.  Three ounces of canned pink salmon contains about 600 IU.  Here's a list of other foods high in vitamin D, generated with our Nutrient Search Tool.

New feature: Import your customized nutrition recommendations

I wanted to bring your attention to a new feature that we've recently added to the Daily Needs Calculator. For those who haven't experimented with it, the Daily Needs Calculator estimates your daily calorie needs, based on your age, gender, BMI (body mass index), daily activity level, and exercise. This can help you tailor your intake to lose, maintain, or even gain weight.

The calculator also gives you the recommended minimum nutrient intakes for your gender and age group--which can vary greatly from the all-purpose Daily Values (DVs) that are used on food labels and in analysis reports here on Nutrition Data.

Here's what's new

Now, you can import your customized nutrient recommendations directly to your Nutrition Data Preference Settings, where they can be saved as your Individualized Daily Values (IDVs).  Once they've been imported into your preference settings, you can also edit them if you like. For example, you might wish to lower your target sodium intake or increase your target vitamin C intake. 

Once saved, your IDVs will replace the all-purpose DVs in your Total Consumption Reports.  Return to Preference Settings at any time to edit your IDVs or restore them to the default DVs.

Cool, huh?

Modified Fasting: a good weight control strategy?

People fast for many reasons: as a religious observance or spiritual ritual, as a political protest, in preparation for medical procedures, or as an occasional health practice.   And studies have confirmed that short-term fasting can have a number of health benefits.

Yet fasting for the purposes of losing weight is not generally seen as a good idea.

One argument is that you need to learn healthy eating habits in order to achieve long-term weight control. Fasting is by necessity a short-term strategy. Sooner or later, you have to begin eating again. And skills such as exercising portion control, choosing more nutritious foods and fewer empty calories, eating more vegetables and whole grains are not developed by fasting.

And we've all heard the argument that people who skip meals (whether one or a whole day's worth) tend to eat more calories later to compensate. (More on that in a moment)

But a series of new studies, summarized in the U.S. News and World Report, suggest that there may be a legitimate role for modified fasting as a weight loss tool.

Can you overdo it with omega-3 fats?

Today's post is the second part of two part-answer to a question posted by a NutritionData user. Yesterday, I explained why consuming only monounsaturated fats could lead to nutrient deficiencies--but that it is almost impossible to do so.

Today, let's consider whether it's possible to get too much omega-3 fat.  We've all heard that we all need to eat more omega-3 fat in order to increase the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fat in our diet.  But can you go too far?

Many people have come to think of omega-6 fats as "bad" fats when, in reality, both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential to good health--playing different but complementary roles in supporting the immune system, cellular functions, and growth.  The two work best when there is a relative balance between them. 

Many consider the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 to be 1:1.  But the average American diet has a ratio of 20:1.  (That's twenty times as much omega-6 as omega-3.)  This huge imbalance causes problems--in this case, mostly in the form of excessive systemic inflammation. But if the imbalance were in the other direction, 20 times as much omega-3 as omega-6, we'd be likely to see different problems, such as immune insufficiency or cognitive problems.

While it's theoretically possible to get too much omega-3 (or enough omega-3 to create a significant imbalance),  it's not likely.  You'd have to eat a diet composed almost entirely of fish, seaweed, and flax.  Consuming excessive amounts of fish oil supplements, and severely restricting your intake of grains and vegetable oils could also hypothetically create an imbalance. But, obviously, neither of these are dietary approaches that any nutritionist would recommmend.

To get an idea what the omega ratio of your diet is, you can analyize a typical day's diet (or log your actual diet for a day or two) using our Pantry tool.  Be sure to include any fish oil, flax, or essential fatty acids you may take as supplements.)  At the bottom of the total consumption report, you'll see a tally for the total omega-6 and omega-3 fat. 

The closer the two numbers are, the better, but if you can get your omega-3 intake to even half of your omega-6 intake you're doing great!  If your omega-3 intake is more than twice your omega-6 intake, you might want to back off the fish oil and be sure your diet is otherwise balanced, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein foods and whole grains.

Can olive oil lead to nutrient deficiencies?

Q. Is it possible to get too much of your fat as monounsaturated or omega-3 fats?

A. It's almost always possible to overdo a good thing, and your question is one worth asking (and answering).  Let's say that your total calorie intake is on target, so that you are maintaining a healthy weight (or moving in that direction).  Let's also assume that fats take up a reasonable percentage of your total diet (between 20 and 35% of total calories from fats).  Is it okay to get 100% of your fat calories from monunsaturated fats like olive oil?   Well, yes and no.

If you only ate monounsaturated fats, you would be in danger of some nutrient deficiencies.  You need to consume some polyunsaturated fats in order to get two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha linolenic acid (omega-3). (They're considered essential because our bodies cannot manufacture them, we must get them from diet.) 

Saturated fats also have an important role, providing the building blocks out of which the body manufactures cholesterol, which has several crucial biological functions. (Too much cholesterol in the blood is a bad thing but too little can be just as dangerous).

Nonetheless, it's still fine to get all of your dietary fat from olive oil or avocadoes. Why? It's true that these foods are rich in monounsaturated fats but they still contain substantial amounts of both saturated and polyunsaturated fats. In fact, the fat in olive oil is 73% monounsaturated, 14% saturated, and 13% polyunsaturated, so all your bases are covered. Many would consider that to be an almost ideal distribution of fats.

Tomorrow, I'll answer the other part of your question: We've all been told that we need to eat more omega-3 fats in order to increase the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in our diet. But is it possible to go too far in that direction?

How much salt do you need to be healthy?

Q.  From what I read, it seems that we all eat too much sodium and need to try to cut back. But can you go too low? Is there a minimum of sodium that you need to be healthy?

A. Interesting question!  Most of the government's recommended daily values (DVs) are for the minimum recommended amounts. For example, the DV for vitamin D is 400IU, meaning that most people should try to get at least 400IU of vitamin D every day to stay healthy.

But because of the health risks associated with over-consumption of certain nutrients, such as sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat, the DVs for these nutrients represent the maximum recommended intake. The DV for sodium is 2400mg, meaning that most people should limit their sodium intake to 2400mg per day or less to stay healthy.  People with high blood pressure are often advised to restrict their sodium intake even further, to 1500mg per day or less.

But a certain amount of sodium is essential for your health. The USDA estimates that you need about 1500 mg of sodium (which is not that much less than the recommended maximum!) but this is based both on the amount of sodium you lose every day through perspiration as well as the amount of sodium you need to eat in order to get enough of other minerals that generally "ride along" with sodium in foods. 

For example, iodized salt is the primary source for iodine in the American diet. So restricting salt too much (or using un-iodized salt) may lead to iodine deficiency, which is being investigated as a possible culprit in ADHD.

Assuming that intake of other minerals is sufficient, the amount of sodium it would take to prevent sodium deficiency is probably closer to 500 to 1000mg (depending on how active you are and how much you sweat). Amounts in excess of this are eliminated through the urine.

The average sodium consumption in the U.S. is 3375mg per day, so, obviously, few us us are in danger of sodium deficiency.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

By the way, the Daily Values (which you see on the nutrition facts label for all packaged foods and on every food analysis page on Nutrition Data) are very general. They represent an average figure that will work for most people in the population.  Our Daily Needs Calculator can supply recommendations that have been tailored to your age, gender, and weight.  You can then automatically save these personalized recommendations to your Preference Settings as your Individual Daily Values (IDVs). 

See also these related posts:
The Debate over Salt Continues
Are American Diets Too High in Salt?
Does a Low-Sodium Diet Provide Enough Iodine?

A "smart" food scale weighs in on your diet

An interesting item crossed my desk this week. (Well, actually, it crossed my kitchen counter.) It's a food scale that does much more than just weigh your food. It can also tell you the exact amount of calories, fat, and ten other nutrients that serving contains.  It will also store and tally the values for everything you eat over the course of an entire day. 

Because so many NutritionData users use our site to track and analyze their diets, I thought this might well be a product that you'd be interested in, so I gave it a thorough test-drive. All in all, I was impressed.

Poll: Who do you trust for nutrition information?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Add any additional thoughts or comments by clicking on "Post a Comment" below.

The healthiest chocolate? You might be surprised.

What could be better than chocolate for Valentine's Day? In addition to stimulating the release of neurochemicals that make us feel more romantic, chocolate helps keep your heart healthy. Chocolate contains flavonoids that increase the elasticity of your blood vessels, help keep blood clots from forming, and improve cholesterol profiles.  But contrary to popular wisdom, dark chocolate is not necessarily better for you.

It's widely believed that the darker the chocolate is, the more flavonoids it contains. But this is not entirely true. In general, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa it contains. But much of the flavonoid content may be destroyed in processing, so you can't judge a chocolate bar entirely by its color or even its cocoa percentage.

If you're going to treat your valentine to a gift of chocolate today, look for CocoaVia products, made by the manufacturers of Dove chocolates.  They're processed using a new method that leaves more of the valuable flavonoids intact.  Acticoa, a high-flavonoid chocolate from the makers of Callebaut, should be commercially available in the near future.

One last tip: When you combine cocoa with milk (as in milk chocolate or hot cocoa), a protein in the milk binds to the flavonoids in the chocolate and makes them less absorbable. If you enjoy hot cocoa, consider using soy milk instead of cow's milk.

Does Heart Health Month make anyone healthier?

Valentine's Day is upon us but that's not the only reason red hearts are everywhere you look. February is also the month in which we focus on Heart Health.  Last Friday was national Wear Red day, a day on which women are supposed to wear red clothing in order to raise awareness about women and heart disease. 

In fact, the whole first week of February is Women's Heart Health Week, leaving us the last three weeks to worry about the guys. By next February, I expect we'll have Kids Heart Health Week, too. Ballooning rates of childhood obesity mean that more and more kids are being diagnosed with heart disease risk factors before they are even out of their teens!

But do these national days, weeks, and months of "awareness" actually have any sort of positive impact on people's health? Here's at least three ways in which they can:

1. Education.  National heart health month brings a lot of media attention to the issues surrounding heart health--and this helps educate the public on things like how to recognize warning signs for heart attacks (they're different for women than they are for men), resources available for those with heart health issues, and lifestyle choices that increase or lower your risk of heart disease.

2. Screening.  One of the goals of Women's Heart Health Week, for example, is to overcome the perception that heart disease mostly affects men.  Even though heart disease is the number one killer of women, most women are more concerned about getting breast cancer than heart disease. As a result, they may be diligent about mammograms but completely overlook regular screening for cholesterol and other risk factors.   Just as we've now been trained to change the batteries in our smoke alarms when we turn the clock ahead every Spring, Heart Health month should remind us to schedule our annual cholesterol check.

3. Prevention. Education and early detection (through better screening) can translate into fewer deaths from heart disease. But ultimately, preventing heart disease comes down to making healthy lifestyle choices. The big three are:

1. exercising regularly

2. getting to and maintaining a healthy weight

3. modulating intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and refined carbohydrates

For many, preventing heart disease will require developing some new habits. Experts say that it takes 3-4 weeks to develop a new habit. The best possible use of Heart Health Month, in my view, would be to make a one-month commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle. By the end of the month, you may well have developed some long-term habits that will extend the benefits of Heart Health Month far beyond March 1st.

Here's some help to get you started on a heart healthy lifestyle:

If you need to lose weight, check out the NutritionData.com Diet and Weight Loss Center, which is updated daily with expert advice, motivation, recipes, health news, and work-out tips that can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Looking for heart-healthy recipe ideas? Look no further than our new feature Healthy Dinner Tonight, which offers a new healthy recipe (plus complete nutritional analysis) every day. Subscribe via RSS and get each day's healthy recipe delivered right to your inbox.

Questions about what to eat?  Our Nutrient Search Tool can help you find foods that are low in sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids (or just about any other combination of nutrients you select).

Our Pre-Stocked Pantries make it easier to get starting planning and tracking your diet with pre-selected collection of foods tailored to your health goals.  Choose from heart healthy, low-carb/smart-carb, low-fat/low-calorie and more. Add as many as you like to your pantry.

Heart Health Month 2008 is just beginning. Let's take full advantage of this chance to develop some good habits that will translate into longer and healthier lives!

Nutrition Data's new design

Thank you for all the feedback on our new look, both the many compliments as well as your ideas on how the site could be even better. We also appreciate your letting us know about any issues that you've had during the transition or questions that you have about the new design.

Please know that we take all of your input to heart. We're working to resolve any stray technical problems quickly. We also give serious consideration to all of your suggestions and constructive criticism.  Feel free to post additional comments below. If you experience any problems, don't hesitate to email us at feedback@nutritiondata.com.

If you're just joining us, here's a recap of this week's launch of Nutrition Data's fresh new look.

What has changed? 

Our new homepage gives you a quick overview of what's new on the site, from the latest blog posts to new content and features. You'll also find several quick-start buttons for some of our most popular features.

As before, you need to be signed in to your Nutrition Data account to use our pantry features. So the gray "Track," "Input Food" and "Analyze Recipe" quick-start buttons will only work if you are signed in. You can sign in (or create a new account) in the box at the upper left of the homepage.  If you’re already signed in, you’ll see your username displayed here. Note: As before, you do not need to be signed in (or have an account) in order to search for foods and see the full nutritional analysis.

What's the same?

Everything else about the site functions as it always did. You’ll find all of the same information, foods, and data as before. Any preferences you’ve set and items that you’ve stored in your pantry are exactly as they were. Although they look slightly different (gray instead of green), our navigation menus also have not changed, so you'll find your favorite content exactly where it used to be.

Where is the search box?

  The search box is found in the upper right hand corner of every page (across from our logo). The slight shift in location allows us to put the search box in the same place on every page, which we hope you'll find convenient. 

The search box still functions exactly the same way. Simply enter the food you are looking for where it says "enter food name," select a category from the dropdown menu if you want to narrow your results to a single type of food or leave "all food categories" selected if you want to search the entire database, and hit the green "search" button.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why doesn't the page look right? I have to scroll too much to the right and left.
A.  We're aware of this problem and we're working on the fix. For now, make sure to maximize your browser window to fill the entire screen for the best view of Nutrition Data.

Q. The searchbox doesn't work. It takes me right back to where I was.
A.  The searchbox is working correctly for most users but we have had a few users report this problem. Make sure you click the green "Search" button to conduct your search. If you are still having trouble, try refreshing your screen (on a PC, hit F5; on a Mac, hold down the option key while clicking the reload icon in your browser). You can also try clearing your browser's cache (on a Mac, hold down Command Option E). If you are still experiencing issues, please email us at feedback@nutritiondata.com so that we can try to resolve your issue.

Q. I can't email a friend my total consumption.
A. We are debugging this issue and hope to have it fixed soon.  It appears to be due to an intermittent problem with one of our mail servers, and should be corrected shortly. 

Q.  I'm getting Flash player error messages.
A.  We believe we have solved  this issue.  Please let us know if the problem is still occuring.

Other questions or problems? Please feel free to email us at feedback@nutritiondata.com. 

If you are experiencing a problem, providing some basic information about your system will help us resolve it more quickly. When reporting technical difficulties, if possible, please include: