How we calculate
Every number on feed.love comes from a public food database, and every result shows you which record it used. Here is exactly how a result is made.
1. We read what you typed
Your food or recipe is split into ingredients and amounts. When AI parsing is switched on, an AI model helps read messy text, recipe links and photos. The AI only reads your words. It never supplies nutrition numbers.
2. Each ingredient is matched to a USDA record
We search USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s public food database. We look in its plain reference foods first (Foundation and SR Legacy), and only use survey or branded products when nothing plain fits. Each result shows the matched record, so you can check it and choose a different one.
Food profile pages use one record that a person has checked.
3. Amounts become grams
Weights you give are used as-is. Cups, spoons and pieces are converted with the portion weights USDA publishes for that food. If you don’t give an amount, we use a typical portion and label it as assumed, so you know to check it.
4. Nutrients are added up
USDA values are per 100 g. We scale each ingredient to its grams, add the ingredients together, and divide by the number of servings.
5. Missing is never zero
If a USDA record doesn’t report a nutrient, we show “not reported” instead of 0. A total that includes missing values is marked as incomplete.
6. % Daily Value
Percentages use the U.S. FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 years and older, for example 2,300 mg sodium, 28 g fiber, 50 g added sugars, 1,300 mg calcium, 18 mg iron and 4,700 mg potassium. As a rough guide, 5% or less per serving is low and 20% or more is high. Daily Values are general label references, not personal targets.
What AI does and doesn’t do
- AI may read your text or photo and write short food descriptions.
- AI-written food and nutrient descriptions are reviewed by a person before they are published, and are labelled “AI-assisted”.
- AI never creates the nutrition numbers. Those always come from USDA (or, where stated, from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
Limits
Results are estimates. Real foods vary by brand, variety, ripeness and cooking. feed.love gives general information, not medical or dietary advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own needs.