Food Data & Calculations

Posted: December 01, 2021

Food Data

The EatWell ToolKit app provides users with nutritional information on over 2.5 million food products. This information can be accessed through the "FOOD" section of the app. Users can view key nutritional information (such as ingredients, serving sizes, calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) which is obtained from the nutrition labels on the food products. This data is then supplemented with further information, such as the Glycemic Load, potential food sensitivities / allergies, and serving size reference photos to help with portion sizing

The food data in our database is obtained from food product labels which are reviewed by our food scientists before being made available to users of the app to ensure accuracy of information. Our team will collect data manually themselves, use Natural Language Processing to extract information and review items submitted by our users through the "Item not found" option in the barcode scanner. We also apply a range of Artificial Intelligence techniques such as proprietary Machine-Learning algorithms developed by our food scientists to calculate Glycemic Load and food sensitivities. We are constantly adding new food items to continue to grow our database and enhance the overall experience for all users.

Calorie and macro targets

To help users set targets to achieve their weight loss goals, the app uses the Mifflin St. Jeor equations to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is how many calories you’d burn if you did nothing but stayed horizontal and binge-watched Netflix for 24 hours straight. Mifflin's equation is a well established way of predicting BMR from your height, weight, gender and age.

The app will then update the targets for your activity level. This refers to how active you are when you’re not at the gym and can be approximated by your job, which is where most of us spend our time. Generally, an office worker should select “Sedentary” and a athlete should select “Professional.” If you’re unsure what your activity level is and want to be conservative, head over to "Calorie calculator" > "What is your activity level?" and change it to “Sedentary”.

For a detailed breakdown of the calculation, you can read our blog on "how many calories should I eat each day".

Further information

EatWell ToolKit is committed to full transparency to help you understand the foods you are eating. If you have any questions that have not been answered, then please feel free to email us at: info@eatwelltoolkit.com.