Boundaries and provenance
What this collection can—and cannot—tell you.
This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published October 31, 2024. FNDDS supplies the nutrient profiles used for foods reported in What We Eat in America, the dietary component of NHANES. Each value here remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.
USDA describes FNDDS nutrient profiles as average values for generic representations of foods likely consumed in the United States—not profiles of specific products. Its gram weights for portions are likewise estimates for groups of foods and may not cover every available size. That distinction matters: a database measure is evidence for scaling a plausible match, not proof that the same weight or formulation was on a visitor’s plate.
The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Macaroni and cheese” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The central range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.
The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.
Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.
Why no overall ranking appears.
A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.
For primary-source context, read USDA’s FNDDS 2021–2023 documentation. For Feast’s import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read the nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.
