Use Compare Food when the question is about relative composition: which food provides more protein per equal mass, which contains more water or fiber, or how energy density differs. It is designed for inspecting several records together, not for calculating a meal from the portions a person actually ate.

• Compare equal masses of foods using aligned nutrition rows.
• Inspect differences between foods without treating missing values as zero.
• Add several candidates and keep their columns aligned while scrolling horizontally.
• Filter to differences, shared facts, or all available facts.
• Open an attribute explanation before deciding whether two values are genuinely comparable.
• Share a comparison URL whose selected food slugs remain visible in the route.

Per 100 grams

A mass-normalized basis used to compare composition. It is not a recommendation to eat 100 grams and may differ substantially from an ordinary serving.

Known fact

A catalog value retained with one or more source identifiers. Known describes provenance status, not perfect certainty.

Blank cell

The current catalog has no compatible value for that food and attribute. Blank does not mean zero or absent.

Food record

A representation of a particular food, form, or preparation. Similar names do not guarantee equivalent composition.

For package-specific purchasing decisions, the current Nutrition Facts label is usually more directly applicable than a generic food record. FDA guidance explains how serving size, nutrient amount, and percent Daily Value are presented on that label.^[3]

Search for a food and add it as a comparison column. The food comparison profile orders nutrition facts and requests consistent display units. Each row represents one attribute definition, while each cell contains the value from that food's catalog document. Unit conversion is performed only where the units describe the same quantity.

Show all retains every available row. Differences focuses on rows whose displayed values vary. Shared facts retains rows populated for every selected food. These filters change visibility only; they do not score foods or decide that a higher or lower number is healthier.

You can compare up to twelve items. The item columns keep a stable width and scroll horizontally so values and action controls remain legible. Category routes restrict search to known foods; a general comparison route can combine food with unrelated catalog items when they share a meaningful attribute.

USDA FoodData Central publishes food records, portions, nutrient values, data types, and derivation information. Those details illustrate why the record identity and measurement basis should remain visible when comparing food composition.

The current catalog is still developing, and coverage differs by food and source. A short row set cannot summarize dietary quality, and a value from one source may use a different analytical method or food definition from a similarly named value elsewhere.

• Per-100-gram comparisons do not represent customary serving sizes or the amount a person consumed.
• Water loss during cooking can raise nutrients per 100 grams even when the absolute amount in the whole food changes little.
• Raw, cooked, drained, fortified, and branded foods should not be merged merely because their names resemble one another.
• Missing facts are unknown in the current catalog and must not be interpreted as zero.
• Total carbohydrate, fiber, and sugar definitions can depend on the source and analytical convention.
• Higher is not universally better: the desired direction depends on the nutrient, total diet, and individual context.
• The comparison does not account for bioavailability, allergies, preparation, cost per edible portion, or personal dietary requirements.

FoodData Central values can be derived through chemical analysis, calculations, or other documented approaches, and its distinct data types serve different purposes. Source provenance should therefore be reviewed before treating small numerical differences as meaningful.

Do not use this comparison to diagnose a nutrient deficiency, prescribe supplements, or choose a therapeutic diet. Those decisions require a suitable intake history and, where appropriate, assessment by a qualified clinician or dietitian.

Use the Nutrition Calculator when actual portion weights matter or when you want totals across an entire meal. Use Daily Nutrition Intake for a portable calculation with your own structured food-composition data. Use Macronutrient Split when you are starting from a calorie allocation rather than from foods.

• Interactive Nutrition Calculator

  Search normalized food records, enter edible weights, total nutrients, and compare the meal with a named reference profile.

• USDA FoodData Central

  Inspect food records, nutrient details, portions, and source metadata directly.

For a branded product, check its current label and ingredient list. For a recipe, calculate the ingredients and finished yield rather than assuming a generic catalog food describes the prepared dish. For habitual intake, record several representative days rather than drawing conclusions from one comparison.

• Daily Nutrition Intake

  Scale structured food-composition values by actual weights and total the nutrients across a meal or day.

• Macronutrient Split

  Convert a calorie target and macro percentages into carbohydrate, protein, and fat gram targets.

• Compare Anything

  Compare products, foods, and unrelated catalog items wherever they have compatible structured facts.