Manufacturers of packaged foods are required to provide nutritional information about their products on the outer packaging. Likewise, large chain restaurants must make nutrition information available to customers. However, this information is not always readily available for meats, produce and bulk foods. Fortunately, the USDA offers a comprehensive database listing the nutrient content of thousands of common foods. Using the USDA National Nutrient Database is a simple process -- you can obtain the nutritional information for a specific food in less than two minutes.
Searching Online
Step 1
Visit the USDA National Nutrient Database portal online.
Step 2
Type the name of the food you want nutritional information for in the "Keyword" box on the main page.
Step 3
Select the appropriate food group from the "Select Food Group" drop-down menu below the "Keyword" box. This will help filter out irrelevant search results. Click the "Submit" button.
Step 4
Click the radio button next to the food that most closely matches what you are looking for from the results. Click the "Submit" button.
Step 5
Click the radio button next to your preferred unit of measurement on the next page. For example, nutritional data for "egg whites" can be obtained for 100 mg, 1 cup or 1 large egg. You can also enter multiples of these measurements in the appropriate boxes. Click the "Submit" button.
Searching a Downloaded Database
Step 1
Download the USDA National Nutrient Database from the USDA website. The full database is available in ASCII and Access formats. You can also download an abbreviated version in Excel format; however, this version does not contain values for all nutrients.
Step 2
Right-click on the downloaded folder and select "Extract All" to unpackage the files on your hard drive.
Step 3
Open the file using the appropriate software. If you are using Access or a relational database management system for ASCII format, you can generate queries in the same manner as for the online version of the database. If you are using Excel, you can Search by food using the "Find" function under the "File" tab.
Tips and Warnings
- The USDA releases new versions of the National Nutrient Database several times per year. Check the USDA website frequently to ensure that you have the most comprehensive, accurate information.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Internet access
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