A comprehensive list of every food we eat is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. It lists every food from each food group alphabetically and provides the description of the food as well as additional information, such as calories and common measure weight. This governmental agency also provides a database where you can perform a search about a given food, as well as an information website on food and nutrition.
Calories
Calorie content is used to define the amount of energy needed to produce a change in temperature, specifically to raise the temperature of water. The amount of calories a person needs depends on her sex, age, height, weight and level of activity.
Nutrient Database
A nutrient database identification number is assigned to each food by the USDA to uniquely reference each food. To find the nutrient value for any food, you can go to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and input the name of the food. The database will provide the energy value and amounts of protein, lipids, sugar, minerals, vitamins and amino acids.
Dietary Guidelines
To determine the amount of calories you should be consuming each day, you can visit the Department of Health and Human Services website and access a calorie chart that outlines by age, sex and level of activity how many calories you need. You can also create a personal profile that allows you to track your desired number of calories, weight, exercise and health risks.
Nutrition Information
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a food and nutrition information website as a resource to find information about food composition and safety, how to read food labels, regulation reports and food warnings, and information on diet and exercise, herbs, alternative medicine, vitamins and supplements.
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