A fair nutrition comparison uses the same amount, matching preparation, compatible nutrient units and visible sources. Comparing two numbers without these checks can produce a confident but misleading answer.
Start with the question you are trying to answer
“Which food is better?” is usually too broad. A useful comparison begins with a specific question:
- Which food provides more dietary fiber per 100 g?
- Which serving contains less sodium?
- Which cooked grain provides more iron in the amount I normally use?
- How do two yogurt preparations differ in protein and calcium?
The answer can change when the amount, preparation or nutrient changes. Foodmanac therefore compares measured data rather than assigning one overall “health score.”
Step 1: use the same basis
Comparing 100 g of one food with one cup of another mixes two different quantities. Start with 100 g for nutrient concentration or enter equal gram amounts. If your question concerns realistic portions, compare the amounts you actually plan to use and keep those amounts visible.
The FDA also recommends checking that serving sizes are the same when using %DV to compare packaged foods. A lower number may simply reflect a smaller listed serving.
Step 2: match the preparation
Raw and cooked records are not interchangeable. Cooking can add or remove water, oil, salt or other ingredients. Drying removes water and can concentrate nutrients per 100 g. Draining or discarding cooking liquid may also change measured values.
Compare raw with raw, cooked with cooked, or clearly label the comparison as a preparation comparison.
Step 3: compare the same nutrient and unit
A nutrient name may appear in grams, milligrams or micrograms. Foodmanac keeps the source unit visible and normalizes compatible units for calculations. Do not compare 1 mg directly with 500 micrograms without converting them to the same unit.
| Unit | Relationship |
|---|---|
| 1 gram (g) | 1,000 milligrams (mg) |
| 1 milligram (mg) | 1,000 micrograms (mcg) |
| 1 gram (g) | 1,000,000 micrograms (mcg) |
Step 4: separate missing from zero
If Food A shows a value and Food B shows a dash, you cannot conclude that Food B contains none of that nutrient. Its value may be missing or incompatible. A fair comparison requires measured values for both foods.
Read Missing vs Zero in Nutrition Data for the full explanation.
Step 5: check the source and food description
Two foods with similar names may come from different sources or describe different products. Check the full name, category, preparation, reference amount and source status. Differences can reflect real variation rather than a calculation error.
A practical Foodmanac workflow
- Open Compare Foods.
- Search for the exact foods and preparations.
- Set one consistent comparison amount.
- Review calories and macronutrients, then expand vitamins and minerals.
- Use %DV as context, not as the only decision rule.
- Open the individual food records to inspect sources and serving options.
If you are looking for foods that provide a particular nutrient, use Nutrient Finder. If you want totals for several ingredients, use Mix Lab instead of treating one ingredient as the whole recipe.