process
Food energy
Food energy is reported here in kilocalories, abbreviated kcal.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
USDA food-energy values use defined calculation methods. The app sums the recorded ingredient energy for the selected portions.
How it works
What this field means
USDA food-energy values use defined calculation methods. The app sums the recorded ingredient energy for the selected portions.
Related topics
Food energy is accounted for alongside Carbohydrate by difference
Food energy and carbohydrate are separate fields in the USDA record; recipe totals preserve both.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-16 · Sources: USDA Agricultural Research Service: Standard Reference Release 28: Documentation and User Guide — nutrient definitions
Worth knowing
Reading it in a recipe. This value describes the recipe estimate, not a personal energy requirement. Cooking yields and the exact products used can change the finished dish.
A closer look
Follow the ingredient record
Open an ingredient to see the exact food description, preparation state and per-100 g values. A known subtotal means at least one ingredient value is missing; it is not a complete total.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)Standard Reference Release 28: Documentation and User Guide — nutrient definitionsChecked 2026-09-16
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05