Where our numbers come from
Last updated October 2026
Every calorie figure, goal calculation and reference chart in TrueBite traces back to a published source. They are listed here so you can check them yourself.
TrueBite gives general nutrition information. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent anything. Scanned meals are estimates based on what a photo shows, which is why every result carries a range and a confidence level rather than a single exact number. If you take medication for diabetes or another condition, speak to your doctor before changing how you eat.
Your daily calorie goal
The goal is calculated, not looked up: resting metabolism from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, multiplied by your activity level, then adjusted for your aim.
- Mifflin-St Jeor equation
Mifflin et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990)
Used for: Resting metabolic rate from height, weight, age and sex - ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians
National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research
Used for: The India-adjusted goal, and the ICMR reference table in the guide - Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030
US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services
Used for: US protein, fat and salt guidance
Food and calorie values
Scanned meals are estimates from what the photo shows. The reference values they are checked against come from published databases.
- FoodData Central
US Department of Agriculture
Used for: Calories and macronutrients for everyday foods, and the US food chart
Height and weight references
These are screening guides, not diagnoses. A child can sit outside a range and be perfectly healthy — a doctor reads a growth chart over time, not a single number.
- CDC Growth Charts (2000)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Used for: Children's height and weight ranges, US view - Growth reference, 5-19 years
World Health Organization
Used for: Children's height and weight ranges, India and Saudi views
Glycemic index and glycemic load
Shown only to people who told us they have diabetes, and only when a meal's glycemic load is high. Glycemic load accounts for the portion as well as the food, which is why a slice of watermelon is not flagged despite its high glycemic index. These are published averages: the same dish varies with variety, ripeness, milling and cooking.
- International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Atkinson, Foster-Powell & Brand-Miller
Used for: The glycemic index values behind the note shown after a scan - Glycemic Index Research and GI News
University of Sydney
Used for: Reference values, including for dishes absent from Western tables
Diabetes guidance
General nutrition information only. TrueBite is not a medical device, does not diagnose or treat anything, and does not replace a diabetes care plan. If you take medication, talk to your doctor before changing how you eat.
- The diabetes plate method
American Diabetes Association
Used for: How meals are built in the diabetes view - Carbohydrate counting
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Used for: Per-meal carbohydrate targets - Salt and saturated fat limits
World Health Organization
Used for: The limits applied to diabetes meal plans
Found something wrong?
Food values vary with recipe, portion and cooking method, and we would rather be corrected than confidently wrong. Email support@nextwave-ops.com — every message is read.