Nutrition sources and calculation methods

This page explains the core references behind our nutrition tools. Individual articles and restaurant guides include their own sources, which provide the context for specific claims and menu figures.

On this page

Restaurant data and rankings

Each restaurant guide links to the chain’s official nutrition information. Figures describe the named standard build, not every possible substitution. Location, portioning and menu changes can affect your order.

The meal finder ranks the menu options in our dataset against your chosen preferences. It does not search every item a restaurant sells. Unconfirmed values stay unknown; the finder excludes incomplete records by default and lets you include them explicitly.

A high-protein match is not automatically a low-calorie or low-sodium meal. Read the complete numbers and the trade-offs on each result, and check the restaurant’s allergen information before ordering.

A note on how these were compiled: these are well-established, long-standing pages from Harvard's Nutrition Source, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Academies' Dietary Reference Intakes, PubMed/PMC, Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic — sources chosen specifically for their track record of accuracy and stability. If a link ever moves, search the organization's site directly for the article title listed.

Protein

  1. Protein — The Nutrition Source
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/what-should-you-eat/protein
  2. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise
    Jäger et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017 (PMC)
    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5477153
  3. Dietary Reference Intakes — Reference Tables (protein RDA)
    National Academies of Sciences, via NCBI Bookshelf
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK208874
  4. Kwashiorkor: Definition, Symptoms, Causes & Diagnosis
    Cleveland Clinic
    Read the Cleveland Clinic article
  5. Protein Foods Group
    MyPlate, U.S. Department of Agriculture
    myplate.gov/eat-healthy/protein-foods

Fat

  1. Fats and Cholesterol — The Nutrition Source
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol
  2. Types of Fat
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source
    nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/.../types-of-fat
  3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids — Health Professional Fact Sheet
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
    ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional
  4. Rethinking the AMDR for the 21st Century (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges)
    National Academies, via NCBI Bookshelf
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610333
  5. What Do You Know About Fat-Soluble Vitamins?
    Cleveland Clinic
    health.clevelandclinic.org/fat-soluble-vitamins
  6. Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies
    Whittaker & Wu, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2021
    sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960076021000716 (abstract publicly viewable; full text may require institutional access)

Carbohydrates

  1. Carbohydrates — The Nutrition Source
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
    nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/carbohydrates
  2. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutrient Timing
    Kerksick et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017 (PMC)
    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5596471
  3. Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function
    Mergenthaler et al., Trends in Neurosciences, via PMC
    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3900881
  4. Rethinking the AMDR for the 21st Century (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges)
    National Academies, via NCBI Bookshelf
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610333
  5. Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
    Mayo Clinic
    mayoclinic.org/.../fiber/art-20043983
  6. Ketosis: Definition, Benefits & Side Effects
    Cleveland Clinic
    Read the Cleveland Clinic article

Calculator formulas

  1. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
    Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990
    pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2305711
  2. Applications of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy (Physical Activity Level multipliers)
    National Academies, via NCBI Bookshelf
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK591020

How sources become articles

A citation supports a claim; it does not imply endorsement or authorship by the source. Read the complete editorial and source methodology, including evidence hierarchy and medical boundaries. Material factual changes appear in the public corrections log.