How to Get Nutritional Information for Your Diet

Whether you're just starting your health journey or refining a well-established routine, understanding the nutritional value of what you eat is one of the most empowering tools in your health and wellness toolkit. 

It's not just about counting calories, it’s about knowing how your food impacts your energy, hormones, performance, long-term health, and how it aligns with your goals. 

But where do we start?

This blog breaks down practical, science-backed ways to access and apply nutritional knowledge that can truly transform your lifestyle.

1. Understand Your Dietary Needs First

Before you begin checking labels or logging meals, take a moment to assess your health goals, ask yourself:

• Are you trying to lose fat or gain muscle?

• Do you need to manage blood sugar, cholesterol, or digestive health?

• Are you eating to support athletic performance, recovery, or hormonal balance?
  
  

Your goals determine your nutritional focus.

For fat loss:

• Prioritise a calorie deficit, ideally monitored through sustainable changes in portion sizes or meal timing.
  

• Ensure sufficient protein intake to preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss (Phillips et al., 2016).
  

• Increase fibre to enhance satiety and support digestion.

 

For muscle gain:

• Maintain a caloric surplus, ideally 5–15% above maintenance needs.
  

• Target 1.6–2.2g of protein per kg of body weight to maximise muscle protein synthesis (Morton et al., 2018).
  

• Track progressive strength training performance alongside food intake.

 

For hormonal health or improved insulin sensitivity:

• Minimise added sugars and ultra-processed foods.
  

• Incorporate omega-3 fats (e.g., chia seeds, flax, fatty fish), whole foods, and high-fibre carbohydrates (Lustig et al., 2012).

• Consider consistent meal timing and adequate sleep for better hormonal balance.

 

Your objectives will be guided with nutritional information you should focus on, which should be specific to your lifestyle, metabolism, and biological needs, not generic plans.

2. Use Nutrition Tracking Apps

Several mobile apps allow you to track the nutritional profile of your meals. 

Apps like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, Yazio, and Lose It! offer searchable databases with thousands of foods. You simply enter what you ate, and the app shows you the breakdown of calories, macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat), and even micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.

But more than the data, tracking builds awareness. Even logging your meals for a few weeks can:

• Help you learn portion control and ingredient insights.
  

• Reveal nutrient gaps—e.g., low calcium or fibre intake.
  

• Let you connect food and mood—see patterns in energy dips, bloating, or brain fog.

 

While tracking improves self-regulation, over-reliance on numbers can lead to anxiety in some people (Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015).

Use it as a temporary tool—not a permanent crutch.

3. Read Food Labels Smartly

Reading labels is a basic but powerful skill. Packaged foods usually come with a Nutrition Facts label, your mini cheat sheet. Key components to understand:

• Serving Size: Often misunderstood. Nutritional values apply per serving, not per package.
  

• Calories: Reflects total energy, but doesn’t give the full picture of food quality.
  

• Macronutrients: Balance carbs, protein, and fats.
  
  Carbohydrates: Focus on fibre-rich sources (vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains).
  Fats: Prioritise unsaturated fats (nuts, seeds, olive oil) over saturated/trans fats.
  Protein: Essential for muscle repair, satiety, and metabolic health.

• Sodium & Sugar: Watch out for hidden salt and added sugars. Excess sodium (>2,300mg/day) is linked to high blood pressure. Limit added sugar to <10% of daily calories (WHO, 2015).
  

• Ingredients list: The fewer and more familiar, the better. A long list of additives may signal ultra-processed food.
  

• % Daily Values: A guide for whether a food is high or low in a nutrient (5% or less is low; 20% or more is high).

4. Refer to Reliable Food Databases

When eating whole or home-cooked meals, use trusted databases to look up nutritional values. Use government-approved databases:

• USDA FoodData Central – Global standard for food values.
  
  

• India: National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) – For traditional ingredients and grains.
  
  

• Singapore HealthHub – Localised breakdown of popular hawker dishes and groceries.
  
  

These sources provide validated nutrient profiles, which are ideal for meal planning or comparing similar foods (e.g., white rice vs brown rice).

To get accurate estimations of nutritional intake, you can search for raw ingredients, traditional recipes, or restaurant meals.

5. Evaluate Meals at Restaurants

Many restaurants now display calorie counts or offer nutrition guides on their websites and their menus. Even international chains like Subway or Starbucks have this data publicly available.

When dining out:

• Prioritise grilled, baked, or steamed over fried.
  
  

• Ask for dressing or sauces on the side.
  
  

• Watch out for high-sodium, fried, or cream-based dishes.

Mindset tip: Instead of "perfect," aim for "better." Dining out can still be mindful.

6. Consult a Nutritionist or Dietitian

If you have specific goals, allergies, or health conditions, consulting a qualified nutritionist can help you create a personalised meal plan tailored to your lab reports, body composition, and food sensitivities.

They can also:

• Personalise your diet to suit health conditions, goals, and preferences
  

• Translate complex data into practical advice
  

• Blood tests are recommended to assess vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
  

• Guide you through intuitive eating practices, and help prevent common pitfalls like nutrient imbalances or over-restriction.

7. Build Your Nutrition Literacy Over Time, And Start a Food Journal for Lifestyle Insight

Knowledge builds over time, you don’t need to become a dietitian overnight. Start with these basics:

• Prioritise whole foods over packaged ones

• Understand your hunger and satiety cues

• Learn basic portion sizes (e.g. 1 serving of protein = palm size, carbs = cupped hand)

• Stay hydrated, manage stress, and get adequate sleep — they all affect nutrition absorption and appetite regulation

 

Sometimes, the simplest methods are the most powerful. A handwritten food diary can offer deep insight into your habits and how food affects your body. Each day, jot down:

• What did you eat?
  

• When did you eat?
  

• How did you feel afterwards, physically and emotionally?
  
  

Over time, this practice can help you identify:

• Emotional or stress-related eating habits
  

• Meal timing and energy fluctuations
  

• Trigger foods that lead to bloating, fatigue, or cravings

 

Final Thoughts

Getting accurate nutritional information isn’t just about downloading an app or reading a label, it’s about developing lifelong food literacy. It’s about cultivating awareness and aligning your food choices with your goals, values, and lifestyle.

Be curious. Ask what’s in your meals. Pay attention to how your body responds. Most importantly, keep your approach flexible, enjoyable, and sustainable.

Don’t fall into the trap of chasing dietary perfection, it’s neither realistic nor necessary. Focus instead on consistency over perfection. Nourish your body most of the time, and leave space for flexibility and joy.

By building self-awareness, staying curious, and prioritising enjoyment, you can create a way of eating that supports your health and fits your life.