How accurate are the estimates?

Close enough to track a day, not exact. Without weighing food, no calorie count for a meal is exact, and US rules let packaged food hold up to 20% more calories than its label says.

Closest when

• You give weights or amounts, like 150g chicken breast or two slices.
• You name the brand or restaurant. Their published numbers are used when the model knows them.
• The food is simple and in plain view: fruit, eggs, a sandwich, a bowl of rice.

Furthest off when

• Fat is hidden. Oil, butter and dressing add a lot and barely show in a photo.
• The portion is hard to see: a deep bowl, a heaped plate, a drink in a cup you can't see into.
• It's a restaurant or homemade dish with no recipe given.

When a big item is uncertain, the estimate says so in one line, like Sauce could be 250–350 depending on oil.

Making them closer

• Add a few words to a photo: fried in butter, large, ate half.
• Say what went into homemade food: sauce was ground beef and jarred marinara.
• If an entry looks off, tap Adjust and say why, or change the number yourself.
• If you know the calories, type them in.

Estimates are approximate, and nothing in Helpings is medical advice. How it works.