Calorie Calculations - Total Value, 4-4-9 methods, and Sugar Alcohols

There are different methods for calculating the calories of a recipe or product. 

In this article, we'll explain the different calorie calculation methods offered by MenuSano.

1. Total Value (Summation Method)

MenuSano uses database analysis to determine the calories and nutrients of a recipe. Our databases contain ingredients that have already undergone chemical analysis, so that you don't have to send food samples to a lab. The summation method is simply a sum of the calories from the ingredient database.

2. 4-4-9 Method

This method calculates Calories using the quantity of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in the recipe formulation.  It's used primarily by manufacturers and assumes that each gram of protein contributes 4 Calories to the caloric total, each gram of carbohydrates contributes 4 Calories, and each gram of fat contributes 9 Calories.

FACT: Did you know that the USDA SR database uses the Atwater method for calorie calculations?

3. Sugar Alcohols

Each sugar alcohol contributes to the total calories differently. There are differences between Canada and the US on how these calculations are done.

Canada

Sugar Alcohol	Calories per gram
isomalt	2.0
lactitol	2.0
xylitol	3.0
malitol	3.0
sorbital	2.6
mannitol	1.6
erythritol	0.2

United States

Sugar Alcohol	Calories per gram
isomalt	2.0
lactitol	2.0
xylitol	2.4
malitol	2.1
sorbitol	2.6
mannitol	1.6
erythritol	0

How to change the Calculation method in MenuSano

1. On the Edit recipe screen, click on "Calculation Method"

2. Select the desired method. The calculations will automatically update