# Do the calories in USDA's branded food data add up? 5,953 branded foods in USDA FoodData Central (release 2026-04-30) state calories that the 4/4/9 rule cannot explain, even after allowing for label rounding, fiber and sugar alcohols. The rule is 4 calories per gram of protein and carbohydrate, 9 per gram of fat. We checked 450,408 foods. 20,463 miss their stated calories by more than 10 calories and more than 20% per 100 g, and about half of those are label rounding. These are USDA's copies of the labels, not the packages themselves, so a gap can also start in USDA's data. | Reason | Flagged foods | | --- | --- | | Label rounding | 10,351 | | Fiber or sugar alcohols | 4,159 | | Lower, no visible reason | 3,482 | | Higher, no visible reason | 2,471 | The 12 USDA categories with the most flagged foods (of those with 1,000 or more foods checked): | USDA category | Checked | Flagged | | --- | --- | --- | | Seasoning Mixes, Salts, Marinades & Tenderizers | 8,364 | 1,630 | | Pickles, Olives, Peppers & Relishes | 10,215 | 1,492 | | Ketchup, Mustard, BBQ & Cheese Sauce | 6,987 | 1,289 | | Powdered Drinks | 4,298 | 872 | | Candy | 22,547 | 809 | | Chewing Gum & Mints | 1,675 | 799 | | Granulated, Brown & Powdered Sugar | 1,763 | 632 | | Vegetable and Lentil Mixes | 1,811 | 575 | | Oriental, Mexican & Ethnic Sauces | 3,626 | 565 | | Herbs & Spices | 2,316 | 542 | | Dips & Salsa | 6,981 | 510 | | Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt | 13,289 | 510 | A gap is not always a mistake. FDA allows six ways to calculate calories, and rounding a small serving can make a big gap per 100 g. Before a label goes out, run the 4/4/9 math on your own panel. If it doesn't add up, you should know why. ## The rule FDA lists the methods a brand may use to calculate calories. Two of them: > (B) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate, and total fat, respectively > > (C) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate (less the amount of non-digestible carbohydrates and sugar alcohols), and total fat, respectively Source: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(i) And calories on the label are rounded: > expressed to the nearest 5-calorie increment up to and including 50 calories, and 10-calorie increment above 50 calories, except that amounts less than 5 calories may be expressed as zero Source: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1) (eCFR text as of 2026-10-30) ## How we checked Source: USDA FoodData Central, branded foods, release 2026-04-30. 465,110 foods, of which 450,408 list calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat. A food is flagged when 4 × protein + 4 × carbohydrate + 9 × fat differs from its stated calories by more than 10 calories and by more than 20% of the stated value, per 100 g. Each flagged food gets the first reason that fits: the gap is 10 calories or less per labelled serving (rounding); the food lists fiber or sugar alcohols and its calories fall between 4/4/9 with and without them; otherwise stated calories are lower or higher than 4/4/9. USDA publishes branded values per 100 g, calculated from the label's per-serving values, so label rounding carries into them. We did not compare these records with printed packages. A flagged food may print the right calories on its package and still carry a gap in USDA's copy, for example from a per-serving value converted to the wrong serving size. Look up any food in the USDA database → https://bettermenu.live/tools/ingredient-search/?utm_source=insights&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=calorie-check&utm_content=cta