When you open one of the 1,511 recipes in Ayurveda & Asana Yoga—such as Adai (Mixed-Dal Dosa), kitchari, or spiced vegetable sambar—the recipe nutrition panel displays structured macronutrient and micronutrient figures per serving and per 100 grams, alongside a nutrition status indicator (`full` for 1,508 recipes and `estimated` for 3 recipes).
To use those numbers wisely in your kitchen, it helps to know exactly how recipe nutrition is computed under the hood: the values are derived mathematical calculations summed from each ingredient's gram weight and linked USDA FoodData Central profile—not laboratory wet-chemistry assays of your specific pot on the stove.
This guide explains how the app's recipe nutrition projection works and why your home cooking evaporation and oil use can shift the final per-100g numbers.
How Ingredient Gram Weights and USDA FDC IDs Build the Recipe Panel
Every recipe record in the app's catalog lists its exact ingredients with gram weights, preparation steps, prep minutes, cook minutes, and total servings, and maps each ingredient to a specific food record and USDA FoodData Central identifier (`nutritionFdcId`).
For example, in the 4-serving recipe for Adai (Mixed-Dal Dosa), the recipe combines 150 g white rice, 80 g chana dal, 70 g toor dal, 45 g urad dal, 3 g sliced curry leaves, 3 g cumin seeds, 5 g fresh ginger, 4 g rock salt, 18 g ghee, and 520 g water. The recipe nutrition engine multiplies each ingredient's gram weight by its per-gram nutrient density and sums all 10 ingredients to determine the total batch nutrition, then divides by 4 servings to display per-serving values.
- Derived Calculation, Not Lab Assay: Recipe panels reflect mathematical summation of standard USDA ingredient profiles.
- Status Indicators (1,508 Full / 3 Estimated): Indicates whether complete underlying USDA nutrient tables are mapped across the recipe's ingredients.
- Transparent Ingredient Breakdown: Because every ingredient has an explicit gram weight (such as 18 g ghee across 4 servings = 4.5 g ghee per serving), you can see exactly where calories, protein, fat, and sodium originate.
Per-Serving vs Per-100g: Why Stove Evaporation Changes Per-100g Density
When you cook a recipe at home, the total calories, protein, fiber, and minerals you put into the pot stay in the pot (aside from minor heat losses in water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and folate). Therefore, if a recipe makes 4 equal servings and you eat 1 serving (one-fourth of the batch), the per-serving calories and macronutrients remain steady whether you simmered the dal thick or thin.
By contrast, the per-100g nutrition of a cooked dish depends heavily on how much water evaporated on your stove. If you simmer a soup uncovered so an extra 200 grams of water boils away as steam, the finished pot weighs 200 grams less—making every 100 grams of the thicker soup more concentrated in calories and nutrients.
- Per-Serving Values: Best used when you follow the recipe's ingredient weights and divide the finished batch into the stated number of servings (e.g., 1 of 4 servings).
- Per-100g Values: Depend on the water weight (such as the 520 g of water in the Adai batter) and cooking evaporation.
- Cooking Fat Adjustments: Adding an extra tablespoon (14 g) of ghee or oil to the pan adds ~120 kcal to the total batch (~30 kcal per serving in a 4-serving recipe).
How to Adapt Catalog Recipes While Keeping Nutrition Accurate
All 1,511 recipes in the catalog are educational culinary drafts (`aiDraft` quality state) rooted in regional Indian and Ayurvedic traditions. Treat their ingredient gram weights as a transparent baseline that you can customize to your household's taste and nutritional goals.
Small adjustments—like doubling the non-starchy vegetables, measuring the tadka ghee with a spoon, or adjusting rock salt to taste—let you tailor any recipe effortlessly.
- Review the recipe's ingredient gram list before cooking to see the exact weights of grains, pulses, and cooking fat (ghee or oil).
- When eating 1 portion of a 4-serving recipe you cooked according to the ingredient list, log 1 serving so water evaporation differences do not skew your log.
- If you significantly change the cooking fat (for example, using 1 teaspoon of ghee instead of 18 grams, or adding extra paneer/nuts), log that difference separately for spot-on tracking.
Sources & Classical References
- USDA FoodData Central — Documentation — Official USDA documentation on FoodData Central IDs (FDC IDs) and nutrient calculation bases.
- U.S. FDA — How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label — FDA reference on per-serving nutrition declarations and nutrient daily values.
