AI Accuracy

Last updated: August 30, 2026

Every calorie and macro figure in Minimal Platter is an estimate produced by an automated model. It is not a measured value, and it can be wrong.

How the numbers are produced

You type an entry in plain language — "two eggs on toast", "half a bowl of dal". That text is sent to a language model, which interprets what you meant, guesses the portion, and returns calories along with protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Nothing is weighed, scanned, or measured. No laboratory analysis takes place. The result is a model's best reading of your sentence.

These are estimates, not measurements

Treat every number as an approximation with real error around it. Two entries you consider identical can return different figures, and the same entry can return a different figure later as the models behind the app change. If you need an exact value, read the label on the packet or weigh the food.

Where estimates go wrong most often

• Portion size. "A bowl" or "a slice" means different things in different kitchens. Portion is the single largest source of error.
• Home cooking. Oil, butter, sugar, and sauces vary enormously between recipes for the same dish and are easy to under-count.
• Regional and brand differences. The same dish name can describe very different foods depending on where you are, and brand recipes differ from generic ones.
• Short or ambiguous text. The less you write, the more the model has to assume.
• Mixed and composite meals. Multi-part entries are broken into components and summed, so an error in one component carries into the total.

Verified lookups are still estimates

Some entries are resolved with a web search for published nutrition data. That usually narrows the range, but it depends on the accuracy of the source, on whether the source describes the food you actually ate, and on the portion still being inferred. A verified lookup is a better estimate, not a measurement.

What to do with the numbers

• Use them to see trends over days and weeks rather than to hit an exact daily figure.
• Write more detail — quantities, brands, cooking method — when accuracy matters to you.
• Edit or delete any entry whose estimate looks wrong to you. Your correction is what gets stored.
• Prefer package labels and a scale whenever precision genuinely matters.

Do not use estimates for health decisions

These figures are not suitable for clinical or dietary decision-making. If you have a condition where intake matters medically — diabetes, kidney disease, an eating disorder, or anything else — follow the guidance and the numbers your clinician gives you. See the health and medical disclaimer.

Contact

Questions about how estimates are produced? Email support@minimalplatter.app.