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Sources

Last updated: May 22, 2026

Sources of recommendations

BitePal is a food tracking app designed to guide you toward more mindful eating habits. It offers insights into how different foods and products affect your body but is not meant for diagnosing, treating, or preventing any medical conditions, as it is not a medical device or app.

We do not provide guidance for individuals with specific dietary needs, such as food allergies, eating disorders, or diabetes, regarding any treatment. For medical advice or treatments, always consult with a healthcare professional before making health-related decisions.

The goal of the BitePal app is to educate you about the pros and cons of different products and to gently improve eating behavior through tracking habits, helping you to become more mindful of your daily meals.

Our app is based on publicly available information from sources listed below and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.

Calorie recommendations

The calorie recommendation is based on the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation which gives the user a BMR (Basal metabolic rate) (see calculation below). Based on the BMR, activity level and goal we recommend the user a daily calorie intake amount.

Females(10 x weight in kg) + (6,25 x height in cm) – (5,0 x age in years) – 161
Males(10 x weight in kg) + (6,25 x height in cm) – (5,0 x age in years) + 5

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Feb;51(2):241-7. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241. PMID: 2305711.

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

Hussain, Panwala & Mukesh, Patil & Upadhyay, Jitendrakumar & Boddula, Rajamouli. (2024). Comprehensive Review on BMI, TDEE, BMR, and Calories for Weight Management: Insights into Energy Expenditure and Nutrient Balance for Long-Term Well-Being. International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management

Diet strategies for weight loss and weight gain

  • Kim JY. Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021 Mar 30;30(1):20-31. doi: 10.7570/jomes20065. PMID: 33107442; PMCID: PMC8017325
  • Bray GA, Redman LM, Rood J, de Jonge L, Smith SR. Effect of Overeating Dietary Protein at Different Levels on Circulating Lipids and Liver Lipid: The PROOF Study. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 11;12(12):3801. doi: 10.3390/nu12123801. PMID: 33322340; PMCID: PMC7763540
  • Romieu I, Dossus L, Barquera S, Blottière HM, Franks PW, Gunter M, Hwalla N, Hursting SD, Leitzmann M, Margetts B, Nishida C, Potischman N, Seidell J, Stepien M, Wang Y, Westerterp K, Winichagoon P, Wiseman M, Willett WC; IARC working group on Energy Balance and Obesity. Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers? Cancer Causes Control. 2017 Mar;28(3):247-258. doi: 10.1007/s10552-017-0869-z. Epub 2017 Feb 17. PMID: 28210884; PMCID: PMC5325830.
  • Ostendorf DM, Caldwell AE, Creasy SA, Pan Z, Lyden K, Bergouignan A, MacLean PS, Wyatt HR, Hill JO, Melanson EL, Catenacci VA. Physical Activity Energy Expenditure and Total Daily Energy Expenditure in Successful Weight Loss Maintainers. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2019 Mar;27(3):496-504. doi: 10.1002/oby.22373. PMID: 30801984; PMCID: PMC6392078.

BitePal Nutri Score

Our meal rating system is based on the dietary approaches described in these public guidelines:

Highlights

The meal highlights content is based on these public sources of information:

Rich in Complex Carbs, Simple Carbs

Healthy Fats, Saturated Fats

Possible Trans Fats

Protein-Rich, Lack of Protein, Diverse Protein

Rich in Fiber

Rich in Vitamins & Minerals, Diverse in Nutrition, Natural

Macros-Balanced

Macronutrient ratio: carbohydrates 40-50%, protein 25-35%, fat 20-30%

Greens Booster, Lack of Greens

Processed Meat

Added Sugar

High in Salt