Sources of recommendations
Last updated: July 5, 2026
NBI Cal AI uses AI models and curated nutrition databases to provide calorie estimates, macro breakdowns, and meal recommendations. This page lists the sources we rely on so you can understand where our data and recommendations come from.
All recommendations are informational only and are not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice. See the Terms of service and Privacy policy for how we handle your data.
AI models
NBI Cal AI uses large language and vision models to identify food from images and text descriptions, estimate portion sizes, and generate personalized nutrition insights.
Gemini (Google DeepMind)
We use Google's Gemini models for food image recognition and natural-language nutrition analysis. When you scan a meal, an image or description may be sent to the Gemini API to identify ingredients and estimate nutritional content. Gemini is not used to make medical decisions—only to assist with food identification and calorie estimation.
Provider: Google DeepMind — deepmind.google/technologies/gemini
Food & nutrition databases
Calorie and macronutrient values shown in NBI Cal AI are sourced from publicly available, peer-reviewed nutrition databases.
USDA FoodData Central
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central is the primary reference for nutrient values including calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It integrates several USDA nutrient data systems and is updated regularly.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture — fdc.nal.usda.gov
Open Food Facts
Open Food Facts is a free, open-source, community-maintained database of food products from around the world. It provides nutritional information for packaged foods including ingredients lists, allergens, and Nutri-Score grades where available.
Source: Open Food Facts (Open Database License) — world.openfoodfacts.org
Scientific guidelines
Nutrition recommendations and daily intake targets in NBI Cal AI are informed by the following evidence-based guidelines.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025
Published jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these guidelines provide science-based advice on what to eat and drink to promote health, help reduce risk of chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs.
Source: USDA & HHS — dietaryguidelines.gov
WHO Healthy Diet Guidelines
The World Health Organization publishes evidence-based guidelines on healthy diet and nutrition, covering recommendations on energy intake, fats, sugars, salt, and fruit and vegetable consumption. These inform general recommendations shown in the app.
Source: World Health Organization — who.int
Disclaimer
The sources listed here are for informational reference. Calorie and nutrient values generated by NBI Cal AI are estimates based on AI recognition and database lookups—they may not be exact. Results are not medical advice. Consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have a medical condition.
Questions about our data sources? Email us at contact@404badideas.com.