Calk tested 1,803 recipe variants against published recipe and nutrition references.
81% of tested dish variants differ by no more than 10% from a curated recipe or nutrition reference, and 99.7% by no more than 20% — without daily weighing.
Across that test set:
- the median calorie error is about 4%;
- 81% of variants are within 10% of the reference;
- 92% are within 15%;
- 99.7% are within 20%;
- the median error for protein, fat and carbohydrates is typically 8–10%.
These tests compare Calk variants with references for meals of comparable composition.
What the test measures#
Each test compares one version Calk can produce with a published reference for a comparable dish: for example, a particular protein, sauce, cooking method and set of additions.
That also shows where the test stops. It measures the model of a dish, not your entry: which meal template you picked, how much was on the plate and how much of it you ate are your calls, and they come further down. Nor does Calk reproduce a specific brand’s formula — it describes a kind of food, and packaged goods are tested separately.
Why meal choices matter more than a precise-looking result#
“Chicken curry” can describe a tomato-based curry, a coconut curry or a dish finished with cream and ghee. A database entry can show a precise calorie number without telling you which one it represents.
In a Calk meal template, choose the ingredients, cooking method, available additions and portion that fit. You can change just what differs in your meal.
Choosing a portion#
Calk does not require a kitchen scale. You choose a practical portion that matches what you ate.
If a familiar portion is hard to estimate, you can weigh it once and note its size. Use that reference for later entries without a scale.
For the full portion method, see calorie counting without weighing food.
Packaged food is a separate test layer#
Calk separately compares generic food types with labels from specific brands. The test set of 243 products covers composition per 100 g, portion weight and nutrient amounts in the portion.
Composition per 100 g — how closely Calk’s profile matches the label:
- calories — 3.5% median deviation;
- carbohydrate — 6.4%, fat — 8.6%, protein — 11.8%;
- fiber — 14.4%, salt — 16.0%.
Portion weight — the median deviation of a portion size available in Calk from the target weight: 4% across 232 products eaten as a unit or serving.
The eaten portion as a whole — where both of the errors above act at the same time: 6.9% on calories. That is a separate measurement, not the sum of the two figures above.
The published deviations describe the products in the test set.
How to use the number#
Use Calk’s estimate to compare choices you can act on:
- which cooking method changes the meal;
- whether sauce or oil is the main calorie source;
- what happens when the protein or base changes;
- whether the portion has moved from your usual one;
- which repeated meals drive the monthly pattern.
For more on the sources and checks, read where Calk’s food data comes from.
Calk is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
