Sources & References

Where our data comes from

Arya draws on trusted public databases and well-established nutritional science. Here's what powers your meal plans, recipes, and macros.

Important

Arya is an AI-powered meal planning tool intended for general wellness and informational purposes only. Recommendations are not a substitute for professional medical, nutritional, or dietary advice. Always verify ingredients against your allergies before cooking, and consult a qualified healthcare professional for any medical concerns or specialized dietary needs.

Nutrition data

Macro and micronutrient values shown in Arya recipes — calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and more — come from publicly available, scientifically vetted food composition databases.

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USDA FoodData Central

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's flagship public food and nutrition database, maintained by the Agricultural Research Service. Used for foundation food, branded food, and SR Legacy nutrition data.

Visit USDA FoodData Central
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Tabla de Composición de Alimentos Colombianos (TCAC)

The Colombian Food Composition Table, published by the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF). Used for regional Latin American foods and traditional ingredients not represented in USDA data.

Learn more

Calorie & macro methodology

Daily calorie and macronutrient targets are calculated using established scientific formulas from peer-reviewed nutritional science.

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Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

The current gold standard for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990. Used in combination with the Harris-Benedict activity multipliers to estimate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

View on PubMed
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Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)

Macro split recommendations follow the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) published by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Protein, carbohydrate, and fat ranges are calibrated against published research on body composition and athletic performance.

National Academies — DRI

AI-generated content

Recipes, ingredient swaps, and cooking instructions are generated by large language models using your dietary preferences, goals, and allergies as inputs. Generated content is informational and should be reviewed before cooking — particularly for ingredient accuracy if you have allergies.

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OpenAI

Used to generate recipe text, instructions, and ingredient swaps. Outputs are guided by Arya's prompts and constrained to the user's stated preferences and restrictions.

OpenAI usage policies
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Google Gemini

Used to generate recipe images and translate content into supported languages. Recipe imagery is illustrative — actual prepared dishes may vary in appearance.

Google generative AI terms

Further reading

For users interested in the underlying science behind nutrition and meal planning:

Authoritative sources

Have a specific health concern?

For medical conditions, allergies, or specialized dietary needs (pregnancy, kidney disease, diabetes, eating disorders, etc.), please consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian. Arya is a tool to support your nutrition journey, not a replacement for personalized medical care.

Contact our support team