Mastercook doesn't come up with the numbers, they're from whatever
source provided the recipes. Sources for these recipes vary widely,
so take each source into consideration. I might have slightly more faith
in a recipe from Food Network than from an obscure, self published cookbook,
for instance.

In any case, it's wise to cross check information as much as possible
against reliable sources, such as the USDA database.

I've done a few random checks on food items from the Mastercook Ingredients
List (which is how the numbers are calculated) comparing them to the USDA
site and MC is pretty right on.

*The only time I've had problems is with the custom foods **I'VE** added to
the list and then haven't done it correctly.  Therefore, with each food I
add, I double-check it against the nutrition label and then on USDA.  I
don't have to add many, so it's not a real chore.  Also, check the
ingredients list for stuff you may not think is there.  For example, pork
rinds are what they call pork skins; it was the same nut values in MC as the
package I buy.

Mastercook can be a few tenths of a gram or so off from the USDA numbers
from time to time, but not enough to worry about.

I love the program and it's enabled to me *easily* convert hi-carb recipes
to low-carb ones.  I now have more than 1700 LC recipes in my Mastercook
low-carb special cookbook and am adding more weekly (and deleting some that
I don't find so appetizing).

I've perused the other cookbooks in Mastercook 7 and some have some nice LC
recipes (you can do a search for Low Carb in MC 7) and some others are
easily changed to our WOE.

Hope this helps,

***********
Dogstar
restarted LC 11/10/03
241/223.5/160 - 5'10"