Sources
Last updated: May 2026
ChipotleCalc uses a small set of authoritative sources for all nutrition data. We do not estimate values, combine sources without clear attribution, or use crowd-sourced calorie databases. Every number traces to a verifiable published source.
Primary Nutrition Source
Chipotle Mexican Grill Official Nutrition Calculator
URL: chipotle.com/nutrition-calculator (Chipotle's official website)
This is the primary source for all per-ingredient calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, and sodium values in ChipotleCalc. Chipotle's nutrition calculator publishes the values their nutritionists and food science team have verified. These are the numbers Chipotle stands behind as accurate representations of their ingredients as served.
The nutrition calculator is updated by Chipotle when menu items change or when ingredient formulations are updated. ChipotleCalc verifies against this source quarterly and after any Chipotle menu announcement.
Chipotle Nutrition Facts PDF
Published by: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Chipotle publishes a PDF containing complete nutrition facts for all menu items. This document is used as a secondary verification source. When values in the PDF differ from the online calculator, we use the most recently updated value and note the discrepancy in our changelog. The PDF often contains more detailed micronutrient information (vitamin percentages, cholesterol) that the online calculator doesn't expose through its interface.
Cross-Reference Validation
USDA FoodData Central
URL: fdc.nal.usda.gov
The USDA's FoodData Central is the US government's comprehensive food composition database. We use FoodData Central to cross-reference Chipotle's published values against known values for the whole ingredients that make up Chipotle's menu (chicken breast, avocado, black beans, brown rice, etc.). This helps catch obvious data entry errors — for example, if a published protein value for chicken was unusually low or high compared to what the USDA publishes for comparable preparations.
Where FoodData Central values differ from Chipotle's published values (which they often do, because Chipotle's preparation, seasoning, and portion sizes differ from generic whole ingredient entries), we use Chipotle's value. The USDA data is a sanity check, not a substitute source.
Regulatory and Health Guidelines
FDA Daily Value Recommendations
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (fda.gov)
The percentage Daily Values shown in ChipotleCalc (where displayed) are calculated using the FDA's standard Daily Values established for nutrition labeling purposes. The key daily reference values we use:
- Calories: 2,000 kcal per day
- Protein: 50g per day
- Total fat: 78g per day
- Saturated fat: 20g per day
- Carbohydrates: 275g per day
- Dietary fiber: 28g per day
- Sodium: 2,300mg per day
These are the same Daily Values used on standard US nutrition labels and represent what the FDA considers adequate daily intake for a general adult population.
American Heart Association Sodium Guidelines
Source: American Heart Association (heart.org)
The sodium warning threshold in ChipotleCalc (1,500mg per meal) is based on the American Heart Association's recommendation that people with high blood pressure should consume no more than 1,500mg of sodium per day. This is a stricter guideline than the FDA's 2,300mg general recommendation and is appropriate for the warning context — many Chipotle builds can approach or exceed 2,000mg sodium, which would account for the entire day's sodium budget under the stricter AHA guideline.
The AHA guideline is not a universal recommendation for all people — healthy adults without cardiovascular risk factors may have different sodium tolerance. The warning is flagged as informational, not prescriptive.
What We Don't Use
ChipotleCalc does not use crowd-sourced calorie databases (such as Open Food Facts or community-submitted entries on calorie tracking apps) as primary data sources. These databases contain many inaccurate Chipotle entries with inconsistent serving sizes, outdated values, and community-entered numbers that may not reflect Chipotle's actual formulations. All values in ChipotleCalc trace to Chipotle's own published data.
Reporting Errors
If you believe a nutrition value in ChipotleCalc is incorrect, please contact us at contact@chipotlecalc.com. Include the ingredient name, the value you believe is incorrect, the value you believe is correct, and the source you're referencing. We verify all correction requests against Chipotle's official published sources and update promptly when errors are confirmed.