I’ve noticed that macros don’t always add up to the calories listed on food labels. Is it more accurate to count macros to where they need to be and then calculate the calories based off them? Or instead, to get macros “close” to where they need to be while counting calories based off the label?
Macros are +-20% and typically based on standard measures rather than directly measuring, they will calibrate for weight/volume based on the NIST standard ingredients and then use that to calculate the macros.
Most prepared food will use 4-4-9 from macros to calculate calories. They can also use a component based method which foods purporting to be healthy tends to use as 4-4-9 will overestimate calories.
4-4-9 is a good guideline but the actual number of calories varies by source. Plant based sources typically have lower calories per gram of fat & protein but higher calories from carbs, animal sources are reversed.