Do you really know what’s in your favorite ice cream? How about your daily latte? Of course, you can check the nutrition label, but it’s not always easy.
First of all, most foods today are highly processed. Some contain hidden sugars and ingredients that cannot be pronounced. Second, it can be difficult to track daily calories and macros, especially if you have a busy lifestyle.
Fortunately, digital technology makes everything much easier. Below are three apps that can tell you what your food contains and remove guesswork from a healthy diet. Let’s dive.
Yuka is a mobile app that analyzes foods and cosmetics. Its database contains over 1.5 million foods and 500,000 cosmetics, from diet coke and marshmallows to bar soap. Over 800 new products are added daily.
To get started, install the app on your phone or tablet and register for an account. Then just scan the product you are interested in.
This app evaluates foods based on three factors: nutritional value, the presence or absence of additives, and the presence or absence of organic matter. The nutritional value is 60 percent of the score.
In addition, Yuka displays healthier alternatives than foods with poor scores. In addition, you can accurately see the sugar, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and calories in each product. This feature simplifies clean meals and helps prepare meals.
You also have the option to sign up for a premium account. With an annual fee of $ 20, you can access additional features such as the ability to scan food and cosmetics in offline mode.
Premium users can also browse products based on their dietary preferences. For example, Yuka will tell you if a product on your shopping list contains gluten or lactose. In addition, you can browse the database to get the information you need without having to scan individual products.
download: Yuka for Android | iOS (free)
Another great option is Foodvisor, a nutritional app that uses deep learning to analyze food macros and calories. Just take a picture of your meal or treat to see the exact amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, calories and other nutrients.
Foodvisor recommends taking pictures of cooked meals. However, if you are eating salads or snacks, you can select the “raw” option.
When you sign up for an account, you need to answer some basic questions about your lifestyle and health goals. The app uses this information to determine the ideal calorie intake to key nutrient ratio.
You can then choose to continue using the app or sign up for a premium membership plan.
Premium members can chat with registered dietitians in real time and enroll in specialized programs designed for fat loss, muscle building, or better health. You’ll also have access to hundreds of recipes and additional features, including a daily overview of nutrient intake.
Overall, Foodvisor provides the tools you need to make smarter food choices and stick to your diet. However, the app cannot make decisions on your behalf. Ultimately, it’s up to you to get rid of bad habits and reach your goals.
download: Foodvisor for Android | iOS (Free)
One of the most popular mobile health apps, Noom has been around since 2008. In previous versions, users could track calories and exercise habits. Today, this app uses a psychologically-based approach to help people make lasting lifestyle changes and achieve a healthy weight.
Noom professionals can provide coaching and support to help you develop better habits without losing motivation. It’s like having a health coach, a caretaker, and a personal trainer all in one place. Your only job is to download the app, answer some basic questions and sign up for an account.
Like the other apps on our list, Noom will tell you what’s in most foods, but you’ll have to manually record everything you eat. The app also records your exercise and deducts calories burned from your daily calorie budget.
Users can also scan popular foods, measure their progress, and count their daily steps. In addition, they have access to healthy recipes and individual nutrition lessons.
Another aspect to consider is that Noom does not label foods as “good” or “bad.” Instead, color codes are used to help users determine which foods help or hinder their achievement of their health goals.
For example, “green” foods such as quinoa, spinach, apples, and low-fat yogurt should account for one-third of your daily energy intake. Legumes, chicken, salmon, avocados, and other “yellow” foods should make up about 45% of the daily calories. The remaining calories may come from “red” foods such as peanut butter and cookies.
For pricing, you can sign up for the free version or pay a premium membership of about $ 59 per month. Try the free version, see what it does, and then decide if it’s worth the premium.
On the other hand, you can also check other nutrition apps and compare their features. Shopwell, for example, can find out what’s inside by simply scanning over 400,000 food items. In addition, it allows users to set personal warnings for allergens and other potentially harmful ingredients that may be hidden in their food.
If you’re looking for a more basic app, try MyFitnessPal’s calorie counter. Alternatively, you can check the Open Food Facts database to analyze and compare thousands of foods based on their nutritional value.
download: Noom for Android | iOS (Free)
Choose the nutrition app that suits your lifestyle
Even for those who know one or two things about nutrition, making smart food choices can be a real challenge. For example, sugar is called by dozens of names, from glucose and glucose to fruit juice concentrates. Other potentially harmful ingredients, such as nitrates, are even harder to find.
Given these aspects, it makes sense to use the best nutrition apps out there. Noom, Foodvisor and Yuka provide the information you need to improve your diet. Some also have built-in fitness trackers, recipes, custom meal plans, and other useful tools. Just choose the one that suits your lifestyle.
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