The availability of nutrition apps in 2019 is better than it has ever been. That said, with all the different options available for download, it’s difficult to know which ones will best suit your food tracking needs. The variety of features is quite wide and the ease of entering foods into your diary will play a vital role in deciding how long you continue to use your app.
While some apps have a set database of foods from which you must make your selections, others let you enter unrecognized foods and recipes and view the additions made by other users, too. Some apps let you scan a product’s barcode to enter the food automatically. Certain apps are completely free, while others have a purchase price or require a subscription. To help you decide, we asked dietitians what they think of the top nutrition apps in 2019.
Nutrition Apps in 2019: MyFitnessPal
One of the largest and most popular nutrition apps in 2019 is MyFitnessPal. It has been growing its popularity over several years and, with its user base, its database is also rapidly growing. There are currently over 6 million foods within its database, of which there are barcodes registered for more than 4 million. This makes it very quick and easy to track every meal and snack you eat.
Moreover, this mobile app applies complex metrics to provide you with substantial feedback regarding your food choices, providing insights about: calories, fiber, cholesterol, carbs, fats, protein and sugar, as well as several vitamins. This makes it easier for you to understand how your foods align with your nutritional goals.
Nutrition Apps in 2019: SparkPeople
SparkPeople has a number of apps that work in conjunction with each other. That said, their main food and nutrition tracker gamifies healthy living. This lets users track their food in a massive database that allows for barcode scanning for easier entry. It also provides informative videos, articles, blogs and forums as well as a points system that encourages regular sign-ins and use of all the app’s features.
Nutrition Apps in 2019: Fooducate
For dieters hoping to improve their healthy eating, Fooducate stands out from other nutrition apps in 2019. This app doesn’t just focus on calories and basic nutrition. Instead, it offers barcode scanning for the over 300,000 foods sold in supermarkets. Scanning provides the user with immediate in-depth nutritional information about the product. This includes what the food contains in terms of trans fats, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), food coloring, added sugars, additives, preservatives, genetically modified organisms (GMO) and artificial sweeteners.
Users can use this app in-store to help them to make more informed food decisions there instead of waiting until they get home to learn about what they’ve already purchased.