FUELED Wellness + Nutrition | Food Tracker Smartphone Apps

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Data helps us to make informed decisions in all aspects of life. And technology has made it easier than ever to collect data about our health habits and lifestyle trends.

Paying attention to our personal metrics allows us to see how our actions impact our outcomes. It also lets us see the impact of the changes we make – are the results worth the effort?

If you’re not yet sold on the benefits of fitness ‘wearables’ that track our personal wellness data, at least consider keeping a food log via one of the food tracking smartphone apps. And if you’re already using other fitness trackers, it’s easy to see the impact of our behaviors on key metrics like weight, body composition, heartrate, sleep, even our glucose levels.

Find what works for you. It can be pen + paper or the smartphone ‘notes’ feature. For those interested in a tracking app, here’s the rundown on 3 popular (and free!) options, ranked in order of my top picks.

Check out Molly’s podcast for more on ranking the best food trackers.

#1 Cronometer

· Accuracy of Data: Every food is reviewed by the Cronometer team before it’s added to database.

· Transparency of Source: Cronometer shares the source of the nutrition facts data. Sources range from the USDA database to user-generated data to a large database used in research.

· Barcode scanner feature is free

#2 MyFitnessPal

· Accuracy of Data: Only foods with a green checkmark are checked for accuracy. Others are ‘user-generated’, meaning that people like you and me are entering these nutrition facts, which may or may not be accurate.

· Repeat Common Foods: If you tend to eat the same things on the regular, MyFitnessPal makes it easy to re-add recent meals or snacks with just one click.

· Customizable Nutrient Goals: Allows you to customize targets for calories and nutrients.

#3 Lose It!

· Accuracy of Data: Only foods with a green checkmark are checked for accuracy. Other items are ‘user-generated’, which may or may not be accurate.

· Nutrition facts update in real time: It’s simple to edit an item’s serving size from the default amount, and the nutrition facts change immediately, accordingly.

· Free version is limited: The barcode scanner and ability to import recipes only come with the paid version

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Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD is a registered dietitian + nutrition journalist in New Orleans, and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit restaurant initiative. Tune in to her podcast, FUELED | Wellness + Nutrition and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @MollyKimballRD. See more of Molly’s articles + TV segments at www.mollykimball.com, and sign up for Eat Fit Wellness Bites weekly newsletter, here.

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