Today’s Tech Savvy Guest is Pearlie Davies who is here to share apps for five delicious tools for optimal health.
When it comes to choosing between a box of Kraft Dinner and a fresh salad—many of us would reach for the blue box. Eating healthy is hard when left to your own devices. It takes willpower plus knowledge to know what you should be eating for optimal health.
However, you’re smart phone—Android, iPhone, or even one of those droid-enabled LG cell phones — can be your best ally when it comes to educating you on healthy nutrition. Plus, many of the following apps are like a pocket nutritionist—giving you food recommendations if you’re planning a special dinner out or heading to the grocery store.
The following five apps are the best smartphone apps to ensure your diet choices are as healthy as possible.
1. Locavore (Free – for Android)
Oftentimes the healthiest food options can be obtained from local farmers and markets right around the corner. The Lovacore app helps you eat healthy locally by searching for products and produce grown local to your immediate area and indicating when certain produce is in season so you can get it at its peak freshness. The app will direct you right to local farms and farmer’s markets for the healthiest, preservative-free meats, fruits, and vegetables available.
2. Fooducate (Free – for Android)
As far as user-friendly food apps, the Fooducate app is the best there is! Not only is it simple to use—just scan the barcode of any product in the grocery aisle and this app displays all product information for the item—including the more hidden nutritional info like excessive sodium or sugar used to cut fat in certain foods, chemical additives, preservatives, and fake food colorings. Using the products own nutritional information, Fooducate grades the item with an A to D score (A being very healthy and D being very unhealthy) so you can make an educated decision on what you put in your mouth.
3. Food Additives ($3.99 – for iPhone)
I’m lactose intolerant so I really put my trust in the Food Additives app before I make any new food purchases. It’s true; this is app is fantastic for those with food allergies, intolerances, or for those who are kosher, vegetarians and vegans. However, even if you don’t have religious dietary restrictions—you can still use the Food Additives app (like Fooducate) to discover what preservatives, additives, chemical colorings and more is hidden in the foods you eat.
4. Nutrition Menu (Free – for iPhone)
This Nutrition Menu app is one I use to find healthy places to nosh when I’m on the go. It’s useful in my own hood as well as in places I’ve never been as it offers eating options from over 42,000 restaurant menu items, so you’re always sticking with a healthy eating plan—wherever you may travel. The great thing about this app is that if you’re trying to lose a bit of weight (or track your calorie intake), you can use it as a calorie counter, fat tracker, sodium counter, or even to track your Weight Watchers points.
5. How to Cook Everything ($4.99 – for iPhone)
If you’re trying to eat healthier or lose a bit of weight, you already know that one of the best things you can do for your body is make food at home rather than eat out. That’s why the How to Cook Everything app will be the solid foundation for the new you. It has detailed chopping, food preparation, cooking, baking, and everything in between instructions for preparing lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables in your own kitchen. If you’ve decided to start eating better and preparing more meals at home, this app will be pinnacle in your success.
Pearlie Davis is a staff writer for GoingCellular, a popular site that provides cell phone news, commentary, and reviews. No compensation was received for sharing this guest post although all photos are mine and taken at our local Farmers’ Market.
