Top Picks: Healthy Apps and Web Sites
Anastasiya Maksymenko
With so many nutrition Web sites and apps popping up, who has time to check them all out? We took a look at the most talked about to help your choose the best one to help you reach your healthy and fitness goals. Here’s what we found.
Nutrition Websites
This Web site was created by two moms who happen to be registered dietitians. It has tons of simple and healthy, kid-friendly recipes. The site also includes cooking videos, podcasts, tips for feeding kids and an interactive mom’s club.
Over 18,000 food products are rated on health, environment and social impact. For each product you’ll find user feedback, price checking, location where it’s sold and alternate products with similar scores. The GoodGuide app is free and allows you to scan UPC codes, easily compare products, maintain a grocery lists, and share favorite products with friends and family.
FitDay is a free online journal that allows you to track your food, exercise and weight loss progress. If you like to track your progress, this is a great way to go.
Want to look up the nutrition facts on your favorite food? Nutrition Data is one of the easiest and free databases you can use. It also gives you a rundown on all the major vitamins and minerals. This is one site that both Dana and I use often.
Nutrition Apps
This app gives you over 40 ways to make a salad in 15 minutes or less. It includes easy directions, tips of modifying salads, and versatile recipes that can be used for a weekday evening or for a dinner party.
This app is a good tool if you’re looking to keep a food journal, track daily calories and weight loss. The food database contains many foods and popular chain restaurant menu items so you can accurately calculate what you ate. The iPhone app can also sync with your computer, so you can access additional features from their
Web site like spreadsheets and summary reports.
This app is a guide to eating out for vegans that gives hundreds of suggestions in over 110 restaurants, including popular chain restaurants and fast food joints.
If you’re interested in eating locally, this app tells you which fruits and vegetables are in season and what is actually being grown near you. You can also locate farmers’ markets near you, check out 234 fruits and veggies to see where they’re currently being grown and check out what’s in season in other states. This app was one of the Time’s Top 10 iPhone apps of 2009.
I couldn’t leave this fun app from the bunch. The Strawberries app will give you hundreds of strawberry recipes with the most scrumptious photos and nutrition tips for your family from top chefs, food bloggers and dietitians (including me).
TELL US: What did we miss? Share your favorite healthy apps and Web sites in the comments.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby's full bio »