Diet – Review

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By: Roberto Lupi

Version #: 1

Date Released: 2008-07-15

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Price: 4.99

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BORRRRING!  Keeping a list of my caloric intake for the day is a sleeper of an activity- agreed.   However, we all want to maintain our “girly” figures so, buck it up and count we do!  I am always searching for easier ways to stay on track and remain focused on my health and nutrition.  And, unless it’s a food I eat often (which many are, b/c studies show that a more limited diet increases your chance of weight loss and maintenance), then I am constantly referring to the internet for basic nutritional data (namely, calories, fat, sodium and fiber) for everything that goes in mouth.  I usually refer to a website, which I use repeatedly for such information (i.e., calorie-count.com) or, if I can’t find what I need (or want some confirmation/comparison), I conduct a basic “Google” search (i.e., calories in a cup of blueberries) and then sift through the various websites which appear.  I am pleased to report that I no longer have to do either, as there are a few new apps which assist in this way.

“Diet”– $4.99, through the apps store, is a very “no frills”, simple, self-explanatory program, devoid of any graphics or instructions.  None are needed.  It makes one  assumption:  that you will know how to use the core iPhone/iPod Touch navigation motions of “finger flicks” and “screen tapping”.  In turn, it provides you common data about food- basic information (name, description, manufacturer), common weights (serving sizes) and nutritional data (calories, fiber, etc.).  There are only three different screens: 1) home- a list of food groups 2) alphabetized list- showing items which fall within those food groups 3) general information- specifics about your actual food choice.
Helpful, yet not well-”stocked” (I couldn’t resist a grocery store reference) are listings for many name brand foods (Archway, Breyer’s, etc.), but most items are simply listed by food type (i.e., milk, eggs, cookies, etc.). 

What’s missing . . . an ingredient list for a specific food item, assuming it’s listed under a name brand.  In addition, there is a lack of consistency in how the items are arranged within the specific food groups- for example Pepperidge Farm bread can be found within the “Baked Products” food group under “P”, yet Hershey’s Syrup can be found within the “Sweets” food group, under “Syrups, Choc, Hersh . . .” NOT under “H”.  Confusing.  Another example- if you are looking for a taco salad, you must figure out that it’s filed under food group, “Fast Foods” NOT “Ethnic Foods” or even “Snacks”, amongst the others food groups listed.  Then you must, intuitively know to look under “F” for “Fast Foods, Taco Salad”, NOT “T” for taco salad?  Again, confusing.  Finally, in order to find a specific food, you must search within the right food group.  “Duh?”, you say- not always so obvious, though!  For example, in order to find out the caloric information for quinoa (a grain-like seed, with which some people may not be familiar), you must know to search within and be on the physical screen for the “Cereal Grains and Pasta” food group (I do, but not everyone else does) If you don’t, your search results will yield “Nothing matches your query”- frustrating!  In my estimation, you should be able to search for any food/food item from any of the food group pages.

Bottom line… Fine in a pinch.  Are a few fun graphics (come on folks- this IS the iPhone after all, take advantage), ingredient lists (who doesn’t want to avoid trans fats?) and better organization (typing the word salmon is all I want to have to contribute to the process) too much to ask for?  I don’t think so.  When tallying up my daily food totals, I need all the excitement I can get 😉