They slip into a pocket and respond at the touch of a button. They are the nutritional,healthy , sometimes girly apps that give edifying (or not) information on what we put on our plate. Decoding.
First of all, a few small recommendations. If you use applications to decode what you are going to put in your shopping cart or analyze what you have put on your plate , it is because eating healthy is important to you. Small downside, if you have a lot of barcodes to scan, it is (a priori) because you have bought many processed products. Indeed, there are hardly any barcodes on bananas or fresh spinach. Unless you opt for certain organic fruits and vegetables sold in bags. In short, be happy if you have fewer barcodes than expected and do not panic if you have a few too many… These apps are there to “healthy” your life . And this is possible because since 2016, manufacturers have been required to display the nutritional composition of their products on their packaging and more specifically, the quantity of sugars , fats, salt, proteins, and even the energy value per 100 grams or 100 milliliters.
Buy or Not
Food products, on the App Store and Google Play
How to? barcode scan.
Why? To obtain precise information on the impact of the scanned product on health, with indices such as the Nutri-Score (composition and qualities of the product, all rated from A to E), or the Nova (which indicates the degree of transformation of a product, from 1 to 4) but also societal impacts which, even if they are not measured quantitatively by ratings, are indicated according to any boycotts in progress.
The + : the fact of combining nutritional and societal information is an advantage which encourages the consumer to become aware of the product as a whole.
Open Food Facts
Food products, on the App Store and Google Play
How? Same, we scan the product and if the barcode is missing, we just type the name and search for it. Practical!
Why? To obtain a real analysis of the product through a host of criteria and measures such as Nova, Nutriscore and Eco-score (here, it is the environmental impact of the product which is rated from A to E).
The + : the app brings together information from the WHO and the National Nutrition Health Program, in particular to carry out analyses and deduce precise scores.
What product?
Food, cosmetics and household products, on the App Store and Google Play.
How? Direct search or barcode scan.
Why? This app, created by Que Choisir magazine, provides Nutri-Score information on the products in question and information on the risks they represent for the consumer at a glance, with very clear color codes.
The + : the app also warns of the presence of additives in the scanned food. The notion of toxicity and danger is particularly highlighted.
Save Eat
Food products, recipes.
How? This is not a food analyzer based on the barcode. You just have to add ingredients either by scanning them or by entering their name, and the app suggests recipes. If ingredients are missing, the app suggests them… It is the smart app par excellence, because it helps to avoid waste by suggesting recipes based on the contents of the fridge.
Why? To cook easy-to-make recipes and above all without wasting or blowing your budget. To do your shopping by matching it with what is in the fridge, previously informed. No more possible duplicates, unless you do it on purpose to double the quantity of small homemade dishes.
The + : thanks to this app, we avoid waste and we can easily share our recipes with our network of friends. Another +: the diversity of the recipes offered.
Sign
Food products, on the App Store and Google Play
How to? barcode scan.
Why? Here, it is the degree of processing that is taken into account. The food is rated from 1 to 7 (7 being a product so processed that it no longer has much to do with a healthy food). Studies from several reference organizations are consulted, such as the WHO, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), and the FSA (the British Food Standard Agency). Thanks to these criteria, the app delivers “Siga” scores.
The + : clever, the app also awards medals to certain products deemed particularly convincing.
Yuka
Food and cosmetic products, on the App Store and Google Play.
How? We scan the product's barcode, and if we are a premium subscriber, we even have access to a search on products that do not have one.
Why? to see what score will be given to the selected product and especially what faults it has (too rich in sugar, too processed, too fatty, etc.), In a word, why it is good or not.
The + : if the scanned product is considered bad by Yuka, the app offers an alternative. Hence the absolute necessity for this app to be 100% independent.
Even though we always recommend putting our phones away from our plates to eat mindfully, we like these smart apps that help us choose healthier and more eco-friendly foods. And we like that!
