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We hear it all the time—there’s an app for that. And, if you’re looking to learn more about your health or drop a few pounds, you can do so with a calorie counting app.
With these apps, you can often pull calorie information from a database of foods or photo uploads of scanned food labels, which allow you to log and track your daily calorie intake. In some instances, calorie tracking apps will offer a daily calorie consumption plan that’s customized to your unique needs and health goals.
However, some of these apps aren’t up to standard or come at a high cost. That’s why the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed the top apps available in the iOS app Store across 14 metrics to determine the best calorie counting apps for 2022. Read on and discover our top picks.
Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary
Aside from tracking and logging your calories, this app is chock-full of features ranging from advice to diet-specific recipes. It’s also great if you have an Apple Watch, as its design is particularly optimized for the device. Additionally, this app makes logging food quick and easy, thanks to its built-in barcode scanner and robust foods database.
Healthi
Formerly known as iTrackbites, this app offers six different plans, whether you’re looking to work on portion control, improve insulin levels or work on your relationship with food. Instead of counting calories, many of the plans give you a daily allowance of “bites” with different foods being worth different amounts of “bites.” Its food and activity tracking feature is free to use, but if you upgrade to Pro, you receive additional features, including macronutrient tracking and access to premium weight loss plans.
Lose It! Calorie Counter
Lose It! is a standout calorie counting app if your goal is to lose weight. Its Premium features include a personalized weight loss plan, meal and exercise planning, and insights into your eating and behavior patterns. It also touts robust tracking features that go beyond calories, such as the ability to track your water intake, macronutrients and blood pressure.
Carb Manager: Keto Diet App
If you’re following a keto or low-carb diet and looking for an app to help keep track of your calories, this app could be a good fit for you. It offers plenty of educational information about the keto diet, along with advanced insights that track health metrics like glucose levels and ketones. Logging your food is easy, too, as this app features photo recognition technology and barcode scanners for quick food logging.
MyPlate Calorie Counter
This app from Livestrong is a solid choice if you’re looking for a straightforward calorie counting app with an emphasis on exercise, as it contains a collection of at-home workouts, too. It also allows you to track your intake of saturated, cholesterol, sodium and net carbs, giving you a holistic view of your eating habits.
For our Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2022 ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed data on the top calorie counting apps available from the iOS app store. Star ratings were assigned based on cost and average user rating, as well as the inclusion of features like the types of metrics it allows users to track, the level of personalization available, compatibility with other tracking devices, barcode scanners, social media integrations and more.
A calorie is the unit of energy available in a food or drink. Your body needs calories to be able to carry out daily functions.
The amount of calories you need daily varies based on your age, sex, height and activity level. That being said, calorie needs for adult men range from 2,000 to 3,200 a day and adult women need 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Most people do not have to count calories, and many experts recommend focusing more on food quality and implementing healthy lifestyle habits in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. However, creating a calorie deficit—when you burn more calories than you consume—can be an effective weight loss strategy. To do so, you typically want to count calories to get an idea of how many calories you’re consuming versus how many you’re burning. Our calorie calculator can help you determine the amount of calories you need to consume each day to reach your weight loss goals—but always talk to your doctor before implementing any significant diet changes.
The best calorie counting app is the one you will use consistently. It should be manageable,not overly complicated, and it should provide you with the insights you’re looking for in terms of your daily calorie consumption and overall health.
Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.
Forbes Health adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers.
Sarah is an experienced writer and editor enthusiastic about helping readers live their healthiest and happiest lives. Before joining Forbes Health, Sarah worked as a writer for various digital publications including LendingTree, theSkimm, CNBC and Bankrate. When she isn’t writing or editing, you can find Sarah with her nose in a book or enjoying the outdoors with her French bulldog, Honey.
Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves.
