Can technology get you to eat healthier?
Technology certainly makes our lives easier, but it seems to be making us lazier as well. Even though there are perks to automating chores, you must admit that you end up doing much less. We’ve reached the point where robots can clean our house for us, even down to our toilets and windows. But, we still see ourselves as productive since we’re able to increase our time working. However, many of us are deskbound and hardly move around as a result.
With obesity rates increasing annually, it is predicted that 50% of adults in the US will be obese by 2030. You might be surprised to hear that it’s also affecting our children. Did you know that only one in three children is physically active on a daily basis? The rise of video games and consoles has made kids more interested in onscreen adventures than playing outdoors. Staying healthy has undoubtedly become a challenge.
Fortunately, technology is stepping in to find ways to help us improve our health. For example, apps and gadgets can give us vital information about our health at the touch of a button. Healthy eating is a must for a healthy lifestyle. You need good food to fuel your body. Plus, the healthier you eat, the healthier you’ll be later on. On the contrary, a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits can hurt our lives.
We keep hearing the same message, but, will technology finally help us do something about it?
A healthy life starts with healthy food
Before we look at how nutrition and tech go together, let’s examine how good and bad food affects our bodies. Bad food, in this case, means junk food that might taste great but is actually harmful to your body. Overeating bad food can:
• Cause learning and memory problems
• Reduce your ability to control appetite
• Lead to depression
• Result in dementia
• Produce uncontrollable cravings
One of the main reasons we eat unhealthy food is due to our fast-paced lifestyles. Grabbing processed foods while going to work is a standard way of life for many working professionals. However, it is harming your body more than you may realize.
Remote working professionals, on the other hand, tend to have more power over their eating habits, especially since the kitchen is always available. Some healthy food options that you can bring to work include:
• Berries
• Almonds
• Greek yogurt
• Smoothies
• Chicken salad
• Snap peas
• Dark chocolate (for cravings!)
Use technology to cook your food
You can start changing your eating habits by simply using your phone. It becomes alarmingly apparent that we’re facing some serious health issues when phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9 start to tell us the nutritional content of food. With that said, the technology is a step in the right direction.
Gadgets to use
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus Smartphone
Most of the new features on the latest Galaxy smartphones involve the camera. Along with AI, you can use the camera to identify food items and find out their nutritional values in a matter of seconds.
This molecular sensor analyzes food, oil, medication, fuels, plastics and more. The SCiO is a non-intrusive optical sensor that can read the chemical makeup of materials without even touching them.
The Prep Pad is a smart food scale that you can pair with the CounterTop app to see visual representations of protein, fat, carbs and more in your diet. This single piece of aluminum can hold up to 15 pounds.
This device can tell you if food is fresh, damaging to your health or has even been out in the open for too long. Using sensors, the digital nose can determine more than 100 VOCs (volatile organic compounds), such as carboxylic acids or ammonia. Once it collects the data, it lets you know whether the food is safe for consumption, beginning to spoil or ready to go in the trash.
Mobile apps you can use
Keep track of what you eat just by taking a picture of it. Food tracking puts image recognition technology to good use.
Achieve your health goals through customized nutrition programs designed for you and your needs.
Fill your fridge with organic, healthy, and plant-based meals while spending less than going out to eat.
This handy platform helps you reach your health, fitness and diet goals.
Improving your health, in the long run, can be challenging. However, technology is here to help you move in the right direction. Automating tasks is not all bad; just restore balance by using the same smart technology to improve your health.
