The Ketogenic diet is surging in popularity, and the tech industry has responded in kind. App stores of all kinds are filled with keto apps claiming to be the best. However, there’s really only one way to figure out how many of them are telling the truth.
Keto seems simple at face value. But tracking your macros can get complicated, which is part of the reason why there are so many app store apps to choose from. Keto apps can be incredibly helpful to both the novice and the vet. The following article will lay out the best ones 2022 has to offer.
nadianb/ShutterstockWhat Is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet, or Keto for short, is a diet that replaces carbohydrates with fat. Adopters are required to dramatically reduce their intake of carbohydrates as a way to initiate a metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is a powerful metabolic state in which the human body begins sourcing energy from its fat stores.
Studies have linked ketosis with healthier blood sugar and insulin levels, and profound fat loss. There are many variations to the ketogenic diet, but the most common type consists of 70 percent fat, 20 percent protein, and 10 percent carbs. Tracking these numbers is essential to staying in ketosis.1
Thankfully, the process is made much easier with a well made keto app.
Carb Manager
Intuitive keto tracker Carb Manager is widely regarded as the best on the market. More than just a calorie counter, the app lets users track their measurements, exercise routines, and weight. Carb Manager also comes with over 350,000 low-carb recipes and a variety of community features, which can be incredibly helpful for those just starting out.2
Though users can track their macros with Carb Manager for free, several of the most helpful features are paywalled. A premium subscription to Carb Manager costs $5.50 per month when billed quarterly and $3.33 per month when billed annually.3
My Macros+
Those looking to skip the monthly subscription can download My Macros+ for just $2.99. The app boasts a considerable food library and lets users customize their daily caloric and macros goals easily. It’s a well rounded, albeit bare bones app, that delivers all the keto carb tracking fundamentals users expect to get out of a modern keto app.4
For $9.99 a month, My Macros+ offers what they call their Macro Coach upgrade. Macro Coach is an automated diet coach that guides users through their macro goals. Macro Coach is said to help dieters push through plateaus and maintain their progress.5
Cronometer
Cronometer is a fan favorite among the keto community. Praised for its accuracy, the nutrition tracking app has been featured on Women’s Health, Lifehacker, and Men’s Journal. Unlike a lot of the other apps, Cronometer doesn’t rely on user contributions to build its nutrition fact database. Instead, the menu database is built using verified sources.6
Cronometer delivers some of the most accurate nutrition facts on the market. It’s not the most intuitive program as getting the most of the app requires a premium upgrade. Unlocking all of Cronometer’s features costs $4.16 a month or $49.92 a year.7
Senza
Senza was designed with the beginner in mind. The Senza journey begins with an intuitive and simplistic “5 Days to Keto” program to help make the transition into ketosis as streamlined as possible. The app also uses the users location data to highlight keto-friendly meals nearby.
As with all of the other apps featured today, Senza covers the keto basics like macro tracking, progress tracking, and a barcode scanner. Though entering meals and navigating the menus isn’t always the easiest, Senza is a fantastic option for keto newcomers. Better yet, it’s completely free.8
MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal may not be specifically tailored to proponents of the keto lifestyle. However, it remains one of the most popular calorie tracking apps on the market today. Those already familiar with the app can certainly transition to low-carb, high fat without the need to download something else.9
MyFitnessPal’s free tier is of limited use to most advanced keto dieters. Instead they should consider MyFitnessPal Premium, which:
- Unlocks customizable carb, protein and fat goals;
- Offers guided fitness and nutrition plans, and;
- Promises an ad free experience.
A premium subscription costs $9.99 per month or $49.99 for the whole year.10
Conclusion
Investing in a proper keto app is as essential to the ketogenic diet as drinking lots of water. The list of intuitive diet trackers discussed above all go a long way in simplifying a somewhat complex process.
Exercise, getting enough sleep, and making the ketogenic transition alongside a friend or loved one can help too. Maintaining a ketogenic diet long term is associated with numerous health benefits. Thankfully, there are just as many high-quality keto apps on the market in 2022.