« X-Orc-Status | Main | Elvenfoo »

Nutritional Data

The USDA National Nutrient Database grants access to actual nutritional data, far better than the nearly useless food labels: the 20% RDA for Iron in Teff might be correct, if you’re a 2,000 Calorie reference human, unlike the rest of us. Not the best interface on both the nutrient website and product labels. What would be really nice would be a UPC indexed database of foodstuffs. Then simply wander around with a bar code scanner, with a PDA hosting personalized nutritional data—exact iron content in micrograms, glycemic index if diabetic, or any new concern too expensive to reprint—plus the usual profile (carbs and whatnot).

Additional code could suggest food to meet some nutrient goal, with the inevitable “Hi! I see you’re trying to induce Iron poisoning! Can I help?” software flaws.

Technorati Tags: