Ever wonder how many calories are really in the foods you eat? How much fat is in that slice of bread or chunk of cheese? A new app called DietSensor claim it will scan your food and provide an automatic breakdown of its nutritional value.

DietSensor, which will be released commercially in mid-2016, will work with SCiO, the world’s first handheld spectrometer. Though the app works on both iPhone and Android, you will have to purchase the pricey spectrometer in order to use it.

The plus point is that there is also comprehensive information on carbs, fat protein, calories, and alcohol levels to provide customized nutrition goals. Stay on target by getting tailored-to-you feedback on the quantity and quality of your food.

How does it work?

The app uses something called near infrared spectroscopy to determine the chemical makeup of food and drink. Each type of molecule in a food vibrates in its own unique way, and these vibrations interact with light to create a unique, optical signature.

In brief, spectrometers analyse what is in a substance based on how its molecules interact with light.

This method has been used in labs throughout the world, but with very large, expensive spectrometers. Technology revolution was able to make it available to you small enough to slip into your smartphone.

The light shines on the food or beverage of your choice when you click a button. Then, a tiny optical sensor (the spectrometer) collects the light reflected from the food sample. It breaks the reflected light down to its spectrum, or the array of varying wavelengths.

The app builds spectrometric models that translate the resulted information into something really useful – a calorie count and the percentage of carbohydrates, fat, and protein contained in your food. This is all quickly sent and clearly displayed on the app on your smartphone.

Source and Image:dietsensor.com