Why do we need the Best Keto Apps? New diets are coming across now and then; however, the one that has consistently remained popular among people is the Keto diet (ketogenic), which encourages the body to burn fat instead of glucose by avoiding carbs and focusing on a high-fat diet. Usually, the term ‘high-fat’ infuriates the health-conscious people. However, healthy fats such as fatty fish, nuts, and avocadoes transform the body. These are the kinds of fats ideal for the keto diet.
However, one complicated aspect of the keto diet is that many people get confused over where to start, as the options can initially seem limited. But, the proper knowledge makes all the difference, and with the help of a free keto diet app, it is easier to stick to the Keto diet plan. This article discusses the crucial aspects of the Keto diet, how the carb counter app works, and offers the list of the most popular Keto diet apps in the app stores.
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What is Keto Diet?
A keto diet plan is mainly a low carbohydrate diet often used by people in case of serious illness, but most common for weight loss or to reduce the body fat percentage. This diet is high in fats, moderate in protein, and extremely low in carbs. People following the Keto diet plan to track these macros to consume them in the following ratios: 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrate. Hence, a 2000 calorie per day intake means consuming 20-50 grams of carbs. Here the science is putting the body into the state of Ketosis. Glucose is our body’s primary energy source, so the body will choose it over any other source when available. People obtain Glucose from the carbs in their diet. So, as they eat less than 50 grams of carbs/day, the body will change its source of energy and will produce ketone bodies to use as fuel. Health experts have named this metabolic state’ Ketosis.’
When the body is in ketosis, it produces less insulin and stores less glucose as fat. This way, the Keto diet helps someone aiming to lose weight and body fat. Usually, experts consider it as safe as the number of ketone bodies produced by the body doesn’t alter the blood’s pH level. It distinguishes Ketosis from Ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition where many ketone bodies alter blood’s PH, making it acidic.
What is Keto Diet App, and How Does It Work?
Free carb counter apps and Keto apps are a boon for people keen on following a Keto diet plan but perplexed about where and how to start. It can be challenging to follow a keto diet; however, with the help of a free keto diet app, people can efficiently track their macronutrients or macros, and some carb counter apps even offer suitable recipes and nutritional information for a range of foods.
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Best Free Keto Diet App to Manage Your Carb Intake
Here we present the best carb counter app that can help you start and stick to a Keto diet:
Application Name | Available On | Revenue Model | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|
Carb Manager | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Wombat Apps LLC |
MyMacros+ | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | My Macros LLC |
FatSecret | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | FatSecret |
Lazy Keto | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Lazy Keto App |
Cronometer | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Cronometer Software Inc |
PlateJoy | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | PlateJoy |
8fit | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Urbanite Inc |
KetoDiet | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Compumaster Ltd |
Total Keto Diet | Android | iOS | In-App Purchases | Tasteaholics Inc |
Senza | Android | iOS | Free | Senza |
1. Carb Manager App
The carb manager app goes way beyond tracking macros and focuses more on minute details of a keto diet so that users can track exactly how their body is doing on this diet.
Key features:
- Offers Keto calculator, calorie calculator, macronutrient calculator
- Provides a water tracker to remind about hydration
- Tracks sleep
- Keeps motivated and educated
- Nutrition details regarding macro and micronutrients
- Healthy recipes
Pros:
- Allows tracking various helpful keto metrics, such as blood sugar levels, macronutrients, ketones, and more)
- Allow easy food logging via photos, barcode scanning, and voice command.
- Syncs easily with smartphone apps or fitness trackers.
- Allows tracking of other lifestyle habits, such as exercise and water intake.
Cons:
- Limited food database
- Expensive premium version at $40/year
- Inaccurate nutrient data as the other users enter it
- The Barcode scanner is way too quick that it incorrectly scans food items
2. MyMacros+
This app comes with a vast food database with more than five million foods and allows precise tracking, which is crucial for using a keto diet.
Key features:
- The food database is available offline, so food tracking is more accessible regardless of the user’s location.
- The macro Coach feature tells what to eat to meet macro goals
- My Circle feature allows adding other users to the Circle to track & update their macros
- Users can customize foods & recipes and set up nutritional goals
- View nutrient breakfast for each meal, track water intake, and much more.
Pros:
- No Internet connection is needed to log foods
- A huge database of more than 5 million foods
- Connected with friends in real-time with the MyCircle feature
- Offers a body fat estimation calculator
- Macro Coach guides you in making proper food choices.
Cons:
- The app costs money to install the app and asks for an additional fee to unlock all features.
- Some functionality works better on iPhone as compared to Android phones
- It is not always easy to find the foods you are looking for
3. FatSecret
This calorie counter app can calculate and save several parameters regarding app users’ health. The app functions like an easy-to-use food diary & diet calendar. It allows users to find several recipes and tips, keeping them motivated toward the Keto diet. FatSecret is compatible with various wearable devices and offers the best results with fitness bands.
Key features:
- The app is easy-to-use
- Offers everyday exercise records
- Tracks weight, macro, micro, calories, and more
- It is integrated with Google Fit and other wearables
- Offers Community that seeks similar goals
Pros:
- A vast collection of healthy recipes
- Offers an exercise diary enabling users to record workout sessions, calories burned, and fitness goals.
- Its image recognition feature makes food logging easier
- Weight chart to view progress over a while
- A food diary to track daily food intake
- Community support keeps users motivated toward their diet goals; push notifications for meal times, weigh-ins, and journal entries.
Cons:
- Requires paid upgrade to access recipes.
- The nutritional food database can’t be edited on the app, only on the website.
- Few of the app functions work better with Apple than with Android.
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4. Lazy Keto
It may seem difficult to follow a keto diet initially, but the Lazy Keto app makes it easy to achieve that by planning out every detail of your diet in just a few minutes. Users can check and track their progress whenever desired. It offers a plethora of recipes to try and customized plans that help ensure that you get apt chosen from a Keto diet.
Key features:
- The app is free and easy-to-use
- Offers millions of delicious recipes
- Helps in attaining weight loss and working on health
- Includes recipes ideal for Paleo diet, Ketogenic diet, Atkins diet
Pros:
- Massive collection of Keto recipes
- All recipes are offered in the app’s free version
- Shopping lists are generated automatically
Cons:
The free app version includes advertisements.
5. Cronometer
This app is built for people who want in-depth and complex data regarding their keto diet. The app breaks down nutrient intake, macros, micronutrients, supplements, exercise, metabolism, and much more. It also pairs with a BioSense breath monitor and a wide variety of activity trackers, like Garmin and Fitbit, keeping all your data in one place.
Key features:
- Comprehensive nutritional tracking app giving free access to many tracking tools and nutritional information.
- Its free version allows logging the food, exercises, scanning food labels, adding custom recipes, tracking macronutrients, logging supplements, and logging foods from famous restaurants.
- Staff members review all food items in the app’s database with enduring accuracy.
- The gold upgrade allows users to access features like food suggestions, custom charts, a fasting timer, custom food diary groups, and priority customer support.
Pros:
- A barcode scanner
- Manually reviewed food items
- Feature-rich free version
Cons:
No meal planning features
6. PlateJoy
Keto enthusiasts trying to figure out what to eat on a keto diet can benefit from this best keto app as it helps take all the confusion out of the diet. It allows users to customize their diet as per their requirements. Even though the app is not explicitly designed for people on a Ketogenic diet, it supports them.
Key features:
- Offers nutritionist-developed keto meal plans, recipes, and grocery lists that save a lot of time and frustration for the end-users.
- The app has users take a lifestyle quiz asking about their taste preferences, fitness and health goals, allergies, schedule, and dietary restrictions. After the examination, the app uses an intelligent algorithm to create a customized meal plan.
- It offers hundreds of low-carb/zero-carb recipes for whole-day meals.
Pros:
- Offers Customized meal plan as per uses’ lifestyle & preferences
- Accommodates different dietary restrictions
- Meal Planning allows users only to buy food that is needed to reduce waste
- The food menu can be synced with Google calendar
Cons:
Not enough vegetarian meals
7. 8fit
For any weight loss part to show significant results, it is essential to combine it with exercises, and with 8fit, users can do meal planning, exercise regime, macro tracking, and much more.
Key features:
- Easily calculates daily calories
- Customized healthy meals & diet plans
- Keeps nutritional goals
- Workout plans for any time & anywhere
Pros:
- Offers efficient workout requiring equipment
- Step counter syncs with the Google Fit
- Workout assessment to determine the starting level
- Customized meal plan tailored to the preferences
- Provides shopping list and meal plans
Cons:
- Not every recipe in the app meets the keto meal plan requirement
- Auto-renewal might lead to unexpected charges
- Pricey to access Pro version: available at $30 for three months or $60 for one year
8. KetoDiet
To stay on the keto diet, people often require motivation, and the KetoDiet app offers just that by providing challenges and creating an online community atmosphere. The food database for diet tracking is significantly accurate.
Key features:
- Offers free daily content like delicious recipes
- Allows to set up health goals
- Keeps the user data private
- Accuracy in low-carb diets
Pros:
- App’s user interface is intuitive and easy-to-use
- Delicious recipes
- Competitive challenges and Facebook support group to ensure accountability
- Verified nutrient data to ensure accuracy
Cons:
- Doesn’t allow customizing meal plans using different macros
- Lacks customer service when having issues with the accounts
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9. Total Keto Diet
This best keto diet app is created by Tasteaholics, a popular source for low-carb and Keto recipes; hence the best option for customized meal plans. The app uses its library of thousands of Keto recipes and presents customized meal plans tailored to individual user goals and macro needs.
Key features:
- It offers built-in nutrient tracking, including both total & net carbs, making it an excellent keto diet app.
- It generates beginner guides for Keto and shopping lists and is easily synced with Fitbit.
- It is ideal for progress tracking as it enables users to participate in weight check-ins and upload pictures to visualize the progress over time.
Pros:
- It offers a library full of a plethora of recipes
- Weekly grocery list creator
- The app educates its users regarding the ins & outs of the Keto diet
- Customized keto meal plan tailored as per users’ preferences
Cons:
- Some users have faced issues with poor app functionality after they installed updates.
- Barcode tracker at times ends up making the wrong selection
- Not enough extensive food database compared to other apps
10. Senza
Senza is a free keto app for tracking macros and creating effective keto meal plans. Its database features 1.6 million food items and 5,000 keto recipes, and all the food items are verified for net carbs & sugar alcohol. It allows users to view their feed to find new recipe ideas and create an ideal keto meal plan. Senza even offers a ‘find restaurant’ feature helpful for finding low-carb, keto-friendly recipe ideas nearby.
Key features:
- The app offers to ‘find nearby restaurants’ feature.
- It offers unique social features connecting users with friends through the app to share recipes and log food items from their friend’s journals.
- Fasting window/nutrition intake tracking and metrics like daily score and weekly summary reports evaluate how well the users are sticking to their stated macro goals.
Pros:
- Helps in making gradual changes
- It is a simple-to-use app for the beginners
- Allows tracking other lifestyle factors like sleep and can be synced with the fitness trackers
- The app suggests keto-friendly restaurants while traveling.
Cons:
- Users enter the app’s nutrient data; hence it is not always accurate
- Doesn’t allow other users to edit inaccurate nutrient data
Other health benefits of Keto
Health researchers are still studying keto diets to determine their possible benefits and safety issues. Some researchers state that the Keto diet is effective in weight loss. In contrast, many doctors are concerned about the increase in low-density lipoprotein or ‘bad’ cholesterol caused by these diets. People following a keto diet strictly eat less plant-based foods, which have many benefits. Other studies suggest that Ketone bodies can benefit healthy aging and help treat a few chronic diseases like Heart disease, Epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Brain injuries, Polycystic ovary syndrome, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. However, most of these studies have involved animals for research, and human research is crucial to making any firm conclusions regarding potential benefits. Discuss with our developers for health fitness app development services.
FAQs:
The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that lowers blood sugar & insulin levels in the body and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbohydrates and toward fat and ketones. There is a very low carb intake in the Keto diet as it replaces that with fat, and this reduced carb in diet puts the body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. As it happens, the body starts burning fat for energy and turns fat into ketones in the liver that can supply power for the brain.
There are different versions of the Keto diet, like:
(a) Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is an extremely low carb, moderate protein and high-fat diet, typically consisting of 70% fat, 20% protein, and just 10% carbs.
(b) Targeted Ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet consists of periods of higher carbs refeeds, like five ketogenic days followed by two high carbohydrates days.
(c) Cyclical Ketogenic diet (CKD): On this diet, there are periods of higher-carb refeeds, like five ketogenic days followed by two high-carb days.
(d) Targeted ketogenic diet: This diet is all about adding carbohydrates around the workouts.
This high-protein ketogenic diet is similar to a standard ketogenic diet but also includes more protein. Here the ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.
Remember that only standard and high protein ketogenic diets have been extensively studied. The Targeted and Cyclical ketogenic diets are more advanced and are used primarily by athletes or bodybuilders.
It is said that a ketogenic diet can be an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease. The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that lowers blood sugar & insulin levels in the body and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbohydrates and toward fat and ketones. There is an extremely low carb intake in the Keto diet as it replaces that with fat, and this reduced carb in diet puts the body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. As it happens, the body starts burning fat for energy and turns fat into ketones in the liver that can supply energy for the brain. The best part is Keto diet is very filling that people can lose weight without counting calories or tracking their food intake.
Creating a Keto diet planner app might take around 4-6 weeks, and the cost can be about $25000-$30000 for an app with essential features and a single platform. When developing the app for more than one platform, the cost can go up to $50000-$60000 with advanced functionalities.
How healthy a Keto diet is can be a controversial question, as some research shows its benefits, while several times, the health doctors have raised their concerns regarding this high-fat diet. It is best to get in touch with a healthcare provider before starting a Keto diet plan.