The number of apps for smartphones has virtually exploded in recent years for typically any use. This includes the creation of various apps to assist with reaching a healthier lifestyle. Apps create a virtual environment of support to reach individual health and nutritional goals.

Tasks such as eating healthy and tracking exercise can all be enhanced with the use of smartphone apps. The greatest benefit comes from the motivation and support that apps provide through fellow users and integrated accountability measures to assure that personal health goals will be achieved.

Fooducate

One of the more user-friendly apps that can assist with your quest for better health is called Fooducate. This app allows users to scan the barcodes on products at the grocery store that will result in the item receiving a grade of A through F based on the nutritional facts and ingredients of each item. This app uses scientific algorithms to grade food products that were developed by scientists, concerned parents, and dietitians. A concise explanation is provided for the choice in grading along with suggestions of healthier alternatives. This app is free for iTunes, iPhone, and Android users.

Lose It!

People welcome any type of support when it comes to sticking to a diet. One of the top rated apps for achieving weight loss goals is Lose It! This app provides the support of peers to achieve healthy and sustainable weight loss. Lose It! connects you to the people and food information that is necessary to obtain your weight loss goals. This app has the benefit of making the weight loss process personal by customizing a weight loss plan that fits your lifestyle. Lose It! is a one stop app that allows you to set a daily calorie budget, track calories, record exercises, and stay motivated to reach optimum health.

Workout Trainer

A popular exercise app is Workout Trainer. This app allows viewers to scan hundreds of workouts to choose from. The search for the perfect routine can be better determined by using filters such as time frames, access to equipment, desired body parts, and the preferred intensity level. This app has the added bonus of photos to display your chosen exercises with digitized voices as narration through each routine. Although this app is free, an upgraded version will allow users to access videos of exercise routines.

Vital Signs Camera
An interesting app to monitor vital sign is known as the Vital Signs Camera. This app is unique in that it can measure human vital signs in the most unobtrusive way through the use of a camera phone. The camera is used to identify minute changes in the color of your face to determine your heart rate with outstanding beat-to-beat accuracy. Furthermore, the camera can monitor your chest movements to detect your exact breathing rate. This app even has the capabilities to measure the heart rate of two people at one time. Other useful elements of this app include memory storage of heart rate readings, the use of charts and graphs to determine optimum health, and the ability to export any information.

The Eatery

The Eatery is a free app that helps with meal tracking. This app has a distinguishing factor of allowing other users to rate the healthiness of your meals. The Eatery allows the user to keep a food diary by taking snapshots of food. This creates a sort of database for the app to evaluate your eating habits. Your strengths and weaknesses are identified through this visual diary. Trouble spots are recognized in your eating habits and the app suggests various improvements for better health. This app has gained popularity because of the support system created by fellow users.

Author Bio: Sarah Daren is a blogger who creates article in relation to field of health. This article offers new health related applications and aims to encourage further study with a Degree in Health Information Management.