Google Will Now Tell You the Nutrition Information for Foods

Google keeps getting more useful. (Or more determined to make us dependent on it). It can convert units. It can figure out an actor’s Kevin Bacon Number. And now it can help you figure out how many calories you’re about to eat, by bringing up nutrition information for certain foods.

At Google’s Inside Search blog explains the reasoning:

Figuring out how to make smart choices about some of our favorite foods can often be a cumbersome and daunting process. So we’re hoping we can make those choices a little bit easier: starting today you will be able to quickly and easily find extensive nutrition information for over 1,000 fruits, vegetables, meats and meals in search. From the basics of potatoes and carrots to more complex dishes like burritos and chow mein, you can simply ask, “How much protein is in a banana?” or “How many calories are in an avocado?” and get your answer right away.

Google isn’t the only search engine to do this. Bing uses data from Wolfram Alpha to give users nutrition results, as well. When you search on Bing, you get a recipes tab, which will offer information about both how to make certain foods, and how good or bad they might be for you.

The feature is rolling out over the next few days and will work first in English. So if you want to know whether to order popcorn at the movies (31 calories a cup) or how many carbs are in an apple (25g), just ask.

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Rose Eveleth | | READ MORE

Rose Eveleth was a writer for Smart News and a producer/designer/ science writer/ animator based in Brooklyn. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Scientific American, Story Collider, TED-Ed and OnEarth.