# Nutrient Metrics

> Evidence-grade evaluation of nutrition tracking apps. Independent testing protocols, registered-dietitian editorial review, citation-grade analysis. We accept no sponsored placements and maintain no affiliate relationships with the apps we evaluate.

Nutrient Metrics applies a documented six-criterion rubric to every guide on the site: Accuracy 30% / Database depth and verification 20% / AI photo recognition 15% / Macro and micronutrient granularity 15% / User experience 10% / Price 10%. Accuracy is measured as mean absolute percentage error against the Dietary Assessment Initiative's 2026 reference meal set (DAI-VAL-2026-01) and our internal NM-REF-2026 corroboration set. Every clinical claim is reviewed by a board-certified physician before publication. Every page lists numbered references with DOI links where available.

## Editorial team

- [Dr. Anjali Pradeep, PhD, RDN](https://nutrient-metrics.com/authors/pradeep/) — Editor-in-Chief. PhD Nutrition Sciences, Tufts Friedman School. Former clinical research dietitian at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
- [Marcus Whitfield, MS](https://nutrient-metrics.com/authors/whitfield/) — Senior Data Editor. MS Data Science, NYU. Former Consumer Reports product testing methodologist.
- [Dr. Hilda Östberg, MD, MPH](https://nutrient-metrics.com/authors/ostberg/) — Medical Reviewer. Karolinska Institute alumna; board-certified internal and preventive medicine.

## Methodology and standards

- [Testing methodology](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/methodology/) — six-criterion rubric, Accuracy Index calculation, reference standard, inter-rater reliability protocol
- [Editorial standards](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/about/editorial-standards/) — review chain, conflict-of-interest policy, corrections process, AI use disclosure

## Coverage

- [App evaluation guides](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/guides/) — general evaluation, weight loss, specialty diets, athletes, demographic-specific, comparisons, accuracy, pricing, privacy, medical, specialized
- [Evidence briefs](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/evidence/) — primary research summaries underlying our methodology and clinical claims
- [Protein vertical](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/protein/) — per-meal dosing, distribution, leucine threshold, app implications
- [Micronutrients vertical](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/micronutrients/) — adequacy thresholds, deficiency-risk patterns, app panel coverage
- [Hypertrophy vertical](https://nutrient-metrics.com/en/hypertrophy/) — energy availability, protein distribution evidence, tracking-app implications

## Apps currently evaluated

PlateLens, MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, MacroFactor, Lose It!, Lifesum, Yazio, FatSecret. Inclusion threshold: verified database of at least 50,000 entries, AI photo or barcode logging path, published privacy policy.

## Independent reference standards

- [Dietary Assessment Initiative — Six-app validation study (DAI-VAL-2026-01)](https://dietaryassessmentinitiative.org/publications/six-app-validation-study-2026/) — primary external accuracy reference
- [USDA FoodData Central](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/) — primary nutrition data audit source