Software Tools for Nutritional Tracking?

Deagol asks: "After reading about it several times on Slashdot, I decided to start the Hacker's Diet this month. I've even lost 3lbs so far. I'm looking for software tools to make this thing easier. So far, I've been using Nut to track my calories and see what nutrients I need to balance. Though Nut has been invaluable, it lacks a clean recipe and menu interface (it has them, but it's light on features). I did the usual google/freshmeat/sourceforge search, but turned up very little. gnutrition looks promising, but it's 2 years unmaintained and uses an old version of the USDA database. My requirements are: that it use the current USDA database; have a flexible recipe and menu functions which tracks calories and nutrients; and finally that it runs under Linux (prefer OSS). Multiple-user support and easy of use would be nice, but not required."

Comments

semi-related question

[kurosawdust]

after browsing throught the solutions offered by slashdotters on this topic, I was just wondering if anyone knew whether the nutrition information for trademarked foods and beverages was copyrighted/protected in any way or not? (i.e. the fitday website seems very useful but you can't input "Coca-Cola"; rather you either have to choose "carbonated caffeinated soft drink" or enter the data yourself).

It seems pretty obvious that a database entry stating that a can of Coke has X calories and Y carbohydrates, etc. would not be in violation of any copyrights, but in these days one can never be too sure ("patenting the fork" and so forth).

Re:Losing weight fast

[coryboehne]

Heh, much ehh?? Well, to be fair I may have been wrong about the article being on /., you may want to check the evil MSN site..

Interestingly enough though, the reason cited in their study as to a possible reason for the benefit was due to the fact that it's actually very natural to fast.. Our bodies were designed to handle the lack of food, and as a matter of a fact, we as a species have only very recently (in terms of our species history or course)started having enough food (or more importantly a steady enough source of food) so that 3 squares a day is possible..

So, I do submit to you sir that it is truely a natural way of life (not that I intend to continue this behavior for much longer, more than one more month and there will not be much left of me to lose except muscle mass) but our bodies are actually (ok I'm relying on an article here, I really don't know shit about this, but through conjecture I'm pulling this out of my ass) designed to handle this, furthermore we are really designed to eat this way instead of our current "normal" eating schedule. Why do you think we store fat in the first place?? Because we have not evolved beyond our bodies expecting feast/famine conditions. They (the people who were responsible for the research on the article) even suggested that it helps the body to become more resistant to certain conditions due to the fact that it puts a small amount of stress on the body to fast..

As an aside several (quite popular) religions embrace the practice of fasting, not for medical reasons obviously, but it is commonly known that there are plenty of "lost" bits of archaic knowledge embedded into religion that the original purpose of is totally lost to ceremony.. It is interesting that fasting is one of these "bits" of lost wisdom.. Just a thought..