Yuka app review: what it changed in my supermarket trolley
Yuka has made me look twice at cereals, snacks and even our usual ketchup. Its barcode scores help me compare products, although getting C to approve the alternatives is another question.
I found Yuka and have been using it while shopping to check food labels and compare products. C is less enthusiastic, especially when his cereal gets a poor score and the suggested replacement is one he doesn’t like. A higher rating doesn’t settle that argument.
I’ve swapped our usual ketchup after checking one of the app’s recommendations, and during my 50 in 50 Challenge I used it to check snacks, cereals and yoghurts. Products I’d assumed were good choices didn’t always score as well as I expected.
What does the Yuka app do?
Yuka scans barcodes on food and cosmetic products and, where it recognises the item, shows a score out of 100 with an explanation. For lower-scoring products, it can suggest alternatives with better ratings. My experience here is with food shopping.
Basic scanning is free, with paid Premium features such as product search and offline scanning. Download it through Yuka’s official app page, create an account or sign in, and scan a barcode. Read the explanation beneath the score before deciding whether to swap.
What helps me, and what the score leaves out
The useful part is having a quick explanation while I’m standing in the aisle. It prompts me to check sugar, salt and saturated fat, and compare similar products. That fits with the attention I give to food in my shopping list for midlife women who train, although the app can’t plan my meals or tell me what I need after exercise.
A label also gives me information without an app. The NHS guide to food labels explains how to compare nutrition information, and why the portion shown on a packet may differ from the amount you eat.
Yuka says its app has no advertising and receives no funding from brands or manufacturers. That describes its funding model, but it doesn’t make every judgement beyond question. Its score combines several criteria, including organic certification, so it isn’t just a measure of sugar or salt.
There’s also the question of what the family will eat. C’s unimpressed look when I scan his sugary snacks is familiar, and a recommended cereal can still stay on the shelf if he dislikes it. The ketchup swap worked for us, but an app’s suggestion doesn’t guarantee the same result with breakfast.
Keep reading
Shopping list essentials for midlife women who train
More from my supermarket trolley, with food and training in mind.
What makes me want to keep exercising?
The motivation behind returning to the gym, beyond the shopping list.
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