News Bite: Google Adds Nutrition Facts on 1,000 Foods

Internet search engine giant Google has announced that, over the next 10 days, they would be rolling out a new development to help readers find accurate nutritional information. Now, instead of browsing through various web sites when you search for nutritional information online, you will see a box of nutrition facts at the top of the Google search page.

“Every year, we’ve seen lots of searches for nutrition information on everything from avocados to bananas to a watermelon, and we realized there was no easy way to get that answer online,” said Roya Soleimani, senior communications associate on the search team at Google.

“Now if I’m at the supermarket and trying to decide between a watermelon and a cantaloupe, I can easily see how much sugar is in each one and quickly make an informed decision.”

Google launched the service last week with nutritional information for over 1,000 foods (including fruits, vegetables, and meat), with plans to add more foods, features, and languages in the future.

A Google spokesperson said this nutrition facts would encourage readers to live a healthier lifestyle and helps reduce the amount of incorrect nutritional facts on the web.

Now when you search for something, such as “how many calories are in an apple?” you will see a box at the top of the screen displaying nutritional information.

The search currently lists the amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and calories—similar to a nutrition label on a food product. You can also adjust the quantity of the food item.

The new Google search makes finding accurate nutritional information online much easier, and hopefully will help readers learn exactly what they’re putting in their bodies.


Source:

Hilmantel, R., “Google Adds New Nutrition Search Feature,” Women’s Health Magazine web site, May 30, 2013; http://blog.womenshealthmag.com/scoop/google-nutrition-search/, last accessed June 4, 2013.