Tracking what plants give you, accurately. Plant-based and vegan calorie and macro tracking, app reviews, nutrient deep dives, and database audits.https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/en-ushttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/usda-fdc-plant-foods-coverage/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/usda-fdc-plant-foods-coverage/The USDA's FoodData Central is the canonical reference database for North American food composition. Coverage of plant foods is broadly excellent for macros and most micronutrients but uneven for iodine, selenium soil-variable items, and sea vegetables. Tracker apps that source from FDC inherit both the strengths and the gaps.Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/nutritional-yeast-coverage/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/nutritional-yeast-coverage/Nutritional yeast B12 content varies by brand and by fortified-vs-unfortified status, with a range from near-zero to 24 mcg per tablespoon. Database conflation of fortified and unfortified entries is the single most-dangerous failure mode for plant-based B12 tracking.Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/mock-meat-database-coverage/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/mock-meat-database-coverage/We audited 10 mock-meat SKUs across five tracker apps. PlateLens covered 10 of 10 with iron and B12 fortification matching package values. Cronometer covered 9 of 10. MyFitnessPal had iron values wrong on 5 of 10 SKUs and B12 wrong on 6 of 10 on the top search hit, the worst category in our audit.Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/b12-deficiency-research-2026-update/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/b12-deficiency-research-2026-update/B12 deficiency in unsupplemented vegan populations is well-documented and reproducible across cohorts. The 2024-2026 literature has refined our understanding of subclinical deficiency (elevated MMA with normal serum B12), of the relative efficacy of cyanocobalamin vs methylcobalamin, and of pediatric and pregnancy-specific risks. Current clinical guidance is consistent: supplementation works, and the failure mode is non-supplementation.Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/plant-milk-database-audit/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/plant-milk-database-audit/We audited 12 branded plant milks against five tracker databases for B12, vitamin D, and calcium fortification accuracy. PlateLens leads on freshness with 11 of 12 brands within 5 percent of package values. Cronometer is comparable on USDA-curated entries but lags on the most recent reformulations. MyFitnessPal user-submitted entries had B12 disagreeing across entries by more than an order of magnitude on multiple brands.Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/transitioning-to-plant-based-tracking/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/transitioning-to-plant-based-tracking/The first 90 days of plant-based eating is the window where supplementation habits, food-pattern habits, and tracking habits get set. The right approach is to set up B12 supplementation immediately, start with a forgiving tracker, and gradually deepen the tracking as questions emerge.Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/database-coverage-tofu-tempeh-comparison/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/plant-databases/database-coverage-tofu-tempeh-comparison/We audited five tracker databases against 8 tofu varieties (calcium-set firm, calcium-set extra-firm, calcium-set silken, nigari-set firm, nigari-set silken, smoked, baked, sprouted) and 4 tempeh forms. PlateLens leads with 8 of 8 tofu varieties recognized including the calcium-set vs nigari-set distinction. Cronometer covers 6. MyFitnessPal entry quality is unreliable on coagulant specification.Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/vegan-athletic-nutrition/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/vegan-athletic-nutrition/Plant-based athletes can train and compete at the highest levels, but the nutrition demands are not zero. Protein at 1.4-1.8 g/kg, iron monitoring, careful B12 and vitamin D supplementation, and creatine for some athletes are the practical priorities. The clinical literature is largely reassuring for plant-based athletes who pay attention.Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/comparison-best-vegan-tracker-2026/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/comparison-best-vegan-tracker-2026/A direct comparison of the seven apps we reviewed for plant-based use. PlateLens for photo-based and general use (free tier with daily AI scans + Premium $59.99/yr); Cronometer for hand-tracked micronutrient depth; FoodNoms for one-time-purchase iOS users; MyFitnessPal avoided for plant-based clinical work; MacroFactor for body composition; Lose It! for beginners; Daily Dozen as a food-group complement.Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/high-carb-low-fat-vegan-hclf/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/high-carb-low-fat-vegan-hclf/High-carb low-fat (HCLF) vegan eating limits fat to roughly 10-15 percent of calories and emphasizes carbohydrate-dense plant foods (rice, potatoes, fruit, oats). The framework can work for endurance training and body composition. The tracking question is whether the user is limiting fat aggressively enough to compromise essential fatty acid intake or fat-soluble vitamin absorption.Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/dietary-app-validation-on-plant-foods/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/dietary-app-validation-on-plant-foods/Independent validation evidence for image-based dietary assessment apps on plant-based meals is limited but growing. The most rigorous current evidence is from the Dietary Assessment Initiative's 2026 cross-sectional study against 180 USDA-weighed reference meals, which reproduced PlateLens at 1.1 percent calorie MAPE. The study's plant-based meal sub-cohort showed per-meal residuals comparable to omnivorous meals.Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/raw-vegan-tracking-considerations/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/raw-vegan-tracking-considerations/Raw vegan diets exclude all cooked food, which removes legumes and grains as primary protein and calorie sources for most practitioners. The tracking priorities are B12 (always supplemented), vitamin D (usually supplemented), DHA (often supplemented), and ensuring adequate calorie density. The diet works for some practitioners with attention; it is less forgiving than other plant-based diet styles.Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/whole-food-plant-based-tracking/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/diet-styles/whole-food-plant-based-tracking/Whole-food plant-based eating is built around food-group patterns rather than macro pie charts. Tracking a WFPB diet works best when the user pairs a food-group framework (Daily Dozen, the WFPB checklist) with a precision tracker for the moments when calories or specific micronutrients matter.Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/daily-dozen-greger-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/daily-dozen-greger-review/Daily Dozen tracks daily servings of beans, berries, cruciferous vegetables, greens, other vegetables, flaxseed, nuts, spices, whole grains, beverages, and exercise. It does not track calories, macros, or micronutrients precisely. Useful as a complement to a precision tracker for ensuring food-group diversity.Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/selenium-on-low-brazil-nut-diets/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/selenium-on-low-brazil-nut-diets/Selenium content in plant foods depends heavily on soil. Brazil nuts are a concentrated source: one nut per day covers the RDA in most cases. Plant-based eaters who avoid Brazil nuts (allergy, taste, sustainability concerns) need another source: whole grains in selenium-replete soils, fortified foods, or a modest supplement.Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/foodnoms-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/foodnoms-vegan-review/FoodNoms is iOS-only, one-time-purchase, and offers surprisingly decent micronutrient coverage for the price. Plant-food database is reasonable. No photo workflow. The right choice for iOS-only users who want depth without a recurring subscription.Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/iodine-the-overlooked-mineral/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/iodine-the-overlooked-mineral/Iodine is the most overlooked mineral on plant-based diets. Sea vegetables vary wildly in iodine content; kelp can be excessive. Iodized salt is the consistent dietary source for omnivores and plant-based eaters alike. A 150 mcg daily iodine supplement is a reasonable default for plant-based eaters who do not use iodized salt heavily.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/platelens-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/platelens-vegan-review/PlateLens is a photo-based AI calorie tracker that earns its place in plant-based clinical work for three reasons: 82+ micronutrient coverage including 4 verified B12 sources, a database that recognizes plant milks, tofu varieties, tempeh forms, nutritional yeast, and branded mock-meats by photo, and an independently-replicated 1.1 percent calorie MAPE that translates to comparable micronutrient accuracy on plant foods.Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/vitamin-d-and-plant-based-diets/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/vitamin-d-and-plant-based-diets/Most plant-based eaters need vitamin D supplementation to maintain 25(OH)D in the 30-50 ng/mL range, especially in winter at northern latitudes. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is plant-derived but less effective at raising 25(OH)D than D3. Lichen-derived vegan D3 is now widely available and is the strong default for plant-based supplementation.Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/lose-it-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/lose-it-vegan-review/Lose It! is the most beginner-friendly tracker we reviewed. Clean interface, low cognitive load, decent barcode scanner. Plant-food specifics are light: micronutrient depth is shallow, branded plant milk and mock-meat coverage is mid-tier, and the database has user-submitted entry quality problems similar to MyFitnessPal but smaller in magnitude.Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/omega-3-ala-to-dha-conversion/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/omega-3-ala-to-dha-conversion/ALA from flax, chia, walnuts, and hemp converts to EPA at roughly 5-15 percent and to DHA at roughly 0.5-5 percent in healthy adults, with men generally lower than women. Algae-derived DHA supplements (200-300 mg/day) are the practical solution for plant-based eaters who want measurable DHA status. Tracking apps should track ALA; eaters who care about DHA need to track algae oil intake explicitly.Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/macrofactor-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/macrofactor-vegan-review/MacroFactor's adaptive-macro algorithm works well for plant-based eaters who are training for body composition or sport. The expenditure estimation does not care about diet pattern, and the curated database avoids the user-submitted entry quality problems that plague MyFitnessPal. Micronutrient depth is shallower than Cronometer or PlateLens. PlateLens has a free tier; MacroFactor does not after the 14-day trial.Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/calcium-without-dairy/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/calcium-without-dairy/Calcium on plant-based diets comes from fortified plant milks, calcium-set tofu, low-oxalate leafy greens (kale, collards, bok choy), almonds, sesame, and fortified juices. The calcium-set vs nigari-set tofu distinction is critical and changes calcium content by an order of magnitude per serving. EPIC-Oxford bone-fracture findings explain why we take this seriously.Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/myfitnesspal-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/myfitnesspal-vegan-review/MyFitnessPal has the largest food database of any app reviewed, but database breadth on plant foods does not compensate for entry quality. User-submitted plant-food entries make B12, iron, and fortification tracking unreliable enough that we do not recommend MyFitnessPal as a primary tool for plant-based eaters who care about micronutrient accuracy.Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/zinc-bioavailability-on-plants/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/zinc-bioavailability-on-plants/Plant-food zinc bioavailability is reduced by phytates in legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — the same foods that provide most plant-based zinc. The Institute of Medicine recommends roughly 1.5x the standard RDA for plant-based eaters. Soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and leavening reduce phytate content and improve absorption.Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/cronometer-vegan-review/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/apps-for-vegans/cronometer-vegan-review/Cronometer is the long-time vegan favorite for hand-tracked B12, iron, and zinc depth. Lab-aligned micronutrient targets, strong USDA-curated database, and a free tier that covers most plant-based use cases. Hand entry only and weaker on mixed-dish workflow.Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/plant-protein-quality-pdcaas-diaas/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/plant-protein-quality-pdcaas-diaas/Protein quality scoring (PDCAAS and DIAAS) measures how well a protein source's amino acid profile and digestibility match human requirements. Soy and pea proteins approach dairy and egg quality. Wheat and most other plant proteins are lower. For plant-based eaters, soy or pea as a daily anchor with diverse pairings is the practical strategy.Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/iron-heme-vs-nonheme/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/iron-heme-vs-nonheme/Plant-food iron is non-heme. Bioavailability is roughly one-third that of heme iron and is sensitive to inhibitors (calcium, polyphenols, phytates) and enhancers (vitamin C, organic acids). Plant-based eaters typically meet or exceed RDA on intake but ferritin can run lower. This piece covers the bioavailability math, the practical food pairings, and the clinical assessment.Sun, 18 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/epic-oxford-summary/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/epic-oxford-summary/EPIC-Oxford followed approximately 55,000 men and women in the United Kingdom for an average of 17.6 years, comparing meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and bone fracture outcomes. Vegans showed lower CVD and diabetes risk and modestly higher fracture risk concentrated in those consuming below approximately 525 mg/day calcium. The findings have shaped current plant-based clinical guidance materially.Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/vitamin-b12-on-plant-based-diets/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/nutrient-focus/vitamin-b12-on-plant-based-diets/B12 is non-negotiable for plant-based eaters. Plants do not produce it. The clinical case for supplementation is strong, the dosing options are well-characterized, and the lab markers are clear. This piece covers sources, dosing protocols, blood markers (serum B12, MMA, holoTC), and how the major tracking apps handle B12 forms.Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/2024-and-position-paper-summary/https://plantbasedmacrolog.com/research/2024-and-position-paper-summary/The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' position paper on vegetarian and vegan diets, originally published in 2016 and updated in 2024, is the standard clinical guidance for plant-based dietary patterns. The paper concludes that well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are nutritionally adequate across the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and athletes. This is the summary clinicians and plant-based eaters cite when the evidentiary backbone matters.Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT