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Track every byte: new portable scale measures calorie intake by food weight

The Slate Scale is shown weighing a muffin, and the paired phone displays nutrition information. (Slate Scale)
The Slate Scale is shown weighing a muffin, and the paired phone displays nutrition information. (Slate Scale)

When Rana Varma went to the doctor last year, the active entrepreneur was told he had high cholesterol.

“I go to the gym, so I was surprised by the news. I thought I was healthy,” said Varma in a recent phone interview with Yahoo Canada.

The Calgarian immediately started looking for something to track the nutrition and calories in his food the way he was used to tracking his activity, with the help of his smartphone and apps. When he didn’t find anything on the market that was exactly what he decided to create it.

So with that, Varma, who has a business background, teamed up with Teddy Syed, who has design and software engineering experience, to create Slate Scale.

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You put your food on the small scale, which connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth. Then, an app on your phone allows you to keep track of the calories and nutrients you are consuming. The app calculates the nutrients by tapping in to the information on the United States Department of Agriculture’s nutrient database, explains Syed. And, because the scale is only about the size and weight of a smartphone you could take it with you when you’re out for the day.

Weighing possible benefits and risks

Apps and food scales are common tools people use to track their calories and nutrients, said Kara Vogt, a registered dietitian and clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia, in an email interview. While there’s no guarantee that Slate Scale will help you drop pounds, it could be a useful tool, she said.

“These types of apps may help individuals meet their nutrition or weight loss goals by enhancing their awareness of what they are eating and how specific portion sizes translate into nutrients,” Vogt said.

While there might be benefits, there also may also be drawbacks.

Technology can provide a wealth of raw data, but it can be difficult to know how to assess the accuracy of it and to interpret it without the help of an expert, like a dietitian, Vogt said.

“Another real risk is the potential to obsess about food intake in an unhealthy way, when we have the ability to track every bite,” she warns.

Bottom line? Cool technology like the Slate Scale can help you get more informed about your food choices and start you down a healthier path, but make sure it’s just one tool in your tool belt on your way to a healthier you.

The Slate Scale recently won an innovation award from the University of Calgary and is in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign.

Varma said he hopes the Slate Scale will be ready for general sale via a website, for about $100 a pop, early next year.