When you’re a freshman standing in line at Big Mouth Burrito, you can’t wait to indulge in the tasty fiesta experience.
You know it’s not the healthiest choice though, and before it enters your mouth you can’t help but wonder how many calories you are consuming in one meal. Or that one time at Common Grounds at 2 a.m. when you couldn’t pass up the goodness of a PB Squared. Plus a smoothie. Maybe a soda. And afterwards you asked yourself how the heck you just sucked all of that down like a human vacuum.
Sound familiar?
If you are a first-year student in college, it’s likely that you often are worried about gaining the dreaded “Freshman 15.” And for those who are upperclassmen, you probably remember feeling that same sense of apprehension.
But have no fear: University Housing is coming to the rescue via technology, with a new iPhone app and an online calculator. The app releases today, and available for students, staff, faculty and anyone who takes advantage of dining on campus to access detailed nutrition and ingredient information.
The online tool allows users to look up this information by type of food and the options available, as well as by the location of their chosen restaurant. Within these areas, viewers can educate themselves on the calorie, fat, sodium and vitamin content of what they eat.
And for those who are glued to their iPhone, a free app has also been created, which can be downloaded by searching the keywords “Oregon nutrition” in the App Store.
Tom Driscoll, director of food services at the University, confirmed the idea was inspired by the students themselves.
“Students have been waiting for something like this,” Driscoll said. “I receive multiple e-mails on a regular basis asking what ingredients are found in certain foods and what is healthiest. We have been working on this for about two years, and it’s coming together.”
The convenience and helpfulness is taken one step further with a detailed list of vegetarian and vegan options. Also, people with certain food allergies can accommodate their needs and see which foods to avoid and which are acceptable.
“It’s hard to tell which foods I can and cannot eat here. It always depends, especially with salads,” said Allie Chinander, a University freshman living and dining on campus. “I’m allergic to gluten, which can be in really random foods like dressings. It will be nice knowing where I can go for meals.”
Living a health-conscious lifestyle is increasingly being magnified in society, as individuals are recognizing the importance of eating right to benefit their physical well-being. The app and website are new components in the University’s efforts to raise the food standards and motivate even more people to get on board with a healthy lifestyle.
“This plan is necessary because eating is different for different people,” Driscoll said. “The whole idea is about catering partly to allergens, and partly for simply improving diet as well.”
Will the website and iPhone App earn a positive response? Driscoll and food services will observe over the next couple weeks, and a metric measurement device online will track the number of viewers who take advantage of the at-home and on-the-go convenience.
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Counting calories without calculus
Daily Emerald
January 31, 2011
Nate Makuch
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