CHATGPT is more than just my pocket therapist – it’s now my in-house dietician, too.
Armed with photos of my lunches and dinners, the no-nonsense AI chatbot found two risky mistakes I was making with all my meals, which no doubt means thousands of others will be too.
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So how does it work?
Just upload a simple snap of the plate in front of you (I use the ChatGPT smartphone app for ease), which it then scans to figure out what you’re eating, and breaks it down to its nutritional contents.
Even without a description, it uses its clever machine mind to work out exactly what’s on your plate, forecast how many calories it has – and explain what the meal is missing, or has too much of.
Here’s what I uploaded – and ChatGPT’s analysis…
Meal #1: Noodle time
While not the healthiest meal in the world, a packet of Shin instant ramen is a go-to for me.
With no description from myself, ChatGPT managed to spot all the ingredients, from the shredded cabbage that was going floppy in my fridge to the dehydrated vegetables that came with the noodles.
It highlighted what was good about the meal, for example, how it was high in protein from the frozen prawns I’d added, and convenient due to the instant noodles.
Then, it explained exactly how I could make my go-to grub healthier – for example, I could have added more vegetables for fibre, sesame oil for healthy fats and tofu for calcium.
It also suggested I use a low-sodium broth or seasoning, and swap out the instant noodles for soba, udon or rice noodles – which definitely would have squashed the ‘convenience’ part of this meal.
If you tell ChatGPT your actual recipe or quantities, it can give you a more precise breakdown, too.
Meal #2: The Italian job
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With this bowl of pasta, ChatGPT visually dissected the meal into two separate components: the pasta, and the bread.
However, it made a slight calculation error: there were actually three small slices of bread, not two as it said.
If you notice ChatGPT make an error like this, simply correct it and it will give you an adjusted breakdown.
The AI bot then gave me another set of strengths from the meal, such as that it was rich in healthy fats from the olive oil and nuts in pesto.
It also contained antioxidants from the basil blended into the pesto, and the olives in the fancy bread I treated myself to.
But what I thought was a fairly healthy meal – made with homemade pesto, for goodness sakes – wasn’t so much…
ChatGPT revealed that it was “moderate to high” in sodium (salt) from the Parmesan, high in refined carbs and low in protein.
What you should ask ChatGPT:
So you can get the same results, copy and paste my prompt into ChatGPT alongside a picture of your own meal:
“Analyse this meal and provide a nutritional breakdown, including calories, macronutrients, and other key nutrients.
“Then give me recommendations on what the meal is missing. Ie, not enough protein or too much sodium. Thank you!”
If you upload several meals at once, everything you eat in one day for example, you can then ask ChatGPT to spot any common problems.
Try this prompt: “Considering all of the meals above – please list all the positives and negatives they have in common.”
Image Credit: Alamy
Meal #3: Chickening out
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ChatGPT’s clever AI brain can calculate the calories and nutritional content of each component of your plate.
Take this plate of roast chicken, for example, which has sides of homemade fries, broccoli and a butter tarragon sauce.
ChatGPT is able to estimate how much cholesterol is in the roast chicken and the quantity of sodium in the sauce
It then provides a breakdown of the meal with all components combined.
ChatGPT gave me a minor applause for my admittedly small portion of healthy greens and home-prepared fries, which have lower trans fats than processed ones.
It even noted that there was likely less sodium if the sauce was homemade.
The brutal verdict… and 2 hidden dangers
Taking a holistic look at three of my dinners over the past week, the AI bot warned me that my meals were all moderate to high in sodium – or salt, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It said sodium was “likely elevated across all meals (from broth, pesto cheese, olives, sauces)” and recommended I use low-sodium broth alternatives and less Parmesan cheese.
The advice ChatGPT gave me
Protein
Rating: Adequate
Notes: Well done – maintain or slightly increase if active.
Fibre
Rating: Low
Notes: Add legumes, more veg, whole grains.
Sodium
Rating: Moderate–High
Notes: Use low-sodium broths and sauces.
Fat
Rating: Balanced, but some meals high in saturated fat
Notes: Be mindful of frequency, balance with leaner meals.
Vegetable Variety
Rating: Limited (Present, but in a narrow range, minimal variety, or not in optimal balance)
Notes: Add diversity – aim for 3–4 colours per plate if possible.
Whole Grains
Rating: Lacking (Significantly below recommended levels or nearly absent)
Notes: Swap in whole wheat pasta, brown rice, grainy bread.
The AI bot also recommended I taste my food before salting it – which I certainly don’t do enough.
ChatGPT also cautioned that my fibre intake was low, which can cause constipation, which no one wants.
It worked out that most of my meals have roughly 5g to 8g of fibre in them, below the ideal 10g to 15g per meal, and I was encouraged to eat more whole grains, legumes, and more varied portions of vegetables.
ChatGPT even offered to design a meal to avert these mistakes – something lighter, higher in fibre, and low in sodium to “help round out [my] week’s eating pattern”.
It’s worth noting that the more information you give the bot, the more accurate its calculations will be.
But if like me, you’re time-poor and looking for simple, actionable snippets of advice, it’s a great free tool.
Dangerous mistakes
Let’s take a look at what could happen if my diet doesn’t change…
A low-fibre diet – one without enough whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds – can lead to several health problems.
That includes constipation, digestive issues, and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Without enough fibre, the digestive process slows down.
The gut’s microbiome can be disrupted by killing off all the good bacteria, which could weaken my immune system.
A high-fibre diet can also decrease my risk of bowel and colon cancer.
Meanwhile, a high-sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, and in extreme cases – brain damage.
Over time, a sodium-heavy diet can potentially lead to an increased risk of dementia and stroke.
Excess salt might also disrupt blood flow to the brain, damage blood vessels, and alter brainstem function – which can all lead to cognitive impairment.
Image Credit: Getty
