During this term I have had the opportunity to analyze my diet twice; once for Nutrition using the Diet Analysis Plus (DA+) software that came with my text, and another for this class using mypyramid.gov. I will talk about the pros and cons of both and compare and contrast the differences between the two diet analysis methods.

The biggest difference in the two programs is that mypyramid.gov is a free program and Diet analysis came with my $160 nutrition text.  The Diet Analysis program is, however, on all of the computers in the learning center computer lab. 

Both of the programs give data for all of the major micro and macronutrients. I found that Mypyramid.gov had just as large of a database of foods as the DA+ program did. The biggest thing that i liked about the DA+ program is that you are able to break your days up into meals. It aslo goes one step further by offering a source analysis of specifically which foods had the highest concentration of certain nutrients. The program provided detailed data sheets, graphs, and customized spreadsheets showing deficiencies in your diet according to your personal needs. It allowed you to specify those needs based on either BMI (less accurate) or by your body fat percentage, which required a manual entry based on information. You would have to be measured to ensure accuracy of your percentage of body fat.

One thing I noticed is that Mypyramid.gov was easier to navigate and for whatever reason, was faster at entering foods than the DA+ program. They also have a large database of foods, and i was able to find my meals quickly and easily.

After using both programs, I would recommend the use of mypyramid.gov if you want a general overview of what foods you've eaten and the basic nutrition it provides. If you are looking for a more complex analysis of nutrient sources and are willing to spend the time, DA+ is more effective at giving you a detailed picture of your diet.