FWIW, I’m also a registered dietitian.
Spoiler alert: An added layer of expertise is needed.
Stocksy
We live in an age where technology can do almost anything.
Photo:Stocksy
With innovations and advances in technology, artificial intelligence is present in our daily lives.
Enter ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot that is generating quite the buzz.
So, I typed up my request and pressed return.
ChatGPT Meal Plan Request.
The simple answer is: I’m curious.
And, I like efficiency.
These potential benefits clearly outweigh the glaring con: artificial intelligence is not credentialed.
NutritionIX Nutrition Calculations.
AI is powerful, but it doesnt replace a professional.
Spoiler alert: I soon discovered that ChatGPT absolutely needed my expertise.
The Goal: A Nutritionally-Balanced, AI-Derived Meal Plan
Lets just say it was a process.
Shape / Mehroz Kapadia
ChatGPT is smart, but its not a mind reader.
What Did I Ask For, And Why?
After a few failed attempts, I figured out how to get what I was looking for.
ChatGPT repsonse.
Why did I ask for these specifics?
What Did I Get?
It was concise, seemingly well-balanced, and generally appealing to me food-wise.
Plant-Based Chat GPT Meal Plan.
The plan got cut off after a few days, potentially due to a character limit.
However, dont cancel your nutrition sessions just yet.
Lets dig into the pros and cons of using ChatGPT as a meal planner.
Shape / Mehroz Kapadia
Just as I suspected, ChatGPT fell short.
Not to mention: is ChatGPT in cahoots with diet culture?
Three of seven days fell short in dietary fat.
What surprised me the most?
The protein was on point.
For example, 1 cup of oatmeal can be interpreted in various ways.
To me, this means one cup of prepared plain rolled oats cooked with water.
These alternatives can drastically change the nutrition profile of the oatmeal.
Another example is Greek yogurt.
Im always quick to specify unsweetened, plain, full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt.
A dietitian helps showshowto eat and fit a plan into ones lifestyle.
An expert can absolutely instruct and teach while evolving the plan to meet an individuals changing personal habits.
AI certainly cant do that.
If youre looking for sound, evidence-based nutrition advice, consult a professional.
For example, this meal plan recommends green beans (1 cup) as part of a dinner.
What does that mean?
Are these slightly bland, simply steamed green beans?
Or, buttery, garlic-sauteed green beans?
What about miso-glazed green beans?
The meal plan that I received from ChatGPT does not acknowledge or account for cooking methods.
Your meals should be colorful and crave-worthy, not boring and bland.
Con: Lack of Variety
Variety is key to a successful meal plan.
The snacks, however, leave a lot to be desired.
Nuts, cheese, and cottage cheese can get boring when you eat them on repeat.
Plus, there arent really any convenient grab-and-go options.
My rule of thumb when it comes to snacks is to combine protein and fiber.
one cup, one tablespoon) and macronutrient data (i.e.
calories, protein, carbs, and fat) in the same meal plan.
However, I havent succeeded.
For this reason, I prefer to rely on trusted nutrition analysis tools, like NutritionIX.
Other dietitians agree that artificial intelligence does have some benefits.
There are some benefits of using AI to generate a meal plan, states Amidor.
I thought I had found a huge hole in ChatGPT: the lack ofoptions for plant-basedeaters.
Pro: Convenience
Lets face it.
Whats the main reason people love AI?
Yes, it makes life easier.
ChatGPT is recommending baked cod with quinoa and asparagus.
How can I take that up a notch?
Let AI do the hard lifting for you, then add flair and ensure your nutrition needs are met.
But, its just that a framework or starting point to build upon.
Can ChatGPT Consider Your Grocery Budget?
An additional concern to think about is the budget.
ChatGPTs meal plan calls for a wide range of ingredients that may not necessarily fit within an individuals budget.
So, how would I use my nutrition expertise to improve it?
I infused flavor and switched things up to be more appealing.
Its not very good at math or science.
Its a language model, after all.
