Thryve

Platform: Apple (Free; available via Apple App store)

RD Rating: 2 Stars

Developer:
Thryve Co.

Age rating: 4+

Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation), iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, iPad (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini and iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Reviewed by: Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD

Synopsis of the App

Thryve is marketed as a mobile food coach. Originally designed as a way to identify food intolerances, Thryve captures what and how much you eat and your mood after a meal. This information is used to make recommendations for what you should eat more and less of in each food group.

Pros

Strips away the focus on calories typically seen in health apps.
Provides a visually appealing log of meals and a way to track mood around mealtimes.
No advertisements in the version reviewed.

Cons

Sign up requires an email address and some basic personal information.
There's no guidance on "how" to use this app and it's not intuitive.
Meals cannot be edited without deleting them and starting over.
Minimalist design goes so far that it's not easy to understand the components and scoring system that may make this app more useful.
The scoring system is not clear or easy to understand and it's not immediately clear how to improve one's score.
The food database is extremely limited. For example: marinara sauce and peas fall into the "other" category.
Portions sizes are not well defined and may yield a large margin of error.

Bottom Line

This app is rough around the edges and doesn't deliver on the "coaching" promise as of yet. In its current stage, it's unlikely that Thryve will help the average consumer eat healthier or lose weight. It may however be helpful in tracking one's feelings around meal times.

Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD, is a Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

QUICK LINKS
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation is the world's largest charitable organization (501c3) focused on food, nutrition and dietetics. Academy Foundation is dedicated to working with the Registered Dietitian to help kids and their families eat right.
Participate in the only political action committee broadly focused on food, nutrition and health. If dietetics is your profession, politics is your business!
Through accreditation of more than 600 undergraduate and graduate didactic, dietetic technician and supervised practice programs, the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics ensures entry-level education meets quality standards.
The Commission on Dietetic Registration awards credentials to individuals at entry and specialty levels who have met CDR's standards for competency to practice in the dietetics profession.