January AI Adds Photo Scanning for Instant Meal Nutrition Insights

The metabolic health app has unveiled a spate of new features, including an AI health coach and a Hack My Food tool, but its new photo scanning capability is “truly magical,” says CEO

With Diabetes Awareness Month and the holidays quickly approaching, January AI has rolled out new features in its metabolic health app that empowers users in innovative ways—including an AI-powered photo scan, an Apple HealthKit integration for tracking sleep and activities, a Hack My Food tool, fasting guide features, and a new AI health coach nicknamed Jan.

The new features solidify January AI’s mission to provide an alternative to continuous glucose monitoring, where consumers can optimize their nutrition and blood sugar with the help of glucose predictions and actionable insights.

While all of January AI’s updates are impressive, its new meal scanner feature—which lets users take an image of their meal to reveal detailed nutritional information—is perhaps its most groundbreaking. 

“The photo experience is truly magical,” January AI founder and CEO Noosheen Hashemi said. “You can scan complex dishes and the app instantly recognizes the food – distinguishing between a Thai red curry versus an Indian Tikka Masala, for example – it delivers not only the macros but also predicts the potential glucose impact.”

Hashemi added that users can also scan barcodes and search for millions of recipes and menu items from chain and local restaurants.

“We have the best photo scanner, the largest food database, and all the possible modalities for searching and logging foods, successfully competing with other nutritional solutions in the market,” she continued.

Jan, the app’s new personalized AI health coach, provides users with advice based on their food logs, activity, and health goals and will suggest meals, set and track macro and calorie targets, and create workout plans. Jan also offers recipes and tips on sleep and fasting.

Users can now choose from one of five fasting protocols, including Eat-Stop-Eat and One Meal A Day, with helpful tools such as fasting timers and notifications.

“As Diabetes Awareness Month approaches this November, we’re reminded of the urgent need for tools that help people manage their health proactively,” Hashemi said. “With January AI, we’re enabling everyone to access real-time metabolic insights and take their health into their own hands.”