Best Food & Nutrition APIs for Recipe Development in 2025

Best Food & Nutrition APIs for Recipe Development in 2025

As the culinary landscape continues to evolve, developers are increasingly turning to APIs to enhance their food and nutrition applications. In 2025, the demand for innovative recipe development tools is higher than ever, and leveraging the right APIs can significantly streamline the process. This blog post explores the top 10 Food & Nutrition APIs that are essential for recipe development, providing detailed insights into their features, capabilities, and practical applications.

1. Low Carb and Keto Recipes API

The Low Carb and Keto Recipes API is a comprehensive resource for developers looking to provide low-carb and keto recipes. With over a thousand recipes available, this API is a go-to for nutrition apps and food-related platforms.

Key Features:

• Random Recipe: This feature allows developers to retrieve a random recipe, providing users with surprise meal ideas. The API returns a JSON object containing the recipe's name, description, ingredients, and nutritional information.

{"id":"3e2d06c4-4851-48b5-a12a-973937bd0311","name":"Low Carb Avocado Pesto Noodles","tags":["beef-free","chicken-free","dairy-free","egg-free","fish-free","gluten-free","kid-friendly","lunch","main-dishes","peanut-free","pescatarian","pork-free","shellfish-free","soy-free","tree-nut-free","vegetarian","wheat-free"],"description":"Pesto is so delicious. The basil gives it such a fresh flavor and the nuts make it nutty and the parm gives it a nice bite. I love blending this with avocado because it makes for the creamiest pesto ever!","prepareTime":20,"cookTime":2,"ingredients":[{"name":"Zucchini Noodles","servingSize":{"units":"cup, sliced","desc":"6 cup, sliced","qty":6.0,"grams":678.0,"scale":6.78}},{"name":"Kosher Salt","servingSize":{"units":"teaspoon","desc":" teaspoon","qty":0.75,"grams":4.562,"scale":0.046}}]}

• Search Recipes: This feature enables users to search for recipes based on specific criteria such as dietary restrictions or meal types. Developers can implement this feature to enhance user experience by providing tailored recipe suggestions.

[{"id":"b5666639-d875-4e26-afed-899b26125b61","name":"Keto Battered Fish","tags":["beef-free","chicken-free","dairy-free","fish-free","gluten-free","keto","kid-friendly","lchf","meal-plan-ok","paleo","peanut-free","pescatarian","pork-free","shellfish-free","soy-free","wheat-free"],"description":"Delicious Keto battered fish is coated with coconut flour, baking powder, egg, and almond milk. Each strip of white fish is covered with coconut flour and then dipped into the low carb batter.","prepareTime":15,"cookTime":10,"ingredients":[{"name":"White Fish","servingSize":{"units":"oz","desc":"4 oz","qty":4,"grams":113.4}},{"name":"Coconut Flour","servingSize":{"units":"cup","desc":"1 cup","qty":1,"grams":120}}]}

This API is particularly useful for nutrition apps, meal planning tools, and food blogs, allowing developers to recommend recipes based on user preferences and dietary restrictions.

2. Feed Reader API

The Feed Reader API is designed for developers who want to aggregate and normalize data from various RSS, ATOM, and JSON feeds. This API is perfect for creating news aggregators, social media bots, and content-based services.

Key Features:

• Get Feed Data: This feature allows developers to retrieve feed data from a specified ATOM/RSS source. The API normalizes the data, making it easier to work with.

{"error":0,"message":"Feed extraction success","data":{"title":"\"realtime electronic payment repay\" - Google News","link":"https://news.google.com/search?q=realtime+electronic+payment+repay&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen","description":"Google News","language":"en-US","generator":"NFE/5.0","published":"2025-01-24T14:23:18.000Z","entries":[{"id":"CBMiyAFBVV95cUxNVHNZMVEzc0w1MXhEcEtDdFU0UVFfcXFkaEctOUQ5M09rMEtSTDBQem9UTHRNcEZOMUhyS2lmb1d0MGg3aHA2YXhVcnE4N0pPUUZzQXJ2OU0yWTBZTC1YQnRRSEFPVF92eWR6SVdzaGRwQ3JIU09fX1NiWnhBRE5VaUVQdHdzWi1yMlNKR25ITmZ4ZW9tbkU4RS1YXzROTmdSckItYnNmYnUtWFBvelF3RnNOYV9nbUdubUFLRm1WMjRzOXRSZWlZMQ","title":"REPAY Empowers Credit Unions with Enhancements to CU*Answers Integration - Business Wire","link":"https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiyAFBVV95cUxNVHNZMVEzc0w1MXhEcEtDdFU0UVFfcXFkaEctOUQ5M09rMEtSTDBQem9UTHRNcEZOMUhyS2lmb1d0MGg3aHA2YXhVcnE4N0pPUUZzQXJ2OU0yWTBZTC1YQnRRSEFPVF92eWR6SVdzaGRwQ3JIU09fX1NiWnhBRE5VaUVQdHdzWi1yMlNKR25ITmZ4ZW9tbkU4RS1YXzROTmdSckItYnNmYnUtW...}]}}

This API is particularly useful for developers looking to create applications that require real-time content updates from various sources.

3. Nutritional Info from Text API

The Nutritional Info from Text API utilizes natural language processing (NLP) to extract food information from text and provide detailed nutritional data. This API is ideal for food tracking apps and recipe analysis tools.

Key Features:

• Get Nutrition: This feature allows users to input text describing food items and receive comprehensive nutritional information, including calories, serving size, and more.

[{"name": "orange juice", "calories": "Only available for premium subscribers.", "serving_size_g": "Only available for premium subscribers.", "fat_total_g": 0.3, "fat_saturated_g": 0.0, "protein_g": "Only available for premium subscribers.", "sodium_mg": 4, "potassium_mg": 116, "cholesterol_mg": 0, "carbohydrates_total_g": 28.0, "fiber_g": 0.7, "sugar_g": 20.6}]

This API is particularly useful for applications that require users to log their meals or analyze recipes for nutritional content.

4. Ingredients Parser API

The Ingredients Parser API allows developers to extract ingredient lists from any text, making it a valuable tool for recipe apps and nutrition tracking platforms.

Key Features:

• Parser: This feature extracts and classifies individual components from an ingredient list, returning them in a structured JSON format.

{"ingredients":[{"error_code":null,"input":"3 to 4 tbsp whole milk","quantity":"3","unit":"tablespoon","name":"whole milk","quantity_end":"4","size":null,"suggested_amount":null,"comments":null},{"error_code":null,"input":"8 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced","quantity":"8","unit":null,"name":"Granny Smith apples","quantity_end":null,"size":"large","suggested_amount":null,"comments":"peeled, cored and sliced"}]}

This API is particularly useful for applications that need to analyze food labels or provide allergen information based on ingredient lists.

5. Chef Generator API

The Chef Generator API is a recipe generator that creates new recipes based on user inputs and preferences. This API is perfect for chefs and food bloggers looking to innovate in the kitchen.

Key Features:

• Recipe Generator: Users can input ingredients they have on hand, and the API will generate a recipe based on those ingredients.

{"recipeName":"Cheesy Potato Casserole","howManyServings":"6","ingredients":["4 cups diced potatoes","1/2 cup butter, melted","1/2 cup all-purpose flour","2 cups milk","1 teaspoon salt","1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper","2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese","1/2 cup chopped onion"],"instructions":["Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).","In a 9x13 inch baking dish, combine potatoes, butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, cheese, and onion.","Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until potatoes are tender."]}

This API is particularly useful for users looking to create unique dishes without the need for extensive recipe searches.

6. Food Text Analysis API

The Food Text Analysis API employs NLP to analyze and extract nutritional content from food items described in text form. This API is ideal for meal planning and nutrition education resources.

Key Features:

• Food Analysis: This feature extracts structured data from unstructured food text, providing quantity, measure, and food details, along with diet and allergen labels.

{"uri":"http://www.edamam.com/ontologies/edamam.owl#recipe_216ccf5550414754b6cd2d8d3f56cbb4","calories":122,"totalWeight":86.0,"dietLabels":["LOW_CARB","LOW_SODIUM"],"healthLabels":["SUGAR_CONSCIOUS","LOW_POTASSIUM","KIDNEY_FRIENDLY","KETO_FRIENDLY","VEGETARIAN","PESCATARIAN","PALEO","SPECIFIC_CARBS","DAIRY_FREE","GLUTEN_FREE","WHEAT_FREE","MILK_FREE","PEANUT_FREE","TREE_NUT_FREE","SOY_FREE","FISH_FREE","SHELLFISH_FREE","PORK_FREE","RED_MEAT_FREE","CRUSTACEAN_FREE","CELERY_FREE","MUSTARD_FREE","SESAME_FREE","LUPINE_FREE","MOLLUSK_FREE","ALCOHOL_FREE","NO_OIL_ADDED","NO_SUGAR_ADDED","FODMAP_FREE","KOSHER"],"cautions":[],"totalNutrients":{"ENERC_KCAL":{"label":"Energy","quantity":122.98,"unit":"kcal"},"FAT":{"label":"Total lipid (fat)","quantity":8.1786,"unit":"g"},"FASAT":{"label":"Fatty acids, total saturated","quantity":2.68836,"unit":"g"}}}

This API is particularly useful for applications that require accurate nutritional analysis from ingredient lists or recipes.

7. Food Nutrition Information API

The Food Nutrition Information API provides detailed nutritional information on a wide range of foods, making it an essential tool for diet tracking and meal planning applications.

Key Features:

• Search Food By Keyword: This feature allows users to search for foods using keywords, returning detailed nutritional information.

{"totalHits":6846,"currentPage":1,"totalPages":1370,"foods":[{"fdcId":1799988,"description":"BACON","dataType":"Branded","gtinUpc":"654383121311","publishedDate":"2021-06-17","brandOwner":"Miesfelds Triangle Market, Inc.","brandName":"FESTIVAL FOODS","ingredients":"BACON CURED WITH: WATER, SALT, SUGAR, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE.","marketCountry":"United States","foodCategory":"Bacon, Sausages & Ribs"}]}

• Search Food By ID: This feature retrieves a single food item by its FDC ID, providing detailed nutritional information.

{"timestamp":"2024-11-19T14:34:55.364+0000","status":400,"error":"Bad Request","message":"Failed to convert value of type 'java.lang.String' to required type 'java.lang.Long'; nested exception is java.lang.NumberFormatException: For input string: \"fish\"","path":"/portal-data/api/v1/food/fish/"}

This API is particularly useful for applications that require detailed nutritional analysis for meal planning or dietary tracking.

8. Mexican Meal API

The Mexican Meal API is a comprehensive resource for authentic Mexican cuisine, offering over 170 recipes along with detailed ingredient and cooking information.

Key Features:

• Get All Mexican Foods: This feature returns a list of available Mexican meals, making it easy for developers to showcase a variety of dishes.

[{"id":"1","title":"Pressure cooker refried beans","difficulty":"Easy","image":"https://apipics.s3.amazonaws.com/mexican_api/1.jpg"},{"id":"2","title":"Black bean chilli soup with corn dumplings","difficulty":"Easy","image":"https://apipics.s3.amazonaws.com/mexican_api/2.jpg"}]

• Get Mexican Food ID: This feature allows users to retrieve detailed information about a specific dish by providing its ID.

{"id":"4","title":"Black bean and chicken burritos","difficulty":"Easy","portion":"Serves 4","time":"Hands-on time 30 min","description":"Use leftover roast chicken to make these thrifty and delicious chicken burritos.","ingredients":["1 tbsp vegetable oil","Bunch spring onions, finely chopped","2 garlic cloves, finely chopped","1 tsp cumin seeds","400g tin black beans in water, rinsed and drained","2 tsp smoked paprika","100g cooked rice","1 large avocado","Juice 1 lime","1 red chilli, finely chopped","150g ripe cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped","Bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped, reserving a few whole leaves to serve","4 large flour tortillas","125g cooked chicken, shredded","100g mild cheddar, grated","Hot sauce such as Tabasco or Cholula to serve (optional)"],"method":[{"Step 1":"Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spring onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften."}]}

This API is particularly useful for developers creating applications focused on Mexican cuisine, cooking classes, or cultural education.

Conclusion

In 2025, the landscape of food and nutrition APIs is rich with opportunities for developers looking to enhance their applications. From the Low Carb and Keto Recipes API to the Mexican Meal API, each API offers unique features that can be leveraged to create innovative culinary solutions. By understanding the capabilities of these APIs, developers can build applications that not only meet user needs but also enrich the overall culinary experience.