Recipes / Health
Telegram calorie & macro logger (Cal AI alternative)
Log meals by text, voice note or food photo in Telegram; Gemini estimates calories and macros, saves them to Google Sheets and sends daily progress against your targets.
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App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Calorie-counting apps like Cal AI | n8n + Gemini AI agent + Telegram bot + Google Sheets (Profile and Meals tabs) |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | Gemini API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Intermediate |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Check estimates now and then; keep the Sheets columns as the template expects. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Meal text, voice and photos go to Google (Gemini) and Telegram; your log lives in your Google Sheet. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Calorie-counting apps like Cal AI |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n + Gemini AI agent + Telegram bot + Google Sheets (Profile and Meals tabs) |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | Gemini API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Reliability | 3/5: published template; macro numbers are AI estimates from text or photos, not measured. |
| Maintenance | Check estimates now and then; keep the Sheets columns as the template expects. |
| Privacy & data | Meal text, voice and photos go to Google (Gemini) and Telegram; your log lives in your Google Sheet. |
| Best for | People who already log food on their phone and want it in a spreadsheet |
| Not for | Anyone needing medically accurate nutrition tracking |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Text, voice or photo input
- Data in your own Sheet
- Daily progress reports
Cons
- Calorie estimates can be off
- Needs Telegram bot + API setup
How it works
- Create Profile and Meals sheets
- Configure the Telegram trigger with your bot token
- Connect Gemini credentials
- Connect Google Sheets
- Deploy and start chatting with the bot
Source and evidence
Published template that describes itself as an open-source alternative to the Cal AI app; calorie and macro figures are AI estimates.
Read the original Template source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source last checked 2026-10-16.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Telegram calorie & macro logger (Cal AI alternative). Replaces Calorie-counting apps like Cal AI with n8n + Gemini AI agent + Telegram bot + Google Sheets (Profile and Meals tabs). Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: Gemini API usage + n8n; free template. Setup: Not reported, Intermediate. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: published template; macro numbers are AI estimates from text or photos, not measured. Best for: People who already log food on their phone and want it in a spreadsheet. Not for: Anyone needing medically accurate nutrition tracking. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/7756-nutrition-tracker-and-meal-logger-with-telegram-gemini-ai-and-google-sheets/
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