# Edamam MCP > Edamam connects your AI agent directly to a massive food and recipe database, letting you audit nutrition information instantly. Forget manually cross-referencing ingredients or searching diet restrictions across multiple sites. Use this MCP to search for thousands of recipes by keyword, check ingredient breakdowns for total calories and weights, or filter results specifically for 'vegan' or 'high-protein' meals. ## Overview - **Category:** data-management - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** recipe-database, nutritional-analysis, dietary-data, ingredient-lookup, health-data, culinary-api ## Description This connector lets your AI agent act like a professional nutritionist—without you ever leaving your chat window. You stop spending time clicking through separate nutrition portals just to plan one meal. Instead, you ask your agent a question about food, and it draws accurate data from thousands of recipes and ingredient breakdowns in real time. Whether you're developing a dietary regimen or just trying to find something gluten-free for dinner, the system pulls precise metadata on calories, weights, and nutritional markers. It keeps everything categorized and ready to use. Because this MCP lives within Vinkius, it connects all your food intelligence tools into one single point of access, letting you keep working with any compatible AI client. ## Tools ### check_api_status Verifies if the Edamam service is currently running and accessible. ### get_nutrition_details Provides a full nutritional breakdown for any given list of raw ingredients. ### search_recipes_by_cuisine Filters recipe searches to only show dishes from a specific region, such as Japanese or Greek. ### search_recipes_by_diet Searches for recipes matching strict dietary parameters like 'high-protein' or 'keto'. ### search_recipes_by_health Filters results to only show meals that meet specific health requirements, such as 'vegan' or 'dairy-free'. ### search_recipes Finds food recipes using general keywords or names, like 'chicken salad'. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Search for 'healthy chicken salad' recipes using Edamam. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved several healthy chicken salad recipes! Notable options include a 'Mediterranean Chicken Salad' and a 'Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad'. Would you like the calorie count or full nutritional breakdown for any of these? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Get nutritional details for '1 cup of cooked rice' and '100g of grilled salmon'. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the nutrition details! The combination has approximately 450 calories and 35g of protein. I can provide the full breakdown of fats, carbs, and vitamins if you'd like. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show vegan recipes for 'pasta' using Edamam. ``` **Response:** ``` I've identified 10 vegan pasta recipes. Notable matches include 'Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta' and 'Creamy Cashew Pasta'. I can provide the cuisine type and preparation time for each if you'd like. ``` ## Capabilities ### Find recipes by search criteria Search for thousands of recipes using keywords or common names. ### Analyze ingredient nutrition Get a detailed breakdown of calories, weights, and nutritional markers for any list of ingredients. ### Filter by specific diets Search only for recipes that meet certain dietary standards, like 'low-fat' or 'high-protein'. ### Select meals based on health needs Limit recipe searches to items marked with specific health labels, such as 'vegan' or 'gluten-free'. ### Discover by food type Search for recipes organized by regional cuisine, like Italian or American. ## Use Cases ### Planning a post-surgery meal regimen A patient's dietitian needs to ensure all meals are low in fat and high in protein. They ask the agent to use `search_recipes_by_diet` for 'low-fat' AND 'high-protein', then run those results through `get_nutrition_details` to verify compliance. ### Developing a cookbook themed around Italy A chef needs inspiration. They ask the agent to use `search_recipes_by_cuisine` for 'Italian' first, then refine the search using `search_recipes` with keywords like 'tomato' or 'pasta', generating a full regional data set. ### Creating content about vegan cooking A blogger needs proof of concept. They use `search_recipes_by_health` for 'vegan' and then filter the results further using `search_recipes_by_diet` to find suitable options, making their article highly specific. ### Fact-checking an ingredient list A food manufacturer wants to verify if a new product contains too much sodium. They feed the ingredients into `get_nutrition_details` and get immediate, accurate data for compliance checks. ## Benefits - Stop manually checking nutritional labels. Use `get_nutrition_details` to instantly audit the calorie, weight, and macronutrient breakdown for any list of ingredients. - Find exactly what you need without guessing. You can filter recipes using `search_recipes_by_diet` or `search_recipes_by_health`, guaranteeing results meet strict parameters like 'gluten-free'. - Explore global cuisine instantly. Use `search_recipes_by_cuisine` to gather inspiration and data on regional food themes, from Sichuan to Mediterranean. - Research is faster than ever. The MCP lets you use `search_recipes` by name or keyword, pulling metadata like calorie counts directly into your conversation flow. - Verify API uptime before a big project launch. Use `check_api_status` to confirm the Edamam service is operational when you need it most. ## How It Works The bottom line is that your AI agent handles all the complex searching and auditing so you don't have to manually visit multiple food databases. 1. Subscribe to this MCP and provide your unique Edamam App ID and App Key. 2. Your AI client sends a request—for instance, asking for 'vegan pasta recipes'—to the MCP. 3. The MCP processes the query using the appropriate tool, retrieving structured data like calorie counts and ingredient breakdowns, which your agent then presents to you. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I use search_recipes to find a general recipe idea?** You just give the agent keywords or names, like 'taco' or 'curry'. The tool returns basic metadata and links you to detailed results. **Do I need get_nutrition_details for every ingredient listed in a recipe?** No. Use the tool when you have a specific list of ingredients you want to audit, or if you are planning a meal and need total macro-nutrient counts. **Can I use search_recipes_by_diet for multiple conditions?** You can narrow down your results by asking for specific diet labels like 'low-fat' or 'keto'. The tool handles these filters in one query. **Is the Edamam MCP reliable? How do I check its status?** Always start by running `check_api_status`. This tool quickly confirms if the entire service is operational before you waste time making complex queries. **How do I use search_recipes_by_cuisine if I want recipes from a specific region like Southeast Asia?** You pass the cuisine type directly to the tool. It filters the entire recipe database for that regional theme. This lets you narrow down results efficiently, skipping general keyword searches entirely. **If I use get_nutrition_details, do I need to specify weights and measurements for every ingredient?** Yes, specifying precise weights is critical for accurate data. The tool needs measures—like '1 cup' or '50g'—to calculate total calories or macronutrients correctly. **What happens if I hit a rate limit when calling search_recipes or other tools?** If you exceed the allowed call volume, the API will return an error code. You must implement retry logic and wait for the specified cooldown period before trying again. **Can I combine a keyword search with a specific health label using search_recipes_by_health?** Yes, you can often pass both criteria in a single query. This lets your agent filter for keywords like 'dessert' while simultaneously ensuring the result meets the 'gluten-free' status. **How do I find my Edamam App ID and App Key?** Register for a developer account at [**developer.edamam.com**](https://developer.edamam.com/), create an application for the Recipe Search or Nutrition Analysis API, and you will find your credentials in your dashboard. Copy and paste them below. **Does it calculate nutrition for any ingredient?** Yes. Use the `get_nutrition_details` tool and provide a list of ingredients (e.g., '1 large apple'). Your agent will return the full nutritional metadata instantly. **Can the agent filter by diet labels?** Yes. The `search_recipes_by_diet` tool allows your agent to audit recipes matching specific dietary constraints like 'balanced', 'high-protein', or 'low-carb'.