There is so much nutrition information available on the internet. How can you be sure the information you are reading is trustworthy?
The good news is there are lots of organizations that provide excellent and trustworthy information on nutrition for free. See the list below.
1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, eatright.org. This is the professional organization for registered dietitians. On this website, you can find recipes, browse information on nutrition for different health conditions and life stages and search for a registered dietitian near you.
2. MyPlate, choosemyplate.gov. If you want the latest information on healthy eating by food group, the Choose MyPlate website is the place for you. The website has information on all the food groups (and which foods are included in which groups), helpful tips for eating well and free printable materials you can share with friends and family.
3. Supertracker, supertracker.usda.gov. One of the things many people who successfully lose weight and keep it off have in common is they keep track of what they eat. Supertracker helps you track what you eat, your exercise and your weight, all for free. You can create an account using your email address. To get started, click on "Create Profile" on the top right. Then you will be asked a series of questions. After that, you can start tracking what you eat and even enter recipes.
4. What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl, whatscooking.fns.usda.gov. The recipes on this website are very budget-friendly, and you can search for a recipe by ingredient. There is the option for large quantity or household-size recipes.
5. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, nccih.nih.gov. One topic I am commonly asked about is supplements. For research-based, unbiased information about specific supplements or herbs, check out this website. You can search for a particular herb or supplement by clicking on "All Health Topics from A-Z" on the top left. Remember to talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herb or supplement to make sure it does not interfere with your medications.
6. American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org. This website is a wonderful resource for people with diabetes. It has a plethora of information on diabetes and its complications, physical activity, and eating well. Plus, they have oodles of delicious recipes for everyone to enjoy.
7. American Heart Association, heart.org. The American Heart Association does a great job of staying up to date on what will work for the vast majority of people with heart disease. There are great articles on heart disease, information on eating heart-healthfully, and recipes. Click on the "Healthy Living" option at the top of the page to get started.
Make sure the websites you use are associated with a respected, nationwide institution or health care system. This is a good rule of thumb to make sure the information you read is reliable.
Lynn Grant is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. She works at Capital Region Medical Center and provides diabetes education and outpatient nutrition counseling by appointment.