Jul
17
Dietitian-Approved Resources for Nutrition Information
By Anne Danahy MS RDN

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Consumers can’t seem to get enough nutrition information. Nearly every major news outlet, and most online magazines produce health and nutrition content. In addition, there are an estimated 500 million blogs on the internet, and many of them dole out food and nutrition advice daily.



Unfortunately, much of that content isn’t written by RDNs or nutrition professionals. Often, the writers have no formal nutrition training or research skills. In many cases, it’s produced on behalf of a company with a goal of selling their products. As a result, much nutrition information on the internet is biased and misleading, unclear, or in some cases, downright incorrect.



It’s no wonder our patients, and most consumers are confused.



To help patients and the public avoid misinformation, we’ve rounded up a list of helpful websites for the latest research and nutrition recommendations on common health conditions. All of these publish helpful resources, and accurate, science-based information that’s nicely translated for consumers. They’re also a great place for RDNs to get quick and condensed information on a variety of topics.



General and Family Nutrition


USDA Nutrition.gov


General and disease-specific nutrition information, recipes, lesson plans



MyPlate Meal Plans


Personalize meal plan generator



USDA Food Data Central


USDA’s food and nutrient database



2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines


US Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans (soon to be updated)



CDC Nutrition


Resources, statistics, recommendations for maternal, infant, and early childhood nutrition



Oldways


Research, information, supermarket education tools, healthy eating tips, recipes, for traditional diets: Mediterranean, African Heritage, Latin-American, Asian Heritage, Vegetarian and Vegan Diets



Vitamins, Minerals, Nutritional/Botanical Supplements


NIH Office of Dietary Supplements


Consumer and professional fact sheets about nutritional supplements



NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health


Evidence-based overview of herbal supplements and complementary therapies for a wide range of health conditions



Cancer


National Cancer Institute


Extensive information by cancer type: research, causes, prevention, treatments, statistics, etc.



American Institute for Cancer Research


Research and information on cancer prevention and treatment focused on food and lifestyle



Cardiovascular Diseases


NIH National Heart Lung and Blood Institute


Research and recommendations on cardiovascular diseases. Also include pulmonary diseases and sleep disorders



Celiac Disease


Gluten Intolerance Group


Research, resources, support groups, lists of gluten-free products and gluten-free restaurants



Diabetes


American Diabetes Association


Nutrition information for consumers; meal planning tips and tools



American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care


Standards of care for health professionals. Covers all aspects of diabetes management. Updated annually with current research and recommendations




Digestive Diseases


NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


Facts, causes, treatments (including diet and nutrition), about most digestive diseases and disorders. Also includes liver diseases.


Food Allergies


Food Allergy Research and Education


Research, tips, patient resources for common food allergens



Food Safety/Food Service


CDC Food Safety


Food safety guidelines and information about foodborne illness, product recalls



CDC’s Healthy Food Service Guidelines


Food safety and food service guidelines for federal facilities



USDA Health and Safety


Tools and resources for food safety, fact sheets, meat and poultry recalls



Renal Diseases


NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


Facts, causes, treatments (including diet and nutrition), about most kidney and urinary tract diseases and disorders




Miscellaneous Diseases and Health Conditions


Merck Manual Consumer Version


Searchable encyclopedia of health conditions, risk factors, causes, symptoms, treatments. Interesting articles on health conditions. Also has a more detailed Professional version