We are INUNDATED with nutrition information, reliable and otherwise. When I sit down to write an article or look a client question up, these are the sources I use, because I know they are valid and trustworthy.
University of Missouri Extension local programming and online resources—I may be biased, but I think the program’s MU Extension have to offer cover a wide range of topics to help all Missourian’s improve their health, education, and economy. You can find local programming near you at extension.missouri.edu.
Tuft’s University Nutrition Newsletter and Facebook page—This school is in Boston and they put out a great monthly newsletter on current nutrition topics. They also post to their Facebook page quite frequently with recipes, articles, and RD’s answers to subscriber questions.
Environmental Nutrition Newsletter—EN, as you might guess, focuses a lot of the information in their newsletter on not only nutrition, but also sustainability. The process by which we get our food is something to consider and be mindful of.
Today’s Dietitian Magazine and Facebook page—Today’s Dietitian can get a little heavy in nutrition jargon, but they have a good variety of articles in their magazine each month. They also post frequently to Facebook with recipes and more.
2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans—A panel of respected nutrition scientists make these recommendations to our government every five years. Here is the link to the most recent DGA: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/
USDA’s MyPlate-- https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ has an abundance of information for many various eating patterns and lifestyles. They have Facebook page too that often posts helpful tips for helping children eat healthy.
University of Nebraska Extension—They put together a wonderful monthly newsletter on nutrition, budget-friendly recipes, meal prepping and family physical activity.
Government websites (.gov), like nih.gov—Regardless of how you feel about our government, their published nutrition information is based on scientific research and is very reliable.
Other Extension websites (.edu)—Every state in the Union has an Extension University. You can bet that their information is based on research and tested best practices. If you aren’t from Missouri, and you are reading this, look into your state’s Extension University and what local programs they have to offer you.
Certain .org’s—like the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association. I’m picky with .org’s because sometimes you can get very one-sided information, hence why it is number 10 on my list.
Rarely do I ever use a .com site to find nutrition and health information. .com stands for commercial and these sites are usually trying to sell something whether it looks like it or not.
Long story short, check your source before you share, post, tweet, or start any drastic eating pattern or lifestyle change.