Stanford University's Food & Health Course Is Free Online

May 03, 2020

by Julia Maynor 05/03/2020

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon from Pexels

Stanford University is offering a free online Nutrition and Health course to those who are interested in exploring the topic.

Why Learn About Health And Nutrition

An estimated 10+ percent of people in the U.S. have diabetes. And one in four is pre-diabetic, the precursor to Type II Diabetes. That's just one of the many chronic diseases people may develop from a poor diet.

Ninety-three percent of people say they want to eat healthier. Sixty-three percent say they actively try to eat healthful foods. But there's a lot of misinformation online.

Is coconut oil healthy? Or is it not? Does eating foods high in cholesterol increase your cholesterol? Is taking a multi-vitamin a substitute for a healthy diet? Can you lots of exercise make up for a poor diet?

Learning about nutrition and how what you eat contributes to your health -- good or bad -- can help you make more informed decisions and share that knowledge with others. The Stanford Food and Health course is taught by a medical doctor and lecturer.

As a bonus, if you have kids, teaching them about nutrition and wellness is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. Set them up for success in wellness and life.

What You'll Learn in Stanford's Food & Health Course

In this course you'll learn:

The basics about food and nutrients to better understand what's going into your body

Contemporary eating trends around the world and how they've changed

How the global food supply is making people sick and what you can do about it

How food contributes to (or prevents) many terrible chronic diseases

How to apply strategies in your own life to make better food choices

This course works to shift the focus away from diet culture, deprivation mentality and weight loss fads that usually cause people to gain weight in the long-run. Instead, it explores how to take small steps to transform how you eat to obtain and retain your optimal health.

This course will also encourage you to discover your passion for cooking and preparing more meals at home, where you have more control over what you eat. That's a timely message.

How to Sign Up for this Free Online Course

Simply visit coursera.org. And search for "Stanford Introduction to Food and Health" with instructor Maya Adam, MD. Those who take this course may be interested in the "Science of Exercise" also free and taught online by a University of Colorado professor.