Nutrition

Top 6 Online Nutrition Courses [2019]

Do you find yourself more confused than before when you try to Google the right nutrition certification program for yourself? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. To be able to create the right diet plan for yourself, you need to understand food and nutrition completely. This is where a nutrition course comes in.

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A nutrition course helps you develop knowledge about food and nourishment and how these both can improve your health. Such courses basically establish the foundation for you to understand what you consume and how it affects you.

However, there is a lot of hesitation among people while going for nutrition courses mainly due to the time and budget constraints of a full-fledged degree or diploma. If you are one of those, then worry not, we’ve got you covered. Here, we provide you with a list of the top six online nutrition courses that are not only economical but are also convenient to complete at your own time and pace.

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6. ****Nutrition Masterclass: Build Your Perfect Diet & Meal Plan (Udemy)

This online nutrition course is the best bet for anyone who wants to get the most out of their diet, whether they want to lose weight, build muscles, or simply keep fit. It covers dieting for health and fitness, diet trends, and information to help you improve your health and immunity, and you also get a certificate of completion at the end of the course. While the cost of the course isn’t high, its undue length can cause people to shelve it. However, this shouldn’t also motivate you to take a shorter nutrition course in your haste to finish one as soon as possible. These will usually only cover the subject superficially and leave you with partial, or even worse, incorrect knowledge.

Pros: Inexpensive

Cons: Too short to cover the important areas; you will only get a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

5. ****Diploma in Human Nutrition – Revised 2017 (Alison)

Alison offers a free nutrition course that introduces you to the role of nutrition in your growth and development throughout your life. The course can be completed between 10-15 hours, which is a little longer than the ideal timeframe for a course like this but could be possible for some. 

A quick look at their modules will tell you that all the basics of nutrition are covered in this succinct online nutrition course. However, it may also prove by the end of the program that it only helps you with theoretical knowledge and might not be enough to help you with creating diet plans.

Pros: The course is free; it provides a proper foundation; offers a diploma.

Cons: Slightly longer than it should be; it does not cover practical knowledge even after being this long.

4. ****Stanford Introduction to Food and Health (Coursera)

It is easy to be roped in by this nutrition course simply because of the backing from Stanford. However, there are more things that make this course a good choice. You will need to buy your certificate; however, if you only want to study and do not have use of a certificate, you can go through the material for free.

The course claims to help you understand food safety, food science, nutrition, and health informatics. You will also get access to cooking videos that can aid you in making healthy meals at home. Although, this is where the course lacks too. The instructors have tried to fit all of this information in only around four hours of videos, which leaves much to be desired when you’re done with it.

Pros: Free if you do not require nutrition certification; offers recipes for a healthy meal plan.

Cons: Too short to cover everything important; the certificate needs to be bought.

3. ****Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition (edX)

This nutrition course has nine different modules that cover almost every basic aspect of food and nutrition. The material is available for free, unless you want a verified certificate in the end. In that case, this is probably the most expensive option on the list. This course, which otherwise deserves the top spot, has its duration drag it so far down. It requires you to commit almost 8-9 hours every week for at least nine weeks!

Pros: Provides both fundamental and practical knowledge at length; it is free unless you require the nutrition certification.

Cons: Too lengthy to take up without a certificate; opting for a verified certificate makes it very expensive.

2. ****Food, Nutrition, and Health (edX)

Another great online nutrition course from edX, but with the same flaws, unfortunately. While the material is good, the time required and the cost of the course are simply not worth it for most people. However, if you can afford to invest four months in this nutrition course, it might be the best option for you! 

Pros: Provides both fundamental and practical knowledge at length; it is free unless you require a certificate. 

Cons: Too lengthy to take up without a certificate; opting for a verified certificate makes it very expensive. 

1. ****Diploma in Nutrition (Shaw Academy)

One of the best nutrition courses available online for a number of reasons. It offers both fundamental and practical knowledge related to food and nutrition in an ideal time frame of around 8+ hours. It covers body basics, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, micronutrients, hydration, healthy behaviors, and body measurements, making it possible for you to attain all-round knowledge on the subject. This nutrition course is not free, but it is not expensive either, unlike some of its counterparts on the list. Apart from that, the course is EQF Level 5 and offers a diploma (more widely recognized) instead of a verified certificate, allowing you to become a nutritionist at completion. 

Pros: Provides both fundamental and practical knowledge; inexpensive; an ideal time frame; EQF Level 5; offers a diploma.  

Cons: Not free 

Final Word

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A nutrition course can prepare you to work in a host of fields ranging from fitness and wellness and community health to dietetics, sports nutrition, and more. As people grow increasingly attentive to their health, the need for skilled professionals who understand the relationship between health, diet, and wellness is only going to grow.

So, if you are looking to gain expertise in nutrition to that end, or are just looking to learn more about diets and how to become a nutritionist, this handy list of the top six online nutrition courses and classes can put you on the right track. You can simply choose to pursue these online nutrition certifications for your own benefit, or you may even become a nutritionist yourself and apply this knowledge to drive forward in your career.

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Shaw Academy

Updated: Dec 23, 2019

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