How Do I Know Which Nutrition Information Online is Actually Credible?
Written by Amelia Brunet, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian
If you have ever opened TikTok to watch one video and somehow ended up 45 minutes later convinced that seed oils are toxic, gluten is ruining your gut, and you need $80 greens powder to survive… welcome to the internet.
We have access to more nutrition information than ever before. The problem? Not all of it deserves our attention or our trust.
Between TikTok, Instagram, podcasts, blogs, influencers, and “What I Eat in a Day” videos, it can be incredibly difficult to figure out what is actually evidence-based and what is simply a confident person with a ring light and a discount code.
So, how can you tell the difference?
1. Look at WHO is giving you the information
Before you look at the claim, look at the person making it. What are their credentials? Are they a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN), physician, researcher, or another qualified professional with education and training relevant to the topic?
This doesn’t mean that someone without a credential can never say something accurate. And having a credential doesn’t automatically make someone correct about everything. But credentials give you important context about someone’s education, training, and scope of expertise.
For example, “nutritionist” is not a standardized credential in the same way that “Registered Dietitian Nutritionist” is. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes that RDN’s have specific educational requirements, must pass a national examination and complete continuing education. The term "nutritionist," on the other hand, does not have one standardized meaning. [1]
Bottom line: Before taking nutrition advice seriously, ask yourself, “What makes this person qualified to give me this advice?”
2. Pay attention to how they talk about nutrition
One of the biggest red flags? Absolute statements.
“Never eat this.”
“Always avoid that.”
“This food is toxic.”
“Carbs make you fat.”
“Sugar causes inflammation.”
“Everyone needs to stop eating seed oils.”
“Do this one thing to balance your hormones.”
Nutrition is rarely that simple or nuanced. There are certainly situations where specific foods or nutrients may need to be limited or avoided for an individual. But broad claims that apply the exact same rule to everyone should make you pause. Be especially skeptical of language that creates fear or urgency. Claims about "detoxing," “flushing toxins,” “resetting your metabolism,” or achieving dramatic results in a very short period of time deserve a closer look.
The NIH specifically recommends being cautious of information that promises quick fixes or sounds too good to be true. [2].
3. Don’t confuse a personal experience with scientific evidence
“I started drinking lemon water every morning and my bloating disappeared!”
“I stopped eating gluten and my skin cleared up!”
“I started taking this supplement and lost 10 pounds.”
These experiences may be completely genuine. But one person’s experience does not automatically tell us what will happen to everyone else. This is one of the biggest problems with social media health content. Personal stories are compelling because they are relatable. But they don’t account for all of the other things that may have changed at the same time.
Testimonials can be useful for sharing experiences. They just shouldn’t be confused with scientific evidence.
4. Check when the information was published
Nutrition science evolves…. a lot.
That doesn’t mean that everything we knew about nutrition five years ago is suddenly wrong. But it does mean that credible health information should be reviewed and updated as evidence changes. Look for a publication date or a “last reviewed” date. Also, be careful with viral posts that repeatedly circulated without any indication of where the information originally came from.
Viral does not equal valid.
5. Cross-check the information
You don’t have to read 17 scientific papers every time someone makes a claim about oatmeal. Instead, try something simple: Search for the claim on a few reputable websites. For example, if someone tells you that eating carbohydrates at night automatically causes weight gain, don’t just search “carbs at night bad” and click the first Tiktok.
Look at sources such as the NIH, CDC, USDA, major medical institutions, universities and professional organizations. If the information is well established, you’ll generally be able to find it discussed across multiple reputable sources. And if one random influencer is making a dramatic claim that you can’t find anywhere else?
That’s worth questioning.
My Dietitian Rule of Thumb
Before believing a nutrition claim online, ask yourself these above five questions:
And if you still aren’t sure. That’s exactly why we offer Nutrition Consultations and ongoing Nutrition support at Core (LP) Berkley + Rochester Hills.
If you are tired of guessing whether your breakfast is “healthy” or not, you’ve been surviving on TikTok advise but little results, and actually want to know what works for your unique body, Nutrition Coaching is for you. There will always be a new superfood, a new “toxic” ingredient, a new elimination diet and a new influencer promising to fix your metabolism in 30 days, so instead, you can get the right balance for your body so the work you do on the reformer shows up everywhere else.
References
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. About RDNs and NDTRs: RDNs, NDTRs, Dietitians and Nutritionists: What's the Difference?
Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsNational Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. How To Evaluate Health Information on the Internet: Questions and Answers.
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
