Nutritionist vs Dietitian: Who Knows Best?

Everyone these days seems to think they are a nutrition expert. Every time you go to the store, turn on the television, or get on the internet there is a new way to loose weight, speed up your metabolism, etc. Even when I get on Facebook there is usually someone giving their friend a nutrition lesson (that most of the time is incorrect). Eating is one of the few things we have ALL been doing since birth, and one subject we all have an opinion on. It also seems that many American’s are constantly searching for nutrition advice. Whether it be to lose weight or better their sports performance everyone is looking for secret nutrition tips. While I am all for loosing weight and healthy eating I think there are many misleading books and ideas floating around the world today. So who are you getting your nutrition advice from? Who should you be getting it from?

Many authors and/or speakers try to gain nutrition credibility by referring to themselves as nutritionists. What may be surprising to some is that there are no requirements that must be met before you can call yourself a nutritionist. That’s right, anyone of you reading this right now could start telling your friends you’re a nutritionist and no one could say you were wrong. There are no standards that must be met or classes that must be taken prior to making nutritionist your title. So next time you are reading a book or article written by a “nutritionist” just remember there is a very good chance they have little nutrition knowledge and are probably misleading you.

Dietitians on the other spend at least four years studying the science of nutrition. We know how every little gram of carb, fat, and protein is metabolized and stored in your body. We study a wide variety of nutrition settings like sports, clinical, community, and counseling. Dietitians are also required to complete 1200 hours of supervised practice before we are allowed to take the RD test. All RD’s are required to meet a certain number of continuing education hours every year in order to maintain their credentials. This means we are always up to date with new and relevant information to provide our clients. And lastly registered dietitian is the only nutrition profession that is recognized my medical professionals and insurance companies as accurate and credible.

So next time you are wanting to shed a few pounds or start eating healthier be aware of where your information is coming from. Make sure books or articles you read are written by an RD! If you want to find a RD in your area use this link http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/

Or just message me, I would love to help!!