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Maya Adam, MD
Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this course, learners will be given the information and practical skills they need to begin optimizing the way they eat. This course will shift the focus away from reductionist discussions about nutrients and move, instead, towards practical discussions about real food and the environment in which we consume it. By the end of this course, learners should have the tools they need to distinguish between foods that will support their health and those that threaten it. In addition, we will present a compelling rationale for a return to simple home cooking, an integral part of our efforts to live longer, healthier lives.
Read more
Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this course, learners will be given the information and practical skills they need to begin optimizing the way they eat. This course will shift the focus away from reductionist discussions about nutrients and move, instead, towards practical discussions about real food and the environment in which we consume it. By the end of this course, learners should have the tools they need to distinguish between foods that will support their health and those that threaten it. In addition, we will present a compelling rationale for a return to simple home cooking, an integral part of our efforts to live longer, healthier lives.
Read more
Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this course, learners will be given the information and practical skills they need to begin optimizing the way they eat. This course will shift the focus away from reductionist discussions about nutrients and move, instead, towards practical discussions about real food and the environment in which we consume it. By the end of this course, learners should have the tools they need to distinguish between foods that will support their health and those that threaten it. In addition, we will present a compelling rationale for a return to simple home cooking, an integral part of our efforts to live longer, healthier lives.
View the trailer for the course here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7x1aaZ03xU
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/x1wwnc/stanford
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What's inside
Syllabus
Background on Food & Nutrients
In this section we will examine the social and cultural shifts that have contributed to our modern epidemics of overweight and obesity. We will briefly review the nutrients found in foods, their different functions in the human body and how we can support our own health by choosing wisely from the foods within each category.
Read more
Syllabus
Background on Food & Nutrients
In this section we will examine the social and cultural shifts that have contributed to our modern epidemics of overweight and obesity. We will briefly review the nutrients found in foods, their different functions in the human body and how we can support our own health by choosing wisely from the foods within each category.
Read more
Contemporary Trends in Eating
In this section, we will explore the ways in which highly processed foods differ from real, whole food and the implications of food processing on our health. We’ll also look at how our consumption of sugar has changed in recent decades and explore sensible solutions for people who wish to start eating better. We will also meet Kevin, a middle-aged pre-diabetic man, and find out how a step-wise approach to behavior change helped him change for the better.
Future Directions in Health - Part I
This section focuses on sustainable solutions to the challenge of choosing healthier foods more frequently. Michael Pollan explains his mantra and how we can use it to make better food choices. We also begin to explore practical tips for preparing foods that will support our health and enjoyment.
Future Directions in Health - Part 2
In this section you will find more practical tips for grocery shopping, reading labels and assembling a balanced meal. We also learn more about the most important secret ingredient for success: moderation.
Cooking Workshop
A few years ago, a friend of mine started a healthy eating and fitness website called Grokker. She asked me to make some instructional cooking videos and generously agreed to share some of them with you. Thanks, Lorna! (If you like this section, you can find many more great videos on cooking and fitness at Grokker.com)
Recommended Optional Resources
Here is a list of recommended books and videos that can help deepen your understanding of the course material. Feel free to explore the recommendations on this list to learn more about food, health, eating behaviors, and more.
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
Teaches everyday people how to live healthier lives by understanding how food choices impact overall health
Suitable for individuals looking to make healthier food choices and improve their overall well-being
Designed by a medical professional, Dr. Maya Adam, who is an expert in nutrition and healthy eating
Covers practical tips for grocery shopping, reading labels, and preparing balanced meals that support health and enjoyment
Provides cooking workshops with instructional videos demonstrating practical ways to prepare healthy meals
Includes a recommended list of books and videos to deepen understanding of the course material
Save this course
Save Stanford Introduction to Food and Health to your list so you can find it easily later:
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Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Stanford Introduction to Food and Health with these
activities:
Read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food
Show steps
Reading this book will provide you with the theoretical basis of the course's central tenants.
View
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Purchase a copy of the book
-
Read the book at least twice
-
Take notes on the most important chapters
-
Discuss the book with a friend or family member
Create a meal plan for a week
Show steps
This activity will help you apply the principles of healthy eating to your own life.
Browse courses on
Meal Planning
Show steps
-
Determine your dietary needs and goals
-
Research healthy recipes
-
Create a meal plan that meets your needs and goals
-
Follow your meal plan for a week
-
Reflect on your experience and make adjustments as needed
Show all two activities
Read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food
Show steps
Reading this book will provide you with the theoretical basis of the course's central tenants.
View
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
on Amazon
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Purchase a copy of the book
- Read the book at least twice
- Take notes on the most important chapters
- Discuss the book with a friend or family member
Create a meal plan for a week
Show steps
This activity will help you apply the principles of healthy eating to your own life.
Browse courses on
Meal Planning
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Determine your dietary needs and goals
- Research healthy recipes
- Create a meal plan that meets your needs and goals
- Follow your meal plan for a week
- Reflect on your experience and make adjustments as needed
Show all two activities
Career center
Learners who complete Stanford Introduction to Food and Health will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Physician
Physician
As a Physician, you will often need to provide dietary guidance to your patients. This course, therefore, may be useful as it guides the learner to a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing diet and provides tools for leading a healthy lifestyle. It will help build the necessary foundation to effectively treat and guide patients in matters of diet and lifestyle, which can be critical for a patient's recovery and well-being.
Food Policy Advocate
Food Policy Advocate
As a Food Policy Advocate, you fight to ensure everyone has access to healthy food. This course can help you in your advocacy work, as you will learn about the social and cultural shifts that have contributed to our modern epidemics of overweight and obesity. In addition, by taking this course, you will gain a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the food system. This knowledge will help you develop effective strategies to change food policy at the local, state, and national levels.
Health Educator
Health Educator
As a Health Educator, you will be responsible for improving the health outcomes of communities. You could work with individuals and families to teach them about healthy behaviors, conduct community health assessments, or develop and implement health education programs. This course, in turn, may prove useful by providing you with practical skills and information on how to promote healthy eating and behavior change. You will learn how to use evidence-based practices to create interventions and programs that will help people make healthier choices.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, you are able to translate nutrition science into practical solutions to improve an individual's health. This course aligns well with this career path because it provides a comprehensive and science-based approach to nutrition and health. You will learn about the different nutrients found in foods, how to make healthy food choices, and how to support your clients in achieving their health goals.
Public Health Nutritionist
Public Health Nutritionist
As a Public Health Nutritionist, you will help to improve the health of the public through nutrition. This course can help you in your work, as it will help you to understand the social and cultural factors that influence food choices. With this knowledge, you can help to develop and implement policies and programs that promote healthy eating and improve the health of the public.
Food Scientist
Food Scientist
As a Food Scientist, you will develop new food products and processes. You will also help to ensure the safety and quality of food. This course can be a helpful stepping stone towards this career path as it will help you to understand the science of food and nutrition. You will learn about the different nutrients found in foods as well as the effects of food processing on our health. With this knowledge, you can ensure that you are recommending healthy foods to your clients.
Food Writer
Food Writer
As a Food Writer, you will be responsible for writing about food and nutrition. This course can help you develop a strong foundation in nutrition, which will help you to write informative and engaging articles. You will learn about the different nutrients found in foods, how to make healthy food choices, how to cook healthy meals, and how to write about food in a way that is both informative and interesting to readers.
Nutritionist
Nutritionist
As a Nutritionist, you will help people improve their health through proper nutrition. You may work with individuals, families, or groups to provide guidance on healthy eating habits. This course, therefore, may prove useful in equipping you with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others. By understanding the relationship between food and health, you can help your clients make informed choices about what they eat.
Dietitian
Dietitian
As a Dietitian, your job is to work with clients one-on-one to guide them on healthy eating, weight loss, and chronic disease management. Dietary guidance and counseling is a personalized field where one's ability to relate to clients and empathize with their challenges is invaluable. To aid in this, this course possesses information and tools such as how to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods and how to shift societal focus away from nutrients toward real food. In this way, this course may be useful in building a strong foundation for what is sure to be a rewarding career.
Research Scientist
Research Scientist
As a Research Scientist, you will conduct research on diet and health. This course can help you to develop a strong foundation in the field of nutrition research. You will learn about the different types of research studies, how to design and conduct research studies, and how to analyze and interpret research results. With this knowledge, you can help to improve our understanding of the relationship between diet and health and how to promote better health outcomes for all.
Environmental Health Scientist
Environmental Health Scientist
As an Environmental Health Scientist, your goal is to protect human health from environmental hazards. One of the most important environmental hazards is the food we eat. This course can help you to understand the risks associated with food contamination and how to prevent foodborne illnesses. With this knowledge, you can help to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and promote environmental health.
Sustainability Consultant
Sustainability Consultant
As a Sustainability Consultant, you will help businesses and organizations to reduce their environmental impact. This course can help you in your work, as it will help you to understand the environmental impact of food production and consumption. With this knowledge, you can help businesses and organizations to reduce their food waste and make more sustainable food choices.
Social Worker
Social Worker
As a Social Worker, you will help people to improve their lives. This course may be useful in your work, as it will help you to understand the social and cultural factors that influence food choices. With this knowledge, you can help your clients to make healthy food choices and improve their overall health and well-being.
Health Policy Analyst
Health Policy Analyst
As a Health Policy Analyst, you will develop and analyze policies that affect the health of the public. This course can help you in your work, as it will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities in the food system. With this knowledge, you can develop policies that promote healthy eating and improve the health of the public.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologist
As an Epidemiologist, you will investigate the causes of disease and injury. This course can help you in your work, as it will help you to understand the relationship between diet and health. With this knowledge, you can help to identify the risk factors for diet-related diseases and develop strategies to prevent these diseases.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/x1wwnc/stanford
Reading list
We've selected 29 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Stanford Introduction to Food and Health.
Explores the complex relationship between humans and food. It fascinating and thought-provoking read for anyone who is interested in the history of food and its impact on our culture.
Save
Provides a critique of the modern food system and offers practical advice on how to eat more healthfully.
Explores the complex relationship between food and the environment, and offers insights into the ethical implications of our food choices.
Promotes a non-diet approach to eating. It helps readers to develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies.
Save
Investigates the food industry's use of salt, sugar, and fat to make their products more addictive. It must-read for anyone who wants to understand the science of food addiction.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the causes of overeating and offers practical solutions for overcoming this problem. It valuable resource for anyone who struggles with overeating.
Promotes a plant-based diet as the optimal way to achieve and maintain good health. It provides a wealth of information on the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Save
Promotes a starch-based diet as the optimal way to achieve and maintain good health. It provides a wealth of information on the benefits of a starch-based diet.
Save
Provides a personal account of how a woman with progressive MS used a paleo diet and functional medicine to improve her health. It offers practical advice on how to follow a paleo diet.
Promotes a flexitarian diet, which mostly vegetarian diet that includes occasional meat consumption. It offers practical advice on how to follow a flexitarian diet.
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Promotes a hybrid diet that combines elements of the paleo diet and the vegan diet. It offers practical advice on how to follow a pegan diet.
Save
Teaches readers how to practice mindful eating. Mindful eating technique that can help people to eat more slowly, savor their food, and make healthier choices.
Presents the results of the China Study, a comprehensive study of the relationship between diet and health. The study found that a plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Explores the lifestyles of people who live in the Blue Zones, regions of the world where people live longer and healthier lives. The book identifies nine common factors that contribute to longevity.
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the latest scientific evidence on the relationship between diet and health. It offers practical advice on how to eat a diet that can help to prevent and reverse chronic diseases.
Save
Argues that a plant-based diet is the best way to improve our health and the health of the planet. It provides a wealth of information on the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Save
More recent book by T. Colin Campbell. It provides an updated overview of the scientific evidence for the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.
Provides a step-by-step guide to the Whole30, a 30-day elimination diet designed to help people identify and eliminate food sensitivities.
Save
Provides a passionate call to action for a more sustainable and just food system. It explores the environmental and social costs of our current food choices, and offers practical solutions for creating a healthier and more sustainable future.
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Comprehensive guide to the nutrients found in foods. It valuable reference tool for anyone interested in learning more about nutrition.
Classic work on the environmental and social impacts of our food choices. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about how to eat for a more sustainable future.
Save
Provides a comprehensive review of the research on the relationship between nutrition and chronic diseases. It offers practical advice on how to eat to prevent and reverse heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses.
Save
Comprehensive cookbook that includes recipes for a wide variety of dishes. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about cooking.
Save
Comprehensive guide to cooking that includes recipes, techniques, and explanations of the science behind cooking. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about cooking.
Save
Provides a practical guide to intuitive eating, a non-diet approach to eating that emphasizes listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues.
Collection of recipes from the renowned Chez Panisse restaurant. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about cooking.
Save
Provides a comprehensive guide to the Gerson Therapy, a naturopathic approach to treating cancer and other chronic diseases. It offers detailed instructions on the Gerson diet, coffee enemas, and other therapies.
Collection of recipes from the renowned French Laundry restaurant. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about cooking.
Provides a comprehensive guide to the Mediterranean diet, which is associated with a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It offers recipes, meal plans, and tips for making the transition to a healthier way of eating.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/x1wwnc/stanford
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Effort
5 weeks of study, 1 hour/week
Level
Introductory
Via
Coursera
Institution
Stanford University
Instructor
Maya Adam, MD
Language
English
Transcripts
Español
Français
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Deutsch
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中文
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Good to know
Teaches everyday people how to live healthier lives by understanding how food choices impact overall health
Suitable for individuals looking to make healthier food choices and improve their overall well-being
Designed by a medical professional, Dr. Maya Adam, who is an expert in nutrition and healthy eating
Covers practical tips for grocery shopping, reading labels, and preparing balanced meals that support health and enjoyment
Provides cooking workshops with instructional videos demonstrating practical ways to prepare healthy meals
Includes a recommended list of books and videos to deepen understanding of the course material
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