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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Stanford Introduction to Food and Health by Stanford University

4.7
stars
30,769 ratings

About the Course

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...

Top reviews

PE

Oct 18, 2021

This course taught me a lot about the components of food! Processed and non-processed food which was the best food of all. I will be happy to spread this healthy dietary ways to my family and friends!

VI

Jan 18, 2021

It was an interesting and informative, at a basis level, course. The information is easy to understand and the new gained knowledges tend to remain in your memory, due to short and interactive videos.

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126 - 150 of 8,813 Reviews for Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

By Jon M C

Feb 14, 2016

Extremely well produced. I would have liked a little more bit information but for a Free Intro class it's well worth it. Being a food professional in the industry over 20 years the challenge is getting others to change their eating habits. Stopping the super sized highly processed food consumed here in America is difficult when many of the people think that is their only choice and for some of the poorest it is. But all of us can and should pass this message on to others.

On a side note, lose the animation of the overweight guy with the flannel shirt and the cutoff sleeves. You've just alienated a demographic you would like to see change in. Kind of elitist in my opinion. Not that I own any flannel shirts :)

Thank you for a great course!

Jon M. Costedoat

Los Gatos, CA

By 邱胤瑋

Feb 22, 2023

In this course, I learned that knowledge and skills about food and nutrition can be absorbed swiftly and efficiently by watching videos and online materials as well as some quizzes which can enhance my memory and review what I had learned in every section. After learning this course, I assume I will begin to optimize the way I eat and think of a way to better protect my health through more healthy food made by myself at home and less burdensome food with minimal ingredients bought at grocery stores. This course provide some very practical tutorials, recipes and hacks about how to make healthy food and dissect the nutrition and ingredients that we consume. After this course, we surely will have the tools that we need to maintain a healthy body condition.

By Will Z

Jun 8, 2016

Excellent course loved the info and the way it was presented. Quick to the point and on par. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more info on seafood and fish in general I've read a few studies and as far as i can tell at this point in the game we've poisoned our oceans tremendously and theres been scientific studies that have found large quantities of highly toxic chemicals in the fish's blood and meat. so thats about the only thing id like to see is going a little deeper into the actual health risks associated with the damage humans have caused to the food we eat from the oceans to GMO's. These seem like hot topics in todays day and age. But like i said i really enjoyed the course and look forward to taking additional courses on nutrition and food prep.

By Ярославна П

Oct 21, 2020

Первое, что хотелось бы отметить, это невероятно приятные рассказчики. Небольшие видео по 3-5 минут, в которых без воды выжали всю основу нутрициологии, подача материала идёт легко, поймёт АБСОЛЮТНО каждый, вне зависимости от возраста.

Конечно, те, кто хоть немного интересуется питанием, нутрициологией, 50% материала точно знает, но это ни в коем случае не отменяет его полезности. Повторение и ознакомление с деталями никогда не бывает лишним.

Я считаю, с этим курсом необходимо ознакомиться каждому человеку, кого интересует как минимум его здоровье. А также неплохо бы посоветовать это людям, которые ещё не осознали ценность питания в их физическом здоровье.

Коротко, информационно, интересно.

Спасибо большое Coursera за предоставленную возможность.

By Xuan L

Jun 8, 2019

There are plenty of important and useful information of food and health. By studying this course, I have learned the value of food, how to choose the right food and how to enjoy the real food. Such are truly helpful for me to spend my food budget wisely on food that will both support my good health and enjoyment. The examples raised in the courses are very vivid and easily understood. The explanations are friendly and easy to grasp. I can't agree more with the propose and solution inside this course: make time to cook at home and maximize the value of food. I've started to take time to cook at home and even track my homemade food by using online food blog since last month. Food is essential and I sincerely recommend this course to everyone.

By Sarai S T

Feb 2, 2020

This course is very useful because brings good and interesting information in a simple way, so, you can learn and remember the tips easily. In a short period of time, you have meaningful information that you can use in your daily live to improve your habits and the habits of people around you. I think that if you apply this knowledge your health will improve for sure. Este curso es muy útil porque te brinda información buena e interesante, así que, puedes aprender y recordar los consejos fácilmente. En un corto periodo de tiempo, tienes información significativa que puedes usar en tu vida diaria para mejorar tus hábitos y los hábitos de las persona que te rodean. Creo que si aplicas este conocimiento tu salud mejorará con seguridad.

By Solomon H

Mar 7, 2023

Anyone who wants to know how food affects our health and well-being needs to take this course. The professors are very smart and explain the material in a way that keeps you interested from the beginning to the end.

The course covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of nutrition to o how different foods affect certain health conditions. The interactive quizzes help you remember the ideas and make sure you know everything there is to know about the subject.

I found this class to be very useful and full of useful information. It has helped me choose better foods and get healthier overall. Anyone who wants to take charge of their health and well-being as well as their families should definitely take this course.

By Sanya T

Jun 4, 2023

I had the pleasure of completing Stanford University's Introduction to Food and Health course, and I cannot recommend it enough. The course provided a comprehensive foundation in understanding the intricate relationship between food and overall well-being. The engaging video lectures, comprehensive materials, and insightful guest speakers made the learning experience truly captivating. The practical assignments and interactive discussions allowed for the application of knowledge and a sense of community. The fair assessment structure and user-friendly online platform enhanced the overall experience. I am grateful for this knowledge-rich journey that left a lasting impact on my understanding of food and health.

By Sujata B P

Jul 6, 2020

From this course I came to know about effects of highly processed foods how they are harmful to our health.I got an idea that cooking is one of the best way of refreshing our mind.It gathers whole family members while eating.It is beneficial for consuming green leafy fresh frozen vegetables rather than meat in our meal.This course gives the knowledge about healthy eating habits.This course is not only essential for students, it is also essential for whole people in the world.It encourage people about limiting food quantity while eating, about healthy diet.The whole course explain the topic in a easy way.I encourage my other friends to gain the knowledge from this course which is essential for our entire life.

By Jo-Ann D

May 15, 2020

This course is very well organized and easy to understand. It includes the perfect balance between auditory and visual information. The information covered in this course is extremely important for everyone to know, and can easily be put into practice. Dr. Maya Adams & author Michael Pollan do an excellent job in explaining critical information regarding FOOD and Our Health, and the benefits of realizing that simple informed changes can make all the difference. This is a course in looking at our own mindset concerning food & our health. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in using food to improve their own health and well-being, and the health of their family.

By Laurence D

Dec 29, 2016

Amazing course. I learnt everything I wanted (and needed) to know about the basics of good nutrition. I loved how the course doesn't just give you general information but also practical tips to shop, cook and eat better. I feel that I gained knowledge but also the ability to apply this knowledge in my everyday life, which is very empowering. As a social scientist, I appreciated the effort put in addressing socioeconomic factors affecting people's diet. To me, the course was complete and thorough its its objectives, and the great quality videos were very enjoyable to watch. I could tell that there was a team of professionals who put their passion and skills behind each one of them.

By Khrystyna V

Jul 5, 2018

I have studied nutrition and dieting for a long time and had quite a deep knowledge as for a normal person only taking care of my own health. However, there still were some gaps which I could not understand despite all my researching. This course structured all my knowledge and clarified all things that I could not understand. It is so clear and so influential, that I even started to translate it into Ukrainian and Turkish, both of which are my mother tongues, to make it accessible for more people. I am going to convince all of my relatives and friend to take the course because it is crucial for happy and healthy living. I want to thank everyone involved in creating this course!

By fatou n

Jul 30, 2019

Unfortunately, I had a failing grade in Sport and to catch up and get my credits, my schools registered me to this "class". At first I was septic about it because i wasn't interested but when I really started reading the materials, I really learned a lot. Life changing information, I tend to really eat until i am full and mostly with processed food, by now i will eat until i'm not feeling hungry anymore and with natural fresh foods.

Now I know how to be healthy by doing shopping and .i am someone who hates to cook and just order food, with the videos, my mind has changed, I will try to cook by myself at home so that i can control what i am eating and be healthier.

Thank you

By Luísa d S C

Nov 3, 2020

Excelente curso online com informações extremamente relevantes, com uma perspectiva internacional e que agrega bastante com os meus conhecimentos prévios. Visto que tenho acesso a estudos específicos devido ser graduanda de Nutrição.

Entretanto, isso não impede a compreensão. Os conceitos e aulas são abordados de maneira leve, com uso de exemplificação, o que acaba tornando mais fácil o entendimento. Outro diferencial se dá por conta de que o curso possui tradução para o português e outros idiomas, auxiliando ainda mais na acessibilidade das informações.

Sou agradecida pela oportunidade de fazer um curso internacional e agregar mais expertises ao meu arcabouço acadêmico.

By Valeria F

Jun 3, 2018

It was really nice listening to Mrs. Adam ! I really enjoyed your course, even if, for me, since I am Italian, I already enjoy cooking and eating healthy food. I just want to try to loose some weight, that's why I started and completed the course. I really liked the videos, they look really professional. I am just sad about so many people in the world who cannot afford nice and healthy food, like 13 millions of Americans live in so-called "food desert" with no fresh food at all. I hope that more whealthy people will become aware of good nutrition and so can choose wisely what and how and when to eat and more poor people that can afford the healthy food. Thank you so much!

By Aarya H

Dec 29, 2020

This course is very useful for people willing to learn about food and nutrition. I feel very glad for having an opportunity to do this course.

The course is absolutely amazing. And this course is an true example that learning can be enjoyable and interesting.

All the hardwork of editing, filming, making, etc of these videos of this course is truly appreciable.

This course also helps people who want to keep their control over food and nutrition and stay fit and healthy.

Apart from learning and reading, this course is going to help me practically in my real life, If ever I got onto the control of food, I know that the knowledge from this course is going to help me out.

😊

By Sushant K

Feb 14, 2020

A great course for building foundations of food and health. I've been obsessed around diet for the last couple of years and have been to numerous dieticians. After a lot of research, I decided to learn the basics of food & nutrition so as to better work out my diet. This course has been phenomenal in helping me understand the basics. The content delivery is very good and the course is very engaging.

I would recommend everyone who wants to make the most of their life to follow a healthy diet. It allows you to live up to your true potential. This course will help you understand the basics and should be done by anyone who wants to follow a healthy sustainable lifestyle.

By Adrianna L

Apr 2, 2022

MAYA ADAM is an outstansing professor who has an exceptional knowledge of healty and nutritional eating. She provided much valuable information and was extemely inspirational and motivating. The same goes with Michael Pollen. Both professors are passionate about educating people about the benefits of staying healthy by choosing the right foods to consume. I was so impressed with the lectures that I completed the course much sooner than expected. I also enjoyed viewing all the recipes that Professor Maya Adam shared. I highly recommend this course to those that need a jumpstart on improving their beverage and food choices and improve their health and well being.

By saidev

Apr 6, 2020

This is really great course for beginners like me and helps you with at least fixing your food habits and this also helps you understand what to look in processed food like the simple pro-tip the less number of ingredients the better it is and also foods with no labels are always the best like the whole foods. This also breaks another myth which most people even me believed that your plate should be built around protein which is not the right thing instead it should be around vegetables that your plate should be designed. Instructor Maya has been really great at teaching all the basics. Thanks a lot for putting together a super helpful and knowledgeable course

By azaa o

Sep 6, 2022

Thanks for the great course! I really enjoyed it a lot even though I couldn't get all of the theoretical background (chemistry stuff). However, it changed my mind about cooking and shopping especially. I used to beleive that those products which have rich ingridents on the labels are good for my health, but I found out that it's completely opposite. As a lazy person who cooks the same dish (usually pasta) every evening, now I am thinking of buying more vegetables and other products to make my dish cooler and look better (of course healthier). Thanks again. I will try the recipes given at the end of the course (Wish me luck not to make a fire in the kitchen).

By Andrea M A

Oct 22, 2021

I would like to emphasize that it really is a beginner's course, since many things are kind of intuitive if you've already been in the food, nutrition, or health communities/industry for a while. However, there is still very valuable information provided. I especially appreciated learning about how to discern nutrition labels, habits of the average consumer behavior, and food marketing tactics to avoid falling into them. If you were expecting in-depth information about nutrition, macronutrients, etc. this course doesn't look too deeply into it, but it covers it. I do recommend it though, it's easy to follow and the explanations are very clear and concise.

By Marlene J K

Feb 1, 2016

I signed up for this course because of health issues - my triglyceride level was a bit to high on my last blood analysis. Even though I felt, and still feel, that this course is more specifically aimed at people who are inexperienced in the kitchen and maybe even overweight, it has helped me and my family improve some of the aspects of our lives that could still be improved. Furthermore, i think this is a course that everyone should take for themselves and especially for their families, since the person who cooks is the one influencing everyone's diet and therefore their health.

Maya, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom (and your recipes) with us!

By Michelle G

Feb 23, 2021

Loved learning how to eat even better. Start to shop the perimeter of grocery stores for the healthiest options. Avoid the middle aisles that have a lot of processed foods. Also, nutrition facts on foods are less healthy options. Look for foods with the least amount of ingredients. Buy organic fruits and vegetables if you can, but even if you can't its better to eat them then not at all. Also, the recipes at the end are easy to prep and cook. I am looking forward to making them myself and switching to gluten free flours etc. (I think I am sensitive to gluten) This course is worth exploring if you are interested in improving your health and diet!

By Barbara N G R

Jan 25, 2021

Considero que fue un curso muy bueno, pudo brindarme conocimientos que no había logrado adquirir anteriormente, fueron temas genéricos pero temas de gran importancia, temas que la mayoría de la gente debería estar informada sobre esto , sobre todo, entender importancia de llevar una alimentación saludable, llevar a cabo una selección consiente/saludable de los alimentos que vamos a consumir , ya que necesitamos cubrir las necesidades nutricionales que nuestro organismo necesita para funcionar de una manera óptima y por su puesto tener un mejor estado de salud y prevenir el riesgo a padecer de enfermedades crónicas que dañan la salud de la persona.

By Jenelle H

Dec 31, 2017

I really enjoyed this course. Dr. Adam was very informative. The illustrations were very helpful in helping to support the information that was given. I am an RN, and wanted supplemental information on nutrition for my own personal purposes-overall health. The only thing that I might add, is during the "Reading Nutrition Labels" section, is to perhaps provide more information on how much of each area is recommended. For example, if a food contains X amount of Calories, Y amount of Carbohydrates, and M of Fat, this is/is not a good choice for you to eat. Otherwise, wonderful course. I'm glad that I took it! I gained new knowledge that I can now use.