• adelaide

A Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating

Discover how your nutritional choices can impact your health and wellbeing with the University of Adelaide.

967 enrolled on this course

a diverse group of individuals gathered around an outdoor table sharing a meal of healthy foods

A Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating

967 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 1 hour per week

  • Accreditation available

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

The CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Examine the fundamentals of healthy eating and nutrition

In order to be energised and ready to take on life, it’s important to know the foods that can provide you with all the nutrients you need to feel your best.

On this four-week course, you’ll be guided by an expert in dietary nutrition, learning the basics of food, nutrition, and its impact on your health and wellbeing.

Learn what to eat to ensure optimum nutrition

On this course, you’ll gain a complete overview of basic nutritional concepts.

You’ll delve into the six classes of nutrients, learning to categorise foods and explain their effects on our bodies.

You’ll learn to identify high and low-energy foods and explain the connection between food energy and diet.

Discover the science behind food composition

Using engaging and accessible videos, case studies, and articles, you’ll explore the functions of energy and non-energy yielding nutrients before delving into dietary fibre, phytochemicals, and additives in food.

With your knowledge of food composition, you’ll be better equipped to make healthy, nutritional choices and understand the impact they have on your energy levels and overall health.

Examine food group systems and dietary guidelines

With case studies from around the world, you’ll examine nutrient recommendations in global contexts and use this to inform your own healthy eating recommendations.

You’ll compare various food groups and food group systems and learn how to ensure adequate nutrients are sourced within different diets including flexitarian, vegan, and vegetarian.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand how the composition of different foods contributes to our overall health. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to make informed, healthy choices, backed up by a scientific understanding of the nutrients different foods provide.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 10 seconds What we put into our body to fuel it will have a direct impact on our body. Well, we are what we eat, so if you want to feel good, feel healthy, feel vitalised, you need to know what foods will help you obtain that. But with so many food myths, how can you be sure that you’re studying the right information, with content that’s not too complex? This course will help you to better understand your own nutritional choices and help you be better informed when discussing nutrition with others. Learn how to apply food composition knowledge and translate nutrient recommendations into practical food-based patterns - this knowledge will help empower you to make better informed food and nutrition decisions.

Skip to 0 minutes and 58 seconds Enrol today in Healthy Eating by the University of Adelaide.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Food composition and nutrients

    • Getting started

      This activity includes all the information you will need to get started in this course.

    • Introduction to Week 1

      Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.

    • Food composition

      Find out what food is composed of, the different kinds of nutrients available, and how to measure the amount of energy in different types of food.

    • Energy yielding and non-energy yielding nutrients

      Find out about energy yielding and non-energy yielding nutrients and why they are essential for health.

    • Bringing it all together

      Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.

  • Week 2

    Food composition and non-nutrients

    • Introduction to Week 2

      Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.

    • Dietary fibre

      Find out about dietary fibre and how to identify dietary sources of fibre, and explain how they impact gut health.

    • Phytochemicals

      Find out what phytochemicals are and how they influence plant foods, and what functional foods are.

    • Additives in food

      Find out why additives are used in food, the different kinds of additives, and how they are regulated and why.

    • Bringing it all together

      Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.

  • Week 3

    Nutrient recommendations

    • Introduction to Week 3

      Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.

    • An overview of nutrient recommendations

      Find out about nutrient recommendations and their purpose through the examination of a case study, and how they can be used to plan healthy diets.

    • Exploring nutrient recommendations from other countries

      Find out about nutrient recommendations by exploring what different countries around the world recommend.

    • Translating nutrient recommendations to food group serves & dietary patterns

      Find out what food group systems are, how they are structured and their nutritional characteristics, and how they are used to assess nutritional quality.

    • Bringing it all together

      Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.

  • Week 4

    Food group systems and healthy eating guidelines

    • Introduction to Week 4

      Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.

    • Food group systems

      Find out the concept of a food group system in various contexts.

    • Food groups

      Find out about both plant-based and animal-based food groups, and consider foods that exist outside of the food groups.

    • Healthy eating and dietary guidelines

      Find out about healthy eating and dietary guidelines, and the purpose they serve. You will also reflect on how these guidelines may change in the future.

    • Bringing it all together

      Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at where you can go next.

    • What's next?

      Let's reflect on the learning explored in the course, and consider where to apply and further build on your new skills and knowledge.

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe the composition of different foods and food types.
  • Explain the link between nutrition, nutrient recommendations, and health and wellbeing.
  • Design healthy eating and dietary guidelines from nutrient recommendations.
  • Apply food composition knowledge and healthy eating guidelines to improve food and nutrition decisions.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in healthy eating and nutrition.

It would benefit those considering a future career in food science as well as secondary educators teaching science and health related subjects.

Who will you learn with?

An Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the University of Adelaide and a member of the University's Education Academy. Also an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over 30 years of experience.

Who developed the course?

The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide is a world-class teaching and research institution. They are committed to developing quality students and lifelong learners who are recognised for their skills, creativity, global outlook and ability to succeed.

  • World ranking

    Top 110Source: QS World University Rankings 2023

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 17 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

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