Custom «What not to Believe about Nutritional Websites» Essay Paper Sample

We should not believe everything we see and hear even if it’s from our nutritionists. Some are there to make a name for themselves and not actually there to help us in good nutrition. Chewing sugarless gum is viewed as a way to help cut down on weight but that is not always the case. A research done by two German doctors’ shows that chewing sugarless gum could bring down weight up to 20% of ones body weight. It also bears side effects such as severe diarrhea and other bowel problems due to too much ingestion of sorbitol (a sweetener used in gums). A leading researcher in nutrition claims that the food pyramid has sequential negative effects to the body (Leonhardt, n.d.). It mainly contributes to being over weight, poor health and even early death. The food pyramid was a research done by the government and did not go well with the Harvard nutritionist, Dr. Walter Willett. So who do we believe? The government funded research or private funded research? The private companies tend to have more reliable information regarding nutrition. The government agencies on the other hand tend to have information that serves only its interest, the government agricultural industry, but it’s not always the case (Drummond & Brefere, 2006).

Characteristics of reliable and quack nutritional websites

In order to get the right and good nutritional websites one has to look for characteristics such as email addresses or other ways to getting the information from the providers, the website is updated regularly to keep up with the quick changes in nutrition information, and also look whether there is a charge or fees. Majority of reliable websites give information for free. One should become suspicious incases when website includes quotes such as “this is not a hoax”, no references are offered; the information is something you have never heard of and is shocking, and use of overly emphatic language. Some other unreliable websites requests one to send the information to anyone and every one you might know. Reliable websites include www.ncahf.org, www.eatright.org, and www.ama.assn.org. Also, reliable information should include credentials which mainly are a Bs degree in food, science and human nutrition and from a reputed university or college (Cass, 2008).

Conclusion

In conclusion, one should be on the look out for quacks who give unreliable information. Look in detail for the nutritionists with a reliable background and compare and contrast the information you get from one site with another. In cases where the information given is constant with other sites, it might be true but one should be careful in choosing to do as the nutritionist websites state.