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
Status: Health Informatics
Health Informatics
Status: Cooking
Cooking
Beginner·Course·7 hours
Featured reviews
AA
5.0·Reviewed May 18, 2022
This course is very very simple but if we follow this course, 100 percent our health will be change completely. Our view towards our food becomes more clear. I recommend this course for every person.
EB
5.0·Reviewed Aug 15, 2022
T​his was definitely worth participating in. I really liked watching Maya cook at the end with her kids. It was so adorable and I'm looking forward to trying out a few of the recipes in the future.
NK
5.0·Reviewed Feb 24, 2019
It was very informative course. It could have more quizzes and assignments. The way things were explained in the course was quiet interesting. Keep it up!! course. I really like this way of education.
AN
4.0·Reviewed Jul 4, 2020
This course was a good review of general health and nutrition with added information. The quizzes seemed unproductive since the answers were obvious where I did not have to read much of the questions.
AT
5.0·Reviewed Jun 21, 2021
The course outline were very informative and direct. I am now very aware on my daily eating habits and what to look out for when selecting a dish that will serve to be healthy in mind, soul and body.
NI
5.0·Reviewed Dec 5, 2020
Foods and us have a relationship, and this course defines that relationship. Personally, this course provides positive experience for me in regards of food, meal preparation, and eating in moderation.
AE
5.0·Reviewed Jun 21, 2018
It was an amazing course that allowed for me to be much more conscious of what I was eating and pushed me to strive to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Overall, it was very entertaining and informative!
PE
5.0·Reviewed 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!
KW
5.0·Reviewed Mar 10, 2023
This course has a lot of great information on nutrition and simple eating without being overwhelming. It gives practical advice that anyone seeking to eat healthier can implement in their daily lives.
GG
5.0·Reviewed Dec 29, 2021
It was the best first experience I had and I have gained good amount of knowledge where I am applying that to my day to day life . It's inspiring . Thank you Coursera , Thank you Stanford University.
AD
4.0·Reviewed Jun 16, 2019
Though It's a very (very very) basic course, it provided clear information, which acts as a kind of wake-up-call for not abusing on processed foods. I'll definitely adjust my diet based on it. Thanks!
PN
5.0·Reviewed Aug 22, 2021
Very informative! Thanks for having this course free so that more people who are starting to learn about eating properply (like me) will be able to get access to authentic and legit lessons on food ;)
All reviews
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Most Helpful
M
Massimo Petracci
1.0
·Reviewed Jan 21, 2016
Hi,
I was looking for a good introduction course to food and nutrition and, alas, this is not it.
I knew 90% of the things discussed in this course, and I was expecting more, but all I got was very basic advices ("eat less", "don't eat crap", etc.), all with videoclips and music which got annoying really quick.
Disappointing.
Take care.
A
Alexander Samuel
1.0
·Reviewed Mar 21, 2016
Utterly disappointing. I hoped for a fact-based education on current scientific thinking in nutrition. Instead, this course consists of a couple of people's opinions on eating, without cited evidence, presented in a feel-good documentary-lite format with good camerawork and cute children. This is a high school public service announcement, not a university course; not what I'd expect from Stanford or Coursera.
D
Dan
3.0
·Reviewed Dec 28, 2018
Not actually a 'course' but a short series of very basic self-help videos with distracting background music throughout. 3 stars because it's a nice public service by Stanford but I personally was expecting a university-level course.
T
Thuy-Truc L. Le-Sheppard
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 1, 2016
Extremely interesting course. I feel the material and videos were very easy to absorb and understand. I certainly would recommend this to anyone with an interest in food and how it affects our health.
F
Flavia Laterman
1.0
·Reviewed Feb 26, 2017
This course should really be called BASICS of healthy cooking or for people with unhealthy habits. It is very basic! And very based on the US reality! Living in Europe and used to cooking healthy food for my family everyday I have not learned anything new! Very disappointing to see such a basic course being offered by big names as Stanford University.
N
Noor ul Sabah Khizar
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 25, 2019
It was very informative course. It could have more quizzes and assignments. The way things were explained in the course was quiet interesting. Keep it up!! course. I really like this way of education.
M
Maxim Molchanov
1.0
·Reviewed Feb 8, 2018
Waste of time... Didn't expect this from Stanford...
Nothing useless, theoretical part contains only vague conversations without any scientific data or research outcomes.
And cooking receipts have nothing to do with healthy food at all. Advice to cook fried food with high concentration of glycation endproduct is a shame...
A
Alyaa El-Guindy
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 22, 2018
It was an amazing course that allowed for me to be much more conscious of what I was eating and pushed me to strive to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Overall, it was very entertaining and informative!
V
Victoria Iliescu
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 19, 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.
G
giovanni
1.0
·Reviewed Feb 6, 2018
A diet documentary for americans with really basic (and obvious?) suggestions.
Not what I expect from Coursera.
S
Sahithi Sandeep
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 7, 2020
I really enjoyed doing the course, Very elaborate and informative course. Things are simplified so much that anybody can understand the basics of nutrition which helps in making the wise food choices.
R
Rohith Dsouza
1.0
·Reviewed Oct 26, 2019
It is not Science or fact based at all.
It is not a scientifically rigours course on "food and nutrition" it gives you an oversight but not really a deep dive in.
It's more like two people just having a conversation. This is not "educational" it's more basic common sense and awareness
It is more geared towards western countries. Most of the problems addressed are specific only to that location. But i think people from the western countries would benefit from this. Others not so much.
A
Aston Hunt
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 14, 2017
Very informative and digestible information (pun intended). This course really makes you feel knowledgable about what you put into your body. Highly suggest this course for basic guides on nutrition.
J
Jean Gella
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 23, 2021
Love how Maya presented the course and I especially love the cooking sessions featuring her cute kids. I am looking forward to reading her book or if she has any YT account featuring more home cooking
N
Naim Faiz Ahmad Imran
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 5, 2020
Foods and us have a relationship, and this course defines that relationship. Personally, this course provides positive experience for me in regards of food, meal preparation, and eating in moderation.
D
Deleted Account
1.0
·Reviewed Jan 21, 2016
Most of the information in this course is common sense. It may be relevant for someone with very limited knowledge about food, but for anyone who is moderately informed and interested in food, there is not much to learn here.
K
Kasparas Vaitkevicius
1.0
·Reviewed Feb 19, 2018
Very basic knowledge, but I'm just evaluating it from the information point of view. Maybe I was just expecting something deeper and more informative from Stanford.
R
Rajesh Kumar Verma
5.0
·Reviewed May 21, 2019
This course was highly informative, educative and eye opener. I enjoyed it and got highly benefitted from it.
G
Georgios Panagiotidis
1.0
·Reviewed Jun 4, 2019
Really don't understand, what this course has to do with Stanford.
Coursera and Stanford should apply filters to prevent such courses of being offered online in an academic context. Offering is completely misleading.
C
Cook With Manin Chef Sandhu Maninder
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 12, 2025
Very much enjoyed. Madam Maya Adam ,a loveable person. She teaches so nicely. Content matter is too much informative. Learned a lot in this course. Would luv to join other courses of food and nutrition by Stanford. Thanks
