"This trick does miracles!" - How to decode online nutrition claims?

It may seem easy to find information about food, supplements, diets, and health on social media, but should we trust everything we see online?

During the Digital Nutrition Literacy Workshops I conducted at The North Grove this Summer, we talked about simple ways to identify which online nutrition information is trustworthy.

Who is sharing the information?

Start by looking at who made the post, video, or website.

Trustworthy sources may include registered dietitians, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, Health Canada, Canada’s Food Guide, hospitals, and universities.

Check the website’s link! If the link ends with .gov or .edu it is likely a helpful place to look for trusted information. Government websites in other countries can have different endings, such as .uk for the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.

Be more careful when you see personal or business social media accounts, especially if you cannot tell where they got their information from.

What are they promising?

Watch out for posts that make big promises!

If they claim that a single food or product can “fix everything,” “works for everyone,” helps to “detox,” or helps you “lose weight fast,” scroll away! Nutrition and health are usually more complex than that.

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Why are they sharing it?

Be sure to ask yourself: are they selling something?

People can partner with companies to make a profit if you buy the exact product they are talking about through a direct link on their profile or website.

This does not always mean the nutrition information is wrong, but it is a good reason to look more closely. Consider if you really need the product. Question a post if you feel pressured by it.

Where else can I check?

Good information can usually be found in more than one trustworthy place. For example, if you see a nutrition claim online, try checking Health Canada, Canada’s Food Guide, a hospital, university, or another trusted health source to see if they say the same thing.

It’s also good to check when the information was published, because health recommendations can change with time. Older information may no longer be accurate.

Be very cautious of the effects online advice can have on your medication or health.

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Reflect before you act

If you are unsure about information you saw on social media, take a moment to ask yourself: “Who wrote this? What proof do they give? Could this hurt me?” before buying, sharing, or trying what is recommended.

And if you are still unsure, run the information by a registered dietitian, doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or another healthcare provider.

The next time you come across nutrition information online, remember to pause and reflect, at least for a few seconds! This extra time can help you make more informed choices about your health.

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Katharine (Kat) Yu recently completed a 4-month dietetics internship at The North Grove. During this time, Kat led meaningful food skills projects, like the Digital Literacy Workshops she mentioned above. During these workshops with youth and adults, Kat explored the myths, facts, and tricks people can be faced with when searching for nutrition information online and shared tips on how to assess them for trustworthiness.