The Nutrition Source is a leading authority on food and nutrition knowledge, providing science-based guidance for healthy living. Learn more about our commitment to providing trustworthy, reliable, and clear information—free from industry influence or support.
Cutting Through Nutrition Confusion and Misinformation
When it comes to navigating nutrition information, we know there’s a lot of noise.
Media headlines can give you whiplash. Many best-selling nutrition books have questionable scientific accuracy. Social media claims are often presented without sources, rely on unscientific anecdotes, or they’re set up to sell a supplement or product.
If you’re feeling confused, take a deep breath—you’ve come to the right place.
Our Mission
Since its launch in 2001, the mission of The Nutrition Source has been to help readers cut through nutrition confusion and misinformation and apply sound, evidence-based principles for healthy living.
Our Approach
These are the core practices guiding our approach to content creation:
- We strive to present the best available evidence on a given topic. The most reliable recommendations are based on the totality of evidence, not just findings from the latest study.
- We will let you know when the evidence is limited or the conclusions uncertain. Not all scientific studies are created equal; some study types are more reliable than others.
- We reference high-quality studies from across the research ecosystem, not just those from Harvard.
- We maintain strict criteria for studies to avoid bias from conflicts of interest. Learn more about why this is important and see our selection criteria.
- We emphasize content quality over quantity. Rather than creating a new article each time a study is released, we focus on re-reviewing and updating our articles to present the latest findings in context of existing evidence on the topic.
- We aim to bridge the gap between science and practice—sharing tips, tools, and resources (such as the Healthy Eating Plate and recipes) to help encourage healthy lifestyles.
- We offer population-level guidance while encouraging flexibility and adaptability in individual practice. Convenience, cost, and taste are major drivers of eating decisions, but food is also deeply personal—intertwined with our values, preferences, emotions, experiences, and traditions. Fortunately, there are countless ways to build the dietary pattern that works best for you.
- We acknowledge the many complex factors that strongly impact individual behavior and identify opportunities for environmental and policy changes that would make healthy living easier, more affordable, and more accessible.
Support The Nutrition Source
For nearly 25 years, clinicians, health professionals, journalists, and the public have come to trust our independent, clear, and unbiased content. Please help us keep this website ad-free so we can continue our commitment to objectivity. With financial challenges from Harvard’s federal funding freeze, we are depending on philanthropy more than ever. Thank you for supporting our mission of translating food and nutrition knowledge into daily practice!
Reader Feedback
Informative, trustworthy, reliable. These were among the top three words readers used to describe The Nutrition Source. This word cloud visualizes other mentions from hundreds of responses to our 2024 survey:
We also asked how you’ve been impacted by The Nutrition Source. To quote just a few responses:
“I enjoy reading it as a trusted source of information, especially since there is so much misinformation about diet.“
“Better understanding of the science behind healthy eating from a reliable source.“
“There are so many conflicting pop-health stories about diet, it’s great to be able to understand a little bit of the science so I can make more informed decisions based on my personal circumstances.“
Thank you, readers. We value your feedback, and remain committed to publishing trustworthy, reliable, and clear information for healthy living.
Who We Are
Based in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source benefits from access to prominent faculty, researchers, students, and visitors. This connection helps us stay on top of cutting-edge research and allows students and trainees to gain experience in the translation of food and nutrition knowledge into daily practice. Harvard faculty and other invited experts also review all scientific content prior to publication, helping to ensure accuracy in our presentation of research findings. A small but dedicated editorial team drives our day-to-day activities.
Editorial Team
Editorial Director
Lilian Cheung, ScD, RD | Lecturer, Director of Health Promotion and Communication
Managing Editor
Brett Otis, ALM | Nutrition Communications Project Manager
Primary Writer
Nancy Oliveira, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES | Senior Science Writer
Other Contributors
As of 2025, contributing writers will be identified in article bylines where applicable. However, we would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their former contributions to the website: Sari Kalin, Emily Phares, Pat Skerrett, Hank Dart.
Editorial Committee
Our editorial committee draws from faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
- Alberto Ascherio, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology
- Wafaie Fawzi, Richard Saltonstall Professor of Population Sciences; Professor of Nutrition, Epidemiology, and Global Health
- Teresa Fung, Adjunct Professor of Nutrition
- Gokhan Hotamisligil, J.S. Simmons Professor of Genetics and Metabolism
- Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology; Chair, Department of Nutrition
- David Hunter, Vincent L. Gregory Professor in Cancer Prevention, Emeritus
- Eric Rimm, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition
- Frank Sacks, Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Emeritus
- Stephanie Smith-Warner, Senior Lecturer on Nutritional Epidemiology
- Meir Stampfer, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition
- Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition
Policies
No Commercial Advertising or Sponsorship
To maintain true editorial independence and an objective approach to content, The Nutrition Source does not accept any commercial advertising or sponsorship.
No Brand Endorsements or Partnerships
The Nutrition Source does not endorse or form partnerships with any commercial brands or specific products. On the rare occasions when an article refers to a brand-name product, it is identified for reference purposes only, which does not constitute an endorsement.
Privacy Policy
Please see the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Privacy Policy, which states the privacy practices for the websites under the domains hsph.harvard.edu and sph.harvard.edu.
Digital Accessibility Policy
Harvard University is committed to making our information technology and digital content accessible, so that everyone has the opportunity to access the university’s knowledge, ideas, and resources. Please see the Digital Accessibility Policy for more.
Terms of Use
The contents of The Nutrition Source website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Contact Us
Have a question?
Please see our contact page for content reproduction requests, suggestions, and questions. Please note that we are unable to provide personal dietary advice.
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