Overview
Learn the basic nutritional science that can help you make better food choices and apply your newfound knowledge in your own kitchen.
Course No. 80570 explores the impact of the Standard American Diet and how better choices can lead to improved health. Join Dr. Julia Nordgren, a pediatrician and Culinary Institute of America graduate, as she debunks myths about food, teaches cooking techniques, and provides you with the tools needed to create enjoyable, nutrient-rich meals.
Course Outline
- Simple Science, Fantastic Flavor
- Duration: 33 min
- Create a quick and flavorful burrito buffet with grains, beans, veggies, and more.
- Heart-Healthy Foods for the Family
- Duration: 38 min
- Interpret cholesterol levels and learn about heart-healthy foods that can improve your diet.
- Eating to Reduce Inflammation
- Duration: 34 min
- Understand chronic inflammation and how dietary patterns can help reduce your heart disease risk.
- Eat, Sleep, and Be Merry
- Duration: 40 min
- Discover the relationships between diet, sleep, and weight, including the role of sleep-friendly foods.
- Breakfast and the Sugar Spike
- Duration: 30 min
- Learn about the glycemic index and how to create a nutritious, energy-sustaining breakfast.
- Understanding the Science of Sweetness
- Duration: 38 min
- Explore the impact of sugar on health and how to find healthier sweetness options.
- Mental Health and the Mind-Gut Connection
- Duration: 33 min
- Investigate how dietary choices can influence mental health through the gut-brain axis.
- Feeding Your Brain to Protect Your Memory
- Duration: 37 min
- Learn how the Standard American Diet affects cognition and the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
- How to Get the Protein You Need
- Duration: 35 min
- Understand the role of protein and how to achieve a balanced amino acid pool through diverse foods.
- The Keto Diet and Low-Carb Eating
- Duration: 37 min
- Discuss the ketogenic diet and how to incorporate keto-friendly foods sensibly into your eating plan.
- Amp Up Your Food Prep and Veggie Technique
- Duration: 26 min
- Discover three simple steps to simplify home cooking and improve your health.
- Build Flavor with Umami (with or without Meat)
- Duration: 38 min
- Explore the concept of umami and how to incorporate it into dishes using meat as flavoring rather than the focus.

