• What nutrition advice do experts within the U.S. Government have for the public?
• How can I get nutrition advice about a medical condition?
• How can I learn more about food allergies?
• Do you have a good explanation of the information on food labels?
• What about popular weight loss diets?
• Where can I find information on dietary supplements?
• Does USDA have menus or recipes for people on a budget?
• What are the most important things I can do to avoid foodborne illness?
• Where can I get information on the nutritional content in various foods?
• I am confused about different types of fats like saturated, trans, etc.
• I am a student doing a paper on nutrition. Can you send me information?

Q. What nutrition advice do experts within the United States government have for the public?

A. Nutrition experts have developed the:

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans - Provides advice for healthy Americans age two years and older about food choices that promote health and prevent diseases.
• MyPyramid Food Guidance System - Helps you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you.
• MyPyramid For Kids

Q. How can I get nutrition advice about a medical condition?

A. For counseling:

• Talk with your physician or other health professional about referring you to a Registered Dietitian (RD). An RD can provide personalized dietary advice taking into consideration your health status (such as other medical conditions), lifestyle, and food likes and dislikes.

• The American Dietetics Association has a Find A Nutritional Professional service allows you to locate an RD in your geographical area with particular specialties (such as weight control, diabetes, digestive disorders, etc.).

• Check with your local Health Department, hospitals, clinics, and Cooperative Extension for informational classes such as weight loss.

Web information:

• You may find some useful nutrition information on the Web. Web sites however, do not take the place of personalized advice from a qualified health professional, and may have inaccurate or misleading information.

• Topics A-Z is an extensive list of resources for both professionals and consumers that includes diseases and related nutrition topics.

• Can't Find What You Want? - For more suggestions on location reliable information on the Internet.

Q. How can I learn more about food allergies?

• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Call 800-929-4040 (703-691-3179 in VA) for basic questions and referrals
• Other resources on the Consumer Corner Food Allergies and Sensitivities page.

Q. Do you have a good explanation of the information on food labels?

• See food labeling information prepared by the Food and Drug Administration
• Other information can be found at Consumer Corner Food Labels web page.

Q. What about popular weight loss diets?

Before you begin any weight loss program, it is wise to speak to a qualified health professional such as a Registered Dietitian for advice on a program that is right for you. To locate a Registered Dietitian in your area, search the American Dietetic Association's Find a Nutrition Professional resource.

You may find some useful information on the Web about weight loss and healthy eating. This is only for information purposes and does not take the place of personalized advice from a qualified health professional who is familiar with your particular situation. Also, though the Web can provide useful information, some of the information can be inaccurate or misleading. Many sites devoted to weight loss are marketing special products.

• Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-Loss Program - Weight Control Information Network
• Fad Diets versus Dietary Guidelines - American Institute for Cancer Research on thedietchannel.com
• Weight Control and Obesity Resource List for Consumers - A listing of reputable educational materials
• Weight Loss for Life - Weight Control Information Network
• Learn More About Weight Management at Nutrition.gov
• Other Resources on the Consumer Corner Weight Management web page.

Q. Where can I find information on dietary supplements?

General dietary supplement information

• Fact Sheets on Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, and Botanicals - Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Heath
• Overview of Dietary Supplements - Provides an overview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its role in dietary supplement labeling
• Tips for the Savvy Supplement User: Making Informed Decisions and Evaluating Information - U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Tips and resources for making decisions about using dietary supplements
• Products That Consumers Inquire About - U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Provides information about dietary supplements which consumers often asked about
• How to Report Adverse Reactions & Medical Product Problems to the FDA - Links to the Adverse Reactions Monitoring System which FDA maintains to keep track of adverse reactions from dietary supplements.
• FNIC's Dietary Supplement Information - Food and Nutrition Information Center, our page linking you to a variety of reliable dietary supplement resources

Herbal Information

• MEDLINEplus for Herbal Medicine - National Library of Medicine, Links to a variety of up-to-date news and background information about herbal medicine
• American Botanical Council - Non-profit organization concerned with science-based herbal information
• Herb Research Foundation - Source of science-based information on the use of herbs
• Dietary Supplements: General Resources for Consumers 2006 (PDF|85 KB)

Technical Information

• International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements database - Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH, and the Food and Nutrition Information Center, USDA

Alternative Medicine

• Alternative Medicines - Federal Trade Commission
  Where to go with questions about unconventional alternative medicine treatments.
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) - National Institutes of Health Provides information on complementary and alternative medicine to practitioners and the public.
• NCCAM Clearinghouse - National Institutes of Health, An information service to enhance understanding about complementary and alternative medicine research. Toll-free: 1-888-644-6226

Q. Does USDA have menus or recipes for people on a budget?

• Preparing Nutritious Meals at Minimal Cost - (PDF|255 KB) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA
• Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals - (PDF|258 KB) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA

Q. What are the most important things I can do to avoid foodborne illness?

1. Wash your hands frequently
2. Cook to proper temperatures
3. Refrigerate foods promptly
4. Avoid cross contamination

For more food safety information:

• Partnership for Food Safety Education
• Gateway to Government Food Safety Education
• National Agricultural Library's Food Safety Information Center

Q. Where can I get information on the level of calories, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals in various foods?

• Search the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
• Search CalorieKing.com
• Search Cyberdiet's Fast Food Quest

Q. I am confused about different types of fats like saturated, trans, etc. Can you help?

• A Consumer's Guide to Fats - Food and Drug Administration
• Trans Fatty Acids - American Heart Association
• Face the Fats- (PDF|284 KB) - Center for Science in the Public Interest
• See also: Heart Nutrition and Recipes

The FNIC Web site contains an extensive amount of food and nutrition-related information. You may use the Search option to locate information on the Web site about a specific topic you are interested in. Or click on the green navigation buttons on the left side.

Our Topics A-Z page contains the FNIC Web site content listed alphabetically by topic. You can also use the Search option in the Topics A-Z listing to locate a topic of interest.

Other resources on our Web site that students find helpful are:

• FNIC Resource List bibliographies on a number of topics such as eating disorders, nutrition education for children, food safety, dietary supplements, and many more. Two that are popular with students are:
  • Eating Smart: A Nutrition Resource List for Consumers (PDF|138KB)
  • Sources of Free or Low-Cost Food and Nutrition Material (PDF|380KB)
• Databases including AGRICOLA, the National Agricultural Library's searchable bibliographic database.
• FNIC's Reports and Studies

• Our specialty Web sites:
  • Food Stamp Nutrition Connection
  • WIC Works Resource System
  • Healthy Meals Resource System