By Duke Medicine

Searching for nutrition information on the Internet can be tricky.

With so much faulty information and sites marketing special diets and products, it’s hard to know which websites are reliable and which ones are bunk.

Nutrition experts at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center recommend the following sites as their go-to sources for nutrition information.

Eat Local, Eat Healthy
localharvest.org
Find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.

Healthy Meal Planning Made Simple
mealsmatter.org
This site helps you establish a pattern of healthy food choices each week by providing a range of features to make planning healthy meals easier. Features include nutrition articles, recipes, personalized cookbooks, shopping lists, and a meal planner to help you plan your meals over time.

Duke Diet
dukediet.com
The Duke Diet Online is a comprehensive online weight loss program developed by the health professionals at the world-renowned Duke Diet & Fitness Center. The site offers articles from physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and behavioral health experts on topics relevant to health and weight management. It is also a feature-rich tool complete with meal planning tools, food logs, healthy recipes, exercise videos, calorie calculators, and active message boards.

A Direct Line to Nutrition Info
eatright.org
Use the American Dietetic Association’s official site to gain access to accurate, reliable nutrition information. Learn the latest health news and how it will impact you and your family. The site also offers a searchable database for consumers to find a registered dietitian in their area. This site is intended for a wide range of audiences including consumers, students, and health professionals.

Healthy Cooking 101
eatingwell.com
Find thousands of quick, healthy recipes complete with pictures of delicious foods and nutrition analysis. The Web site also includes the latest news in nutrition and health. Not sure how to prepare the pork tenderloin you were planning to serve your family for dinner? A quick search will give you lots of ideas.

Sustainability Matters
seafoodwatch.org
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch site raises consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. It is best known for the consumer guide for responsible seafood purchasing, but also includes recipes, a restaurant program, and many ideas on how to take action to save our ocean wildlife.

Consumer Advocacy: Stay Informed
cspinet.org
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a consumer advocacy organization that conducts research on food, alcohol, health, the environment, and other issues related to science and technology. The organization publishes a Nutrition Action Healthletter and the website also provides information on public policy issues related to health and nutrition.

That Has How Many Calories?
nutritiondata.com
Access nutrition facts, including food labels, calories, and nutritional information and analysis about thousands of foods. If you have to restrict intake of a certain nutrient or need help with menu planning, then this is the website for you.

Duke Diet and Fitness Center nutrition staff members Leslie Gaillard, Christine Tenekjian, Carinthia Cherry, and Elisabetta Politi contributed to this article.

For more features and tips from Duke Medicine, check the Health Articles section of dukehealth.org.