The Keto diet, the DASH diet, the Paleo diet. What about Intermittent Fasting? With the start of a new year, many people set New Year’s resolutions with hopes of making some sort of change in their life. A top New Year’s resolution is to eat better and lose weight. And a popular source people look to for nutrition information is the internet. You can find reliable nutrition information on the web, but you need to be careful where you look and what websites you trust. Below are five tips for finding trustworthy nutrition information online.

• Consider the source. Choose most often sites that have web addresses that end in .gov, .edu, or .org. These are most often websites for government agencies, educational institutions, and professional organizations.
• Know the sites purpose. Is it to provide information or to sell something? If available, read the “About” section of the site to help determine the reliability of the information on the site.
• Look for the evidence. Health decisions are best based on medical and scientific research, not on opinion. Look to see the sources of information for the website. Be cautious of sites that offer information from a single source.
• Check the date. Health information is continually changing. Check the bottom of the page to find out how recently it was updated or reviewed.
• Visit a health professional. Online health information should not replace talking with your physician or other health professionals.
• Along with Spend Smart. Eat Smart., visit www.choosemyplate.gov and www.eatright.org for reliable nutrition information. Next week we will have guest blogger Rachel Wall share red flags to be aware of when considering different diets and how to find an eating pattern that is right for you.