Nutrition

Collect the ingredients to feed your success

Have more energy, get better grades, and lower your risk for disease! It’s not magic. It’s nutrition.

Healthy eating is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain your overall wellness. Unfortunately, misunderstanding and misrepresentation of nutrition in the media as well as being tight on cash can make eating healthy harder than it has to be. We can help you make sense of nutrition so that you can incorporate it into your daily life.

Major in healthy eating

Healthy eating can improve your alertness, cognition, memory, and problem-solving abilities, so it’s no surprise that proper nutrition impacts your academic performance. Nutritional eating can be hard in college, though. New experiences and freedoms to eat what and when you want, as well as increased consumption of junk foods and snacking, can sabotage healthy habits. College also brings more stressors—anxiety about classes or new environments, homesickness, sadness—that can lead to overeating.

Health comes in every size. Eating a balanced diet and being physically active on a regular basis can help you be successful and healthy, no matter who you are or what the scale says.

Keep nutrition on track

Students at a table eat on campus.

There are some simple actions you can take to keep your nutrition goals on track.

  • Try healthy grab-and-go snacks like baby carrots, apples, celery, and low-fat yogurt or milk. They’re great alternatives to other snack foods that are high in calories but low in nutritional value.
  • Limit how often you eat out. When you do eat at a restaurant, choose wisely. Check out menu options with lean meats, whole grains, and vegetables. If the portions are large, take half home for your next meal. You’ll not only be doing your body a favor, but your wallet will thank you too.
  • Quench your thirst with water, milk, tea, or 100 percent fruit juice. They’re better options than high-calorie sodas and energy drinks.
  • Only use nutritional supplements that have been approved by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). It’s the only way you can be certain they contain the ingredients listed on the bottle and in the quantities you expect.
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Avoid products that make claims of helping you to lose weight quickly or gain the perfect figure. These products often have not been confirmed by any scientific agency to work and likely won’t give you the healthy results you want.
  • Don't compare your diet to other people’s. Everyone has different needs. Listen to your own body, be mindful about what you eat, and do what is best for you. If you aren’t sure what that is, consult with your doctor or a registered dietician.

Get expert advice

It’s always best to consult the professionals when making changes to your diet. Use these government sites for more information about eating healthy, and don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if you have questions.

Students in a classroom listen to a presentation.

Present healthy habits

Health and Wellness Promotion will bring the information to you. We offer presentations on nutrition and other health topics that are perfect for your student organization or class.

Request a presentation

Find more health options at IUPUI