Culinary Nutrition in Action: What are Some Practical Applications?

Written by Kristen Rohrer, Nutrition/Arts & Sciences Faculty at the Culinary Institute of Virginia

In the United States today, we are in the middle of a chronic disease epidemic. Unfortunately, Hampton Roads is no exception. One out of every 11 Virginia residents has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This has resulted in an additional $245 billion in healthcare costs and lost wages, with medication prices projected to double within the next two years.

If these numbers are not scary enough on their own, the fact that chronic disease patients have a 50% higher chance of premature death when compared to the average adult should be a very sobering thought. Especially because, along with other chronic diseases, type 2 diabetes is preventable with proper dietary and lifestyle interventions.

What Can a Culinary Nutritionist Do?

So, how does a patient know how to prevent or even manage a devastating diagnosis that may be the gateway to all chronic disease? This is exactly where culinary nutritionists can make the most difference of all. They help by showing patients easy techniques they can do in their own kitchens to transform dishes from boring and bland to delicious and delectable.

Where Could a Culinary Nutritionist work?

It all starts with the choices made every day. A culinary nutritionist can create nourishing meals that speak to individual needs that also provide satiety and fulfillment while focusing on specific interventions from a therapeutic plan. The best part about this new and exciting field is that a culinary nutritionist can make a difference anywhere food is served; however, they can also find employment outside the traditional kitchen in places like:

• Corporate wellness programs
• Community centers
• Hospitals
• Long-term care facilities
• Schools
• The private sector (personal chef for chronic disease patients)
• Gyms/fitness facilities

The possibilities are endless for the culinary nutritionist as the discipline continues to quickly expand thanks to the publication of new research almost daily. Much of this research is in the field of chronic disease management with lifestyle and dietary factors.

This information, coupled with the skills a culinary nutritionist has in the kitchen to make healthy foods taste and look indulgent. Meanwhile, they are delivering top-notch, targeted nutrition therapy to a patient. This is a much needed combination, especially because the best way to treat a disease is to prevent it in the first place.

Formal Education in Culinary Nutrition

Let’s face it. We are dealing with some of the most complex conditions we have ever seen in today’s patient population and many people are suffering from more than one condition that requires a skilled individual to peel back the layers to know the person who has the disease, not just the disease the person has.

In order to do this properly and to identify lifestyle and dietary factors specific to the individual patient, formal education is a must for a future culinary nutritionist. Not only will education expose the prospective student to all of the cutting-edge research in the field when it comes to chronic disease and nutrition, but the knowledge, support and culinary techniques from the hands-on learning that takes place in formal education cannot be duplicated. All of these pieces are vital for success in such a needy field and education is the key to assembling each piece of the puzzle.

Where Do Culinary Nutritionists Apply Their Skills?

Culinary nutritionists are quickly becoming preeminent professionals within the field. Also, they can easily utilize their skills in a traditional restaurant setting to help provide specialty diets to growing populations of people looking for gluten-free options, low-carb selections, Paleo or Ketogenic styles, vegan friendly choices, or even just to provide wholesome, unrefined local cuisine.

While these specialty elective diets are the growing trend of restaurant patrons, they are also becoming more popular in healthcare facilities, schools, and even in the corporate world where more and more employers continue to invest in employee health. This is the beginning of the proactive paradigm of healthcare where a culinary nutritionist plays a vital role as part of the healthcare team as a certified dietary manager.

Do You Want to Study in a Program Like This?

There are many people out there claiming to know a lot about nutrition. Why not complete a formal program that merges innovative nutritional science with culinary arts so that you can make a difference in your profession every day? You could earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Applied Nutrition Degree from ECPI University’s Culinary Institute of Virginia in as little as 15 months. Call today to speak to a knowledgeable admissions counselor and get the credentials that will help you stand out in this amazing new field.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Nutrition - Associate’s

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