15 Best Holistic Nutrition Online Courses [Updated 2021]

Are you the explorer who is curious about finding out the various components of food items? Do people consider you the right person to seek solutions to their dietary woes? If yes, then pat yourself on the back to landing on the right page on the 15 Best Holistic Nutrition Online Courses.

Holistic Nutrition is considered to be one of the upcoming career choices for students and since they have to deal with a complex amount of data and information, it becomes important they learn certain specialized skills to become reliable and credible nutritionists for people out there.

Let’s not waste time and get straight to the 15 best free nutrition courses available online!

15 Best Holistic Nutrition Online Courses [Updated 2021]

1. Diploma in Human Nutrition (Alison)

If you consider yourself to be the person who loves exploring the minute details behind food items, then do give this course a try. This course takes you on an introductory journey through the various food types and explains the concepts of phytochemicals and functional foods.

It will also cover concepts such as the importance of vitamins and minerals whilst teaching you in-depth about macronutrient metabolism. At the end of it, you are required to clear an examination to test the learnings of your course. Take this course if you wish to explore the world of holistic nutrition in detail!

Course Highlights

Learn in detail about the processes of digestion and how the food is absorbed into the body.
Gain an introduction to the concepts of lipids and their importance to the heart.

Learn about the different types of proteins and their biological functions.

Course Duration: 10-15 hours

Rating: 4.3 /5

2. Human Nutrition- Introduction to Macronutrients [Revised] (Alison)

Ready to learn more about the intricate details of our daily food items? Then look no further and head to this revised specialization from Alison. This course is specifically focused on macronutrients and has been divided into 3 modules namely- lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates.

You will learn how these macronutrients contribute to the growth and energy production in our bodies. It also focuses on the concept of fatty acids and the food sources of the same. Towards the end, you will be asked to take an assessment clearing which you will obtain your certificate of completion.

Course Highlights

Gain extensive insight into the different types of carbohydrates and their importance.
Identify the different levels of protein structure in fruits and vegetables.

Discuss the importance of eicosanoids in the body.
Get to know the different types of natural sweeteners available.

Course Duration: 1-2 hours

Rating: 4.4 /5

3. Nutrition: Vitamins and Minerals (OpenLearn)

Looking to upgrade your skills on the nutritional front? This program will do exactly that for you! Offered by OpenLearn, this program will focus mainly on two things- the major mineral groups and vitamins both of which are important for the smooth functioning of the body.

Some of the other concepts covered in this course include the types of minerals required by the body, the importance of sodium and calcium to maintain homeostasis, and how water can help in balancing nutrients and flush out the toxins from the body. Learn all of this and a lot more in this expansive course specifically designed for budding nutritionists.

Course Highlights

Learn to differentiate between the mineral composition of tap water and mineral water.

Understand the importance of minerals in the composition of hormones and enzymes.
Gain knowledge on how vitamins and minerals lead to the formation of healthy bones and tissues.

Course Duration: 10 hours

Rating: 4.5/5

4. Introduction to Nutrition and Food Safety (Future Learn)

Featuring at number four on our list of free holistic nutrition courses available online is this specialization provided by Future Learn. Offered in collaboration with the University of Taipei, you will learn about the basic nutritional elements and their importance to the body.

You will also learn in detail about how poor dietary habits lead to various issues in the body. Furthermore, you will learn about dietary pesticides and how to identify and get rid of them from your food items.

Course Highlights

Identify the nutritional requirements for kids and adults.

Recognize the harmful chemicals present in our food.
Assess all the risks associated with consuming chemical-infested food.

Course Duration: 8 hours

Rating: 4.6/5

5. Starter Nutrition Course (The Health Sciences Academy)

This Starter Nutrition Course by The Health Sciences Academy is one of the best holistic nutritional courses available online. Designed in the short course format, this specialization has been sub-divided into six modules to teach you everything about holistic nutrition from scratch.

You will be taught about the importance of a balanced diet and energy and food label identification. The course also features a special section on Superfoods and a TED talk by Jamie Oliver on the same. Filled with plenty of tests and assessments, this course will put you through the grind in terms of testing your knowledge of the concepts.

Course Highlights

Learn how a balanced diet leads to a balanced life.

Identify the various nutritional components mentioned on food labels.
Learn how to read a food label and get to know the optimal amount of nutrients required.

Course Duration: 3-6 hours

Rating: 4.2 /5

6. Child Nutrition and Cooking (Coursera)

If you want to make a career in pediatric nutrition, then this course will act as the perfect stepping stone for it. This specialization explains the importance of a balanced diet for young kids and the quantities of nutrients required by them for optimal health.

It will further dwell on concepts such as childhood obesity and how to make lunchboxes more healthy for kids. An additional part of Sustainable Eating has been added to encourage healthy eating patterns among kids. Eventually, you will have to clear an examination to get your hands on the certificate of completion.

Course Highlights

Learn what is childhood obesity and how to cure it.

Learn about the different types of food allergies in kids and their causes.
Gain insights into how to make a lunchbox more appealing and healthy for children.

Course Duration: 9 hours

Rating: 4.5/5

7. Nutrition and Cancer (edX)

Coming in at the seventh position in our collection of free holistic courses available online is this distance-learning specialization from edX. Prepared jointly with Wageningen University, this program will help you in understanding the relationship between cancer and the food that you consume.

The course further educates you on carcinogens present in certain foods and how we indirectly consume them in our daily diet. The concepts of interaction between nutrition and genes and diet plans for cancer patients have been explained in detail, thereby making it a comprehensive course on the relationship between cancer and diet.

Course Highlights

Understand the diet and lifestyle-related risks of cancer.

Analyze the mechanisms by which nutrition can impact cancer.
Learn how cancer can be prevented by adopting holistic nutrition.

Course Duration: 5 weeks

Rating: 4.3 /5

8. Diet and Nutrition Coach Certification: Create Diet Plans, Coach Others, and Build Your Business (SkillShare)

Are you ready to make your dietary hobbies into a full-time profession? If you agree, then this course will help you turn those dreams into reality! Compiled into 71 bite-sized modules, this course will initially focus on laying the foundation in the basics of nutrition.

With time, you will learn about nutrition theory and its importance in keeping your clients fit. It will also inform you about the current diet trends (keto, vegan, etc.) and how to estimate which diet plan works best for which body type.

Course Highlights

Learn about the different components of nutrition theory such as macronutrients and micronutrients.

Get to know about the latest diet trends such as keto and paleo and their benefits.
Master the art of wellness coaching and how legal supplements can enhance bodily functions.

Course Duration: 10 hours

Rating: 4.7/5

9. Food as Medicine (Future Learn)

Did you know that your diet can heal most of your bodily issues? If you didn’t, then head to this e-learning program by Future Learn. In collaboration with Monash University, this course begins by teaching you the history behind food being used as a medicine to cure ailments.

With gradual progress, you will come across concepts such as the importance of phytochemicals and antioxidants in the diet and the gut/brain theory. You will also understand the relationship between food and our genome and how dietary habits in pregnancy affect the growth of the child.

Course Highlights

Provides you with numerous examples of how food was used as a medicine in the past.

Identify the different types of foods and how they help in disease prevention.
Receive scientific information on certain superfoods and how to incorporate them into your daily diet.

Course Duration: 12 hours

Rating: 4.7/5

10. Nutrition and Health: Human Microbiome (edX)

Occupying the tenth spot in this listicle on free holistic nutrition courses available online is this specialization offered by edX. Collaborated with Wageningen University, it seeks to make you skilled in the concepts of the microbiome and how they are important to your health.

You will learn how to diagnose ailments related to microbial overload and how to cure them using specially designed diet programs. This program will also teach you about issues like IBS and Diabetes and how they can be kept under check with the help of a good diet.

Course Highlights

Learn about the impact of microbiota on one’s health.

Study the structure of microbiomes.
Understand the relationship between gut, genes, and microbiota.

Course Duration: 10 hours

Rating: 4.4 /5

11. Food Science and Nutrition: From the Farm to You (Future Learn)

Offered in partnership with Leeds University, this program will explain to you how the supply chain management of farms works and how ingredients are handpicked to make them ready for exports to local and international markets.

Furthermore, you will learn about the presence of molecules in food components and their importance. It will also educate you on the latest trends in cooking and how various countries adopt them to give their citizens a healthy lifestyle.

Course Highlights

Understand the process of how crops are converted into appealing food items for consumers.

Analyze the process of digestion and how different nutrients are absorbed into the body.
Get to know the principles behind designing diet charts and how to quantify proportions in meals.

Course Duration: 2 weeks

Rating: 4.4 /5

12. Nutrition and Wellbeing (Future Learn)

Designed in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, this specialization will help you understand what goes into making a healthy and balanced diet and why do you eat the things you eat.

The course will also seek the answer to a long-standing question: Can you work your way to good health through food alone? It will also burst the bubbles around nutritional myths and how nutrition is a lot more than our genes. Learn all of this in a short and sweet course of 4 weeks!

Course Highlights

Apply the knowledge gained from this course to your dietary habits.

Identify the chief components of various foods and how they affect our body.
Learn how to differentiate between a myth and a fact when it comes to nutrition.

Course Duration: 4 weeks

Rating: 4.7/5

13. Food as Medicine: Preventing and Reversing Chronic Disease (edX)

Filling in next in this article on free holistic nutritional courses available online is this distance-learning program from edX. This course will address your queries regarding the causes of chronic ailments and how diet modifications can reduce their severity drastically.

You will gain information on the importance of plant-based diets and why thousands of people have made the switch for their betterment. You will also be taught how to utilise the SMART goal technique to achieve better results in terms of dietary habits and reducing chronic diseases.

Course Highlights

Learn how plant-based diets have a better effect on the body.

Explore what to eat and how to reverse health problems.
Use the SMART goals system effectively to ring in positive dietary changes.

Course Duration: 4 weeks

Rating: 4.5/5

14. Diploma in Nutrition, Therapeutics, and Health (Alison)

Now here’s a course that is going to teach you how food can be the long-standing solution to most of your health problems. This course will strengthen your basics on food and nutrition and the importance of different nutrients in our bodies.

You will also learn how to differentiate between the different minerals and proteins and how good food hygiene plays a key role in keeping your food healthy. You will be required to pass an assessment to test your knowledge which will help you grasp the skills learned more effectively.

Course Highlights

Realize the importance of good nutrition in our daily life.

Discuss the importance of food sanitation and its importance.
Explain what is a balanced diet and its need for the body.
Discuss the symptoms, causes, and dietary remedies of various health problems.

Course Duration: 10-15 hours

Rating: 4.7/5

15. Human Health: Diet and Nutrition (Alison)

To sum up, our list of free holistic nutrition courses available online is another program offered by Alison. In this course, you will learn what does our body consist of and identify the different nutrients present in our cells.

You will be trained on how to identify nutritional deficiencies in the body and how to replenish them with the help of a customized diet plan. At the end of the course, you would have not just gained tons of theoretical knowledge but would have also learned how to implement the same practically.

Course Highlights

Understand human biology and the components that make up our body.
Learn about the required calorie intake and the sources to obtain the same.
Identify dietary imbalances and how to rectify them with the help of diet plans.

Course Duration: 1.5-3 hours

Rating: 4.7/5

Now that you have read about the best holistic nutrition online courses, it’s time that you pick anyone among these and start learning at the earliest to upgrade your skills and become the best version of yourself!

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for your favorite one and start learning now!