Last week, at the goneraw.com forum, someone asked if certification is necessary in order to teach about raw foods. Excerpt:
I am starting a raw foods business. Currently I have been teaching classes and am also working on my recipe book. My question is: HOW MUCH CAN I TEACH PEOPLE WITHOUT BEING A NUTRITIONIST OR DOCTOR?? Can I only show them how to prepare food or can I teach what to eat and what it does to the body? Do I need to be a nutritionist to recommend foods to eat? Who certified the original "raw food teachers"? Can i start my own raw food certification program/school?
So far there has only been one response. Excerpt:
People don't like hearing this, but in my view the very best thing to do for anyone who is really serious about becoming a professional nutritionist is getting a 'real' college degree in nutrition, becoming a registered dietician, and coupling that with a holistic nutrition course (which is a walk in the park compared to a B.S. in nutrition, where you take biochemistry and anatomy and physiology and so on). That way, you can *legally* dispense nutritional advice without worrying about lawsuits, since R.D.'s are licensed by the state. I'm not saying that I would only go to a person with the credentials I have described, but I would know that the person really knew his or her stuff.
What are your thoughts on certification?
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