THE REAL SCIENCE OF FOOD: DEBUNKING PSEUDOSCIENCE IN FOOD AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS (MARTEL)

Credit Hour: 1 · Undergraduate Lower-Level

We’ve all heard these bold claims online: gummies that improve cognitive function, greens powders that supposedly replace whole veggies, and even pre-workout blends that improve muscle gain beyond what training alone could achieve. Amidst the surge of food and dietary supplements on the market, this course focuses on understanding the influence of pseudoscience on the perception of food and dietary supplements on popular communication platforms, including social media and television. Before delving into food marketing, the course will address the fundamental principles of nutrition science and its importance for human health. Then, the class will analyze the marketing tactics that companies utilize to promote food and dietary supplements, showing how pseudoscience is a useful business practice. Through this course, students will learn how to analyze the effectiveness of marketed supplements through rigorous evaluation of ingredient composition, as well as the scientific evidence underlying their marketed benefits. Any marketing analysis in this course is taught solely for educational purposes, with an emphasis on both ethical communication and scientific accuracy. Students will practice this by critically assessing highly marketed food and dietary supplements on the current market. Finally, students will examine the broader implications of pseudoscience and the undermining of public health at a national level as well as internationally.