Hearing that someone is a “nutritionist” often makes the public think that they’re educated and trained in nutrition and health issues. But in many states, titles like “nutritionist” and “diet counselor” are not regulated, so people who are not qualified to give accurate nutrition advice use terms like these. Many “nutritionists” have little if any actual nutrition training or just mail-order credentials.

So who is a qualified nutrition expert?

The answer is a Registered Dietitian.

A Registered Dietitian can give you trusted, accurate and sound advice. Registered Dietitians have college degrees in nutrition, dietetics, public health or related fields. They come from accredited colleges and universities. A Registered Dietitian must also perform a supervised internship, pass an extensive exam and earn professional education credits throughout their career in order to maintain their registration. A Registered Dietitian can provide counseling for eating disorders, medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, food allergies, in addition to prenatal and sports nutrition.

So the next time you hear nutrition advice on television, or see a diet book that looks like it might help you lose 10 pounds, take a closer look to make sure the information is coming from a qualified expert in food and nutrition science: A Registered Dietitian.