Nutrition 10
Human Sexuality
Introduction to Brewing and Beer
Over 45,000 students have taken Elizabeth Applegate’s Nutrition 10 class in the past 24 years, according to university estimates. It comes as no surprise, then, that the perennial favorite has once again won Best GE Course.
Other annual Best of Davis favorites, HDE 12, Human Sexuality, and FST 3, Introduction to Brewing and Beer, finished second and third, respectively.
The introductory nutrition class covers a variety of topics in nutrition, such as obesity and dietary supplements. Over the years, Applegate has modified the class in response to class evaluations. Recently, she has added optional evening lectures on food safety and grocery shopping. Extra credit “Jeopardy” sessions are also a new addition to the class, she said.
Applegate also integrates current topics, events, and research in nutrition in the class; Jessica Simpson was a recent target. (It turns out that her weight gain is not unhealthy, Applegate said.)
Regardless of whether you’re a biochemistry or art studio major, the class offers practical knowledge, Applegate said.
“My feeling is no matter what your background, it helps bring things together – you learn about different cycles,” she said. “In Nutrition 10, we see it all put together.“
The class is also infamous for the diet project, in which students keep track of what they eat for three days. Applegate purchases and distributes prizes on the day the project is turned in.
Every Nutrition 10 lecture is podcast and posted online at teaching.ucdavis.edu/nut10/index.htm, so students who are unsure if they want to take the class can take a look.
Though getting into Nutrition 10 can be difficult, as the class always has a waitlist, students need not worry: Applegate said she plans to continue teaching the class until “they roll me out.“
– Patrcik McCartney
