These Black Female Nutritionists Who Will Change The Way You Think About Food

As more and more Black women look to make health and wellness a priority, these nutritionists are paving the way.

By Kimberly Wilson · Updated October 23, 2020

A great nutritionist can do wonders for your health. And as Black women, it’s imperative that we make our health a first priority. Why? First and foremost, the statistics are startling. For example: Four out of five African American women are overweight or obese, One out of five African American adults has diabetes and African Americans are almost twice as likely to die from heart disease and stroke compared to Whites. No one will help us, unless we help ourselves. And the first key to changing our relationship with our health, is changing our relationship with our bodies, and the way we look at food. I’m making the pledge for myself, and I hope you will join me. It’s time for Black women to make health and wellness a priority. If you’re unsure of where to start, these nutritionists can help.

Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones, MS, RD, CDE is an outpatient dietitian in a community health clinic in Oakland. As a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with a certificate of training in adult weight management, Jessica counsels hundreds of clients on intuitive eating, pre-diabetes/diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, GI issues, wellness, and vegan/vegetarian nutrition using motivational interviewing as a tool for successful behavior change. She also teaches weekly classes in both English and Spanish on diabetes prevention and healthy living for kids and families. Jessica is the co-creator of Food Heaven Made Easy, an online resource for nutritious and delicious living followed by over 100,000 people from across the globe. Food Heaven started out as a healthy cooking web-series and has transitioned into a monthly nutrition podcast with a solid resource of simple, budget friendly, vegetarian recipes and evidenced-based nutrition information.

Vanessa Rissetto

Vanessa Rissetto is a Registered dietitian/nutritionist who specializes in weight loss, weight management, and medical nutrition therapy as it relates to diabetes, cardiac disease, and gastrointestinal issues. Previously a Senior Dietitian at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Vanessa obtained a breadth of knowledge and experience across many disease states beyond those she specializes in. She is also certified by the Commission on Dietetic Registration in Adult Weight Management (Level I & II) lactation, and is published for her writings on bariatric surgery. Before moving into nutrition, Vanessa had over 10 years of success in media, marketing, and business development, which she gave up to pursue her passion for the science behind nutrition. In addition to her RD qualification, Vanessa has a Master’s in Marketing from New York University, and an undergraduate degree in History from Fordham University.

Wendy Lopez

As a registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator, Wendy is passionate about educating communities on plant-based eating, in ways that are accessible and culturally relevant. She is the co-author the 28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot, the co-host of the Food Heaven Podcast, and the co-founder of Food Heaven Made Easy, an online platform that provides resources on living a healthy, balanced life. She regularly partners with national brands like Quaker, Sunsweet, Blue Diamond Almonds, and the Blueberry Council, to create delicious recipes and curated multimedia content. When not working on creative projects, Wendy also provides nutritional counseling and diabetes management to clients in a clinical setting. She uses an integrative and individualized approach towards nutrition, health, and wellbeing.

Marisa-Moore-Headshot

Marisa is a registered and licensed dietitian with a unique background in clinical nutrition, wellness and the food industry. Early in her career, Marisa developed a strong foundation in medical nutrition therapy as an outpatient dietitian where she focused on diabetes education, cardiovascular nutrition and weight management. She owns a nutrition consulting practice where she works with corporations, groups and individuals to improve health outcomes in wellness, weight management, heart health and disease prevention. Moore also consults with the food and restaurant industry to develop and promote healthy recipes, food products and campaigns.