Wine about it: The Balance Between Nutrition and Wine Education
By Kelly Burnett, student representative for the University of Alberta
People love to make assumptions about Dietitians and Dietetic Students, but the reputation of fibre-packed, sugar-free, meticulously planned, health-packed diets is simply not the case, at least, not for everyone. As a student who has been in the restaurant industry for the last 4 years, I am often asked if/what I'm pursuing in post-secondary. Telling tables I'm a Dietetics major is always met with the same theme of remarks. Always something along the lines of an assumed judgment I'm passing on to them for daring to eat out, and a promise not to judge too hard. I hold my hands up in defence and tell them that as a person who is pursuing a wine mentorship alongside dietetics, I'm hardly one to judge. This is usually followed by confusion about how I balance the conflict between the wine and nutrition. I always relay the same quote from the World Health Organization (n.d.):
“Health is a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living.”
I tell them that I believe in balance over hard-set rules that restrict the joy of food and inhibit the community, alongside eating experiences. While at first I tried to ignore this conflict of interest, these guests pose a difficult, but important question: What responsibilities will I have as a Dietitian, and does working in the wine industry go against the standards set for dietetic practice?
The summer before I turned 19, I was finishing my first year of the Nutrition and Food Science Undergraduate program at the University of Alberta. I got my first job in fine dining, which, unbeknownst to me, would be the beginning of a lifelong passion. The job had many areas of training, and as a student at heart, I found myself studying it like my newest class. Learning about wine specifically was different from the other areas of training because the knowledge was not nearly as finite. I would find myself looking up some region of Burgundy, and 30 minutes later, I would be in a rabbit hole learning about a tiny Premier Cru region of Auxey-Duresses. Altitude, sun exposure, weather conditions, winemaking technique, it just didn't end. I loved the challenge and continued to push myself into any and every opportunity to learn more. I started to show off my knowledge to guests as my confidence grew, which, just over 6 months into that job, convinced my boss to have me sit in on tastings and start running my own wine programs in the restaurant. Another one of my managers at the time asked if I had ever considered taking my WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) and starting on the Sommelier path. I had never heard of the program or even considered wine as a potential career path because it was always just a hobby. I did my WSET 2 anyway, and passed. By this point, I had started at a new job with my wine resume behind me. I got a second job working at a small natural wine shop in Edmonton, where I still work today. I kept studying, learning, tasting, travelling, and having fun. By this point, wine had become a huge part of my life, and I started to think about how wine would fit into my career once I graduated from the Dietetics program. As of today, the dream is to work in restaurants as a wine consultant and hopefully get my Sommelier status, but being a Dietitian is also my passion, so how can I blend these fields without crossing any boundaries?
Starting with the facts: Health Canada recommends that Women consume less than 10 standard drinks per week, and Men, less than 15 standard drinks per week (Health Canada, 2025). At the same time, the Government of Canada indicates these as “low risk”, not “no risk” guidelines, which is to say that any alcohol consumption will always carry risks (2025). Should Dietitians recommend people drink all of their 10 or 15 standard drinks a week? Probably not. As a Sommelier or wine consultant, will I be recommending an assortment of different alcoholic beverages to my customers? Absolutely. So can I recommend limiting alcohol by day, and buying the bottle by night? Absolutely, I can. Why? I believe no Dietitian is one size fits all and that no two patients are the same. Every Dietitian carries their own brand, values, and beliefs. I believe it's about finding a Dietitian who works for you. It will never be a secret that I am heavily involved in the wine industry when I am an RD. I believe in balance and the statement made by the WHO. You don't need to drink every day to be good at what I do. The message I want to convey to people is simple. Alcohol isn't always a substance of dependence. It is an entire field of history, knowledge, and experience. These things can be appreciated while understanding that everything has risks. That's what I believe, and why I know my 2 fields can work together instead of against one another. My beliefs may not be shared by other people in the field, but again, my practice may not be for everyone, and that's okay. It doesn't have to be. At the end of the day, my practice will be my own, so I'm going to keep learning and sharing my passions with anyone willing to listen and remind everyone that life is about balance. Continue to enjoy the things that make you happy because it is just as important!
References
World Health Organization. (n.d.). First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/first-global-conference
Health Canada. (2025). Low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/low-risk-alcohol-drinking-guidelines.html