Jasmine Westbrooks, MS, RDN, CDCES – Real Simple

If you’ve ever clicked a nutrition headline and immediately braced yourself for a lecture (“Goodbye, pasta. Hello, sadness.”),
Jasmine Westbrooks is the kind of expert who makes you exhale. On Real Simple, she shows up with the rare combo of
credentials and real-world practicality: the science matters, your culture matters, and your schedule definitely matters.

Jasmine Westbrooks, MS, RDN, CDCES is a registered dietitian and diabetes care and education specialist who writes for
Real Simple (a People Inc. brand). Her work focuses on nutrition and diabetes education, with an approach that
prioritizes sustainable habits over “perfect” eating. She’s also connected to community-based work through EatWell Exchange
and her own practice brand, Nourish Through Nutritionso the advice isn’t just evidence-based, it’s built for real kitchens.

Who Is Jasmine Westbrooks (and Why Real Simple Readers Trust Her)

Real Simple describes Jasmine as a registered dietitian and freelance nutrition writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina,
with expertise in nutrition and diabetes care and education. Her background includes supervised training and advanced study
in nutrition, plus years of counseling and education work through clinics, community programs, speaking engagements, cooking
demos, and media. In other words: she’s not guessing, she’s practiced.

A quick snapshot of her professional lane

• Credentials: MS, RDN, CDCES (graduate-level nutrition training, registered dietitian credential, and diabetes care/education specialization)
• Focus areas: diabetes prevention/management, practical meal strategy, culturally inclusive nutrition, myth-busting, and sustainable lifestyle habits
• Work style: plain-English explanations, “small changes that stick,” and guidance that respects food culture instead of fighting it

That blendclinical credibility plus cultural realityis exactly why her writing fits the Real Simple mission: smart, usable
solutions that don’t require you to turn your life into a spreadsheet.

What Do “MS, RDN, CDCES” Actually Mean?

Let’s decode the alphabet soup, because these letters are doing a lot of heavy lifting (and they’re not decorative).

MS: Master of Science

This signals graduate-level training in nutrition-related study. It typically means deeper work in research, program design,
and applying science in real-world settingsnot just memorizing facts about vitamins.

RDN: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

An RDN is a credentialed food-and-nutrition expert who completes accredited education, supervised practice, passes a national
exam, and maintains continuing education. If you’re choosing between someone with “nutrition vibes” and someone with clinical
training, RDN is the credential that tells you you’re dealing with a regulated professional standard.

CDCES: Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

CDCES professionals have specialized training and experience in diabetes care, prediabetes, prevention, and education.
It’s also the updated name for what many people used to call “CDE” (Certified Diabetes Educator). Practically speaking:
it means Jasmine can go beyond generic “eat healthy” advice and help translate diabetes guidance into day-to-day decisions.

What Jasmine Westbrooks Covers on Real Simple

The best nutrition writing doesn’t just tell you what’s “good” or “bad.” It helps you understand why something matters,
and what to do with that information tomorrow at lunch.

Theme 1: The “sneaky” stuff (like sodium in foods that look healthy)

One of Jasmine’s most Real Simple-friendly strengths is calling out nutrition surprises without shaming the reader.
A perfect example is her writing on “healthy foods” that can still be high in sodiumbecause yes, even “healthy” choices can
quietly stack up salt depending on brands, portions, and how often you eat them.

Her practical takeaway style tends to look like this: keep the food, change the move. For example, rinsing canned beans,
comparing labels, and using herbs/acid/aromatics to build flavor without leaning on salt.

Theme 2: Heart-health clarity (cholesterol explained like a human)

Real Simple has also quoted Jasmine explaining cholesterol basicslike why LDL is the one you want to keep in check, and how
HDL supports cholesterol removal. The point isn’t to fear food; it’s to understand patterns: saturated fats, trans fats, and
overall dietary quality matter more than random one-off meals.

Theme 3: Diabetes prevention and education that doesn’t feel impossible

“Diabetes-friendly” often gets translated online as “joyless.” Jasmine’s lane is more realistic: learn the principles,
then apply them to your culture, your budget, and your energy level that day.

The “Real Simple” Nutrition Framework (Inspired by Jasmine’s Style)

Below is a practical framework that matches the kind of evidence-based, doable guidance readers expect from an RDN/CDCES voice.
Use it as a flexible playbooknot a set of food commandments.

1) Build meals with the plate method (when you don’t want to count anything)

The Diabetes Plate Method is popular because it’s visual and fast: aim for half the plate non-starchy vegetables,
a quarter lean protein, and a quarter quality carbohydrates (plus water, and fruit/dairy as appropriate).
It’s a “portion autopilot” that works for many people, including those managing blood sugar.

Example: A bowl-night upgrade. Keep the rice, but shrink the portion a bit, add grilled chicken or tofu,
pile on fajita veggies, and finish with salsa, lime, and avocado. Same vibebetter balance.

2) Choose carbs like you’re choosing fuel, not punishment

Diabetes education often includes carb counting or the plate methodtwo common tools that help people plan intake
without banning foods. If you like structure, carb counting can be useful. If you hate math, the plate method can carry you.

Example: If breakfast is your blood-sugar trouble spot, try pairing carbs with protein/fat:
oatmeal + Greek yogurt; toast + eggs; fruit + nut butter. The goal is steadier energy, not “never eat bread again.”

3) Keep sodium in a “smart range” without making food taste like cardboard

U.S. guidance commonly references staying under 2,300 mg sodium/day for most adults, and the American Heart Association
notes an ideal target of 1,500 mg/day for many peopleespecially if blood pressure is a concern.
But the bigger practical point is this: most sodium comes from packaged, prepared, and restaurant foods, not your salt shaker.

Easy wins that don’t ruin dinner:

• Rinse canned beans and veggies when you can.
• Use “low sodium” broth as a base, then season intentionally.
• Rotate condiments (dressings, sauces, dips) like you rotate shoessome are everyday, some are “special occasion.”
• Boost flavor with lemon, vinegar, garlic, onion, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and fresh herbs.

4) Improve fat quality (because cholesterol isn’t only about cholesterol)

Cholesterol management usually isn’t about one villain ingredient. It’s about patterns: limiting trans fats, moderating
saturated fat, and choosing more unsaturated fats and fiber-rich foods when possible. Your liver makes a large portion of
the cholesterol in your body, which is why overall lifestyle matters.

Example: If you love burgers, keep burger nightjust tweak the pattern: leaner patty (or half-beef/half-bean),
add crunchy veggies, use a lighter sauce, and swap fries for roasted potatoes or a big salad sometimes (not always).
Consistency beats perfection.

5) Make “culturally inclusive” swaps, not cultural erasure

A culture-focused approach doesn’t tell people to abandon traditional foods. It looks for levers:
portion, frequency, cooking method, and balance. Want to keep the dish? Great. Let’s adjust what sits next to it.

Example: If a traditional meal is carb-forward, try adding a protein anchor and a vegetable side, or reduce the
starch portion slightly while keeping the flavors. The goal is “keep the culture, improve the outcome.”

Diabetes Education, Explained Simply (No Panic, Just Clarity)

Diabetes care can feel overwhelming because it mixes biology, behavior, and daily life. A CDCES helps translate “medical”
into “doable.”

Why A1C is such a big deal

The A1C test reflects average blood sugar over roughly the past 2–3 months by measuring how much glucose is attached to
hemoglobin in red blood cells. It’s commonly used to diagnose diabetes and to track how well a plan is working over time.
(It’s also why one “bad day” doesn’t define you.)

What “healthy living with diabetes” usually includes

• Meal strategy: plate method or carb counting (whichever is sustainable for you)
• Movement: something you’ll actually repeat (walking countsdramatically)
• Sleep and stress support: because blood sugar responds to more than food
• Medical follow-up: labs, medications if prescribed, and check-ins that adjust the plan

Important note: diabetes guidance is personal. If you’re on insulin or certain medications, timing and carb planning can be
more specificso partner with your clinician for individualized recommendations.

How to Get the Most From Jasmine’s Real Simple Articles

Use her writing like a checklist, not a rulebook

Real Simple articles are designed for broad usefulness. The win is to pick one or two actions you can keep doing,
rather than trying to overhaul everything by Tuesday.

Look for “behavioral handles”

Jasmine’s content often points to small, repeatable behaviors: rinse, compare, swap, balance, plan. Those are handles you
can grab in the grocery store and at dinnerwithout needing a new personality.

Sanity-check wellness trends

If a trend says you must eliminate whole food groups forever, it’s usually not a nutrition planit’s a plot twist.
Evidence-based nutrition tends to sound boring because it’s consistent: balanced meals, adequate fiber, mindful sodium,
quality fats, movement, and long-term habits.

When to Work With an RDN or CDCES (and How to Prepare)

Consider getting professional support if you’re dealing with prediabetes/diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure,
digestive issues, unexplained weight changes, or a history of dieting that has damaged your relationship with food.
A registered dietitian can provide individualized medical nutrition therapy, and a CDCES can help tailor diabetes education
to your lifestyle.

Bring these to your first appointment

• Recent labs (A1C, lipids, blood pressure) if you have them
• A typical day of eating (no need to “eat good” firstbring reality)
• Your schedule constraints (work hours, caregiving, budget, cooking access)
• Your cultural staples and “non-negotiable” foods (so the plan is livable)

Experience-Based Insights (5 Real-Life Scenarios That Match the Topic)

The section below adds lived-context to the kind of evidence-based guidance associated with an RDN/CDCES voice. These are
composite, anonymized scenarios drawn from common experiences in nutrition counseling and diabetes education
settingsshared to illustrate patterns, not to describe any one person’s private story.

1) “I eat healthy… so why is my A1C still high?”

This is one of the most common frustrations. Often, the person truly is eating “healthy foods”but portions, timing, and
beverage choices are the hidden drivers. Fruit smoothies, granola, and “natural” sweeteners can still add up fast.
The practical fix usually isn’t eliminating fruit; it’s adjusting structure: add protein, reduce liquid sugars, and space
carbs more evenly. The emotional win is realizing this isn’t a character flawit’s a strategy problem.

2) The sodium surprise nobody sees coming

Many people stop using the salt shaker and assume they’ve “solved sodium,” yet blood pressure doesn’t budge. Then we look at
the usual suspects: bottled sauces, seasoning blends, deli meats, canned soups, and restaurant meals. It’s not about never
eating these foods; it’s about frequency and the “stacking effect.” A simple strategy that works in real kitchens is to pick
one meal a day to be lower-sodium by design (home-cooked, fewer packaged components), so you have flexibility in the
rest of your day.

3) Cultural foods vs. “diet culture rules”

A pattern that shows up constantly: someone has been told they must give up their cultural staplesrice, noodles, breads,
plantains, beans, stews, family recipes. They try… and then the plan collapses because the food doesn’t feel like home.
The more sustainable approach is cultural inclusion: keep the staple, adjust the plate. Add vegetables, anchor protein,
modify cooking fats, or tweak portion sizes. People often feel immediate relief when the plan stops demanding cultural erasure.

4) The cholesterol confusion spiral

Cholesterol advice online can be chaotic: “Eat eggs!” “Never eat eggs!” “Avoid fat!” “Eat more fat!” In practice, what helps
most is simplifying the message: LDL and HDL behave differently, fiber helps, and saturated/trans fat patterns matter.
Instead of obsessing over a single food, many people improve outcomes by adding one high-fiber habit (beans, oats, lentils,
vegetables) and swapping a few weekly meals toward healthier fats (nuts, olive oil, fish when appropriate). This feels less
dramaticbut it’s actually the kind of steady change clinicians see stick.

5) The “I did great all week and then weekend-me happened” problem

The all-or-nothing mindset is the loudest saboteur in nutrition. People restrict hard, get exhausted, and then rebound.
A non-restrictive approach reframes success: build weekdays that are balanced and enjoyable, then plan weekend flexibility
without turning it into a food free-for-all. A practical tool is the “two-choices rule”: at a meal out, pick two priorities
(dessert and a cocktail, or fries and a burger, etc.) and fill the rest with supportive choices. It keeps life fun and reduces
the Monday regret loop.

These scenarios connect to why a Real Simple dietitian voice like Jasmine Westbrooks resonates: the point is not to chase
perfection. It’s to build repeatable skillslabel reading, plate building, balanced swaps, and myth-bustingthat make health
easier to maintain in the real world.

Conclusion

Jasmine Westbrooks, MS, RDN, CDCES brings a grounded, culturally aware, and diabetes-informed lens to Real Simple nutrition
content. Her style is a reminder that “healthy eating” shouldn’t feel like a punishment or a personality transplant.
Whether you’re navigating blood sugar, cholesterol, sodium, or just trying to eat better without losing your joy, the best
move is to focus on patterns you can repeatone meal, one grocery trip, one realistic habit at a time.