Eating only raw foods has emerged as a popular dietary trend. Proclaiming an emotive health message, it is enough to make you think twice before next adding heat to your food. But fear not because on the scales of health, there is little to tip the balance in either direction. In this podcast, I look at the claims made about raw food diets and put these into context for the many health benefits that cooking food offers. Links referred to in the podcast USDA Nutrient Retention Database https://ww...
Jun 01, 2020•14 min•Ep. 21
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though because there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on beta-alanine. Links referred to in the podcast IOC consensus statement on...
May 25, 2020•8 min•Ep. 20
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though because there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on sodium bicarbonate. Links referred to in the podcast IOC consensus statem...
May 18, 2020•10 min•Ep. 19
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on beetroot juice. Links referred to in the podcast IOC consensus statement on di...
May 11, 2020•9 min•Ep. 18
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on caffeine. Links referred to in the podcast IOC consensus statement on dietary ...
May 04, 2020•11 min•Ep. 17
The sports supplement market is big business. And it is no wonder that athletes gravitate to the pills, powders and potions on the market for the promises they make of enhancing training and race day performance and allowing them to get the jump on their competitors. The reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role...
Apr 27, 2020•12 min•Ep. 16
How much water do you really need, and is possible to drink too much? In this podcast, I explain why the advice to drink ‘8 glasses of water each day’ is a myth that needs to be busted. And then I’ll outline that while even though it is very rare, it is possible for a healthy person to drink too much water with the consequences of this being potentially life-threatening. So, endurance athletes take note, this could apply to you. Links referred to in the podcast Hyponatraemia in marathon runners ...
Apr 20, 2020•20 min•Ep. 15
Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for health. It is central in the functioning of the immune system and building strong bones, skin, and blood vessels. Yet despite vitamin C being abundant in fruits and vegetables, it is also one of the most popular supplements taken, despite widespread deficiency in the population not being an issue. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at the roles of vitamin C and uncover the evidence for some of the many health claims made about it. L inks referred to in the podcas...
Apr 13, 2020•17 min•Ep. 14
Want to know what the one food that is truly deserving of the title ‘superfood’ is? It is legumes. Packed with nutrients, offering a host of health benefits and good for the environment too, you’ve probably been overlooking these foods for years. It is time to give them another look. Oh, and they also store really well, making them ideal doomsday prepping foods which is on-trend in today’s times. In this podcast, I’ll talk about the foods that make up the legume family, uncover those health bene...
Apr 06, 2020•17 min•Ep. 13
People all over the world have been drinking tea for centuries, and for good reason. A growing field of research has shown that tea has a role to play in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. And on top of that, a good cup of tea has a real calming and relaxing effect – just what we need in these stressful times. So put the kettle on, sit back, and relax, as I explore the health benefits of tea. Links referred to in the podcast Tea and risk of type 2 diabetes meta-analysis http://www.ncbi....
Mar 30, 2020•19 min•Ep. 12
Vitamin D is well-known for its role in building strong bones. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems. Serving a dual role as both a hormone and vitamin, it is the sun that is the main source of vitamin D with few foods being reliable sources of it. In this podcast, I outline the key roles played by vitamin D, profile the growing number of health areas linked to it especially as it relates to immunity, and discuss how y...
Mar 23, 2020•21 min•Ep. 11
Sugar. We eat too much of it, but how worried should you be about what is doing to your health? While there can be considerable debate in many areas of nutrition science, along with conflicting recommendations on what we should eat, sugar is one food that everyone unites on in acknowledging that we eat too much of it. In this episode, I explore the different ways that added sugar can sneak into food, explore the truths (and lies) about some of the health claims made about it, and give you tips o...
Mar 16, 2020•20 min•Ep. 10
Soy. It’s one of the most polarising of foods. A casual search of the Internet will uncover first one article lauding it for its health benefits, while the next article will class it as food of the devil with eaters of it condemned to a hell of hormone-related disease. To help you make sense of the conflicting messages about soy, I’ll dig deeper into some of the key health areas linked to eating soy foods. And then I’ll clarify just how much credence you should give to both the health claims and...
Mar 09, 2020•23 min•Ep. 9
The protein powder supplement market is big business. Popular in the world of sport where muscle growth is a priority, the marketplace is dominated by glossy pictures of cut models and an ever-expanding list of claims for how these products will pack on the muscle. So, do the bros at the gym have it right in that you need these supplements if you’re serious about the gainz, or could plain old boring ‘food’ do the same job? In today’s podcast, I dig deeper into the world of protein and muscle gro...
Mar 02, 2020•23 min•Ep. 8
Iron. It’s one of our most important essential minerals and sits at the heart of oxygen transport and energy metabolism in the body. In this podcast, I put the spotlight on iron, outline its key functions and explore the food factors that control how much of it we absorb. Because iron deficiency ranks as one of the world’s most common nutritional disorders, I go into detail of the consequences of this, how deficiency is tested for and importantly, how it can be managed with diet and supplements....
Feb 24, 2020•20 min•Ep. 7
There is nothing bigger in the world of nutrition and health at the moment than the gut microbiota. With potential far-reaching health implications, one of the best ways to keep your gut microbes happy is to feed them well. In this podcast, I’ll look at some of the health areas being linked to the gut microbiota. And then explore in greater depth one area, which is that of body weight regulation as the focus for this episode. And then I’ll drill down into letting you know the types of foods and ...
Feb 17, 2020•21 min•Ep. 6
Fermented foods are a hot food trend right now. But it has been an overnight success thousands of years in the making. In this first part of an ongoing series theme on all things gut health, gut bacteria and the gut microbiota, I explore the world of fermented foods, describe the popular ones and most importantly: look at what science has to say about their health benefits. Links referred to in the podcast Sauerkraut and IBS https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C8FO00968F Kimchi and blood lipids https://w...
Feb 10, 2020•24 min•Ep. 5
Coffee. For some, it is deserving of its own essential food group. But is coffee more than just a way to achieve functioning human capacity first thing in the morning? You may have seen media headlines in the past warning about health risks of coffee. But now that the science has matured, coffee turns out to be one of the most surprisingly positive health stories of recent years. Forget about the latest superfood trend, coffee is where it is at. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at those health ...
Feb 03, 2020•19 min•Ep. 4
What’s the secret to a long, healthy life? The answer here does not lie in exotic Himalayan berries, green smoothies, or jumping on the latest fad diet bandwagon. Instead, take a step back and learn from the habits of those in the world who already have the answer. Called ‘Blue Zones’, these are areas in the world where more people enjoy remarkably longer, healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet. In this podcast episode, I’ll outline their key health habits and of course bring in what s...
Jan 27, 2020•27 min•Ep. 3
Intermittent fasting is currently one of the world's most popular health trends. Characterised by alternating periods of food absence followed by periods of normal eating, promoters of intermittent fasting claim that it is the ‘metabolic key’ to unlocking weight loss, reducing inflammation, cutting the risk of diabetes and heart disease and maybe….even extending your life. This show covers what intermittent fasting is, how to do it, and what the evidence says about that long list of health claim...
Jan 20, 2020•22 min•Ep. 2
If you want to be less confused about just how to make sense of conflicting nutrition messages that you hear about each day then you’ve come to the right place. In today’s podcast, I’ll unpack what makes nutrition appear to be such a confusing area. But importantly, I’ll help set you straight in knowing how to make sense of it all. Links referred to in the podcast Industry conflict of interest in research https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040005 Review of di...
Jan 11, 2020•24 min•Ep. 1
