Thinking Nutrition

Latest Episodes:

More nutrition myth busting Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Does sugar really make kids hyperactive? Is fresh fruit and veg better than frozen? And does coffee actually make you dehydrated? The answer to all of the questions I just posed is 'no'. Welcome to the world of nutrition myths and in my latest podcast, I’ll go over some of the more popular myths I’ve come across and explain where the truth really lies.

Links referred to in the podcast

Meta-analysis of sugar and behaviour in kids https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/391812
Frozen fruit and vegetable consumption https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900717301958
Coffee and hydration http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084154

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Folate: more than a pregnancy vitamin Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Folate is a vitamin important in growth and development. Everyone needs folate, but it is especially important for women to get enough of it during the early stages of pregnancy to help reduce the risk of foetal brain and spinal cord abnormalities such as spina bifida. In this podcast, I look at the key roles of folate in the body, explain how it helps prevent birth defects and the key dietary and supplement sources of it.

Links referred to in the podcast

Impact of folic acid fortification on NTD incidence in Australia https://researchimpact.uwa.edu.au/research-impact-stories/folate-fortification-reduces-neural-tube-defects
Pre- and post-folic acid fortification and colorectal cancer incidence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3173023

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Is organic food healthier? Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

Buying organic is a booming food trend. It is also a trend that comes with a health halo for being more nutritious, healthier and tastier than conventional produce. But how do these claims stack up when you look at the research behind them? And is the price premium you pay for organic worth it? In this podcast, I look at the health merits of organic food and unpick those health and nutrition claims.

Links referred to in the podcast

Systematic review of organic vs conventional food 2012 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22944875
Systematic review of organic vs conventional food 2014 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24968103
Serving McDonald’s to food experts prank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qa6QXBxxWw

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The Mediterranean diet: the health benefits keep growing Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Considered one of the world’s healthiest dietary patterns, the Mediterranean diet is linked to a host of positive health benefits. The theme of the diet is one abundant in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and olive oil and where fish and poultry feature more often than red meat. From less chronic disease right through to a longer life, in this podcast I’ll dig deeper into the health merits of adopting some of the key themes of the Mediterranean diet for your own individual way of eating.

Links referred to in the podcast

Umbrella review of the Mediterranean diet and health https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201758
Meta-analysis of the Mediterranean diet and cancer risk https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32770356
Mediterranean diet and bone health https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(22)02953-7/fulltext
Clinical trial of the Mediterranean diet in pregnancy https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002857

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Vitamin B12: foods, functions and deficiencies Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient integral to the healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system. It is also involved in DNA synthesis and the formation of red blood cells. Because vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria in the large intestines of animals, plant-based foods are not a reliable source of vitamin B12 making people who follow a vegan diet a key at-risk group for deficiency. In this podcast, I’ll look at the roles of vitamin B12 and the main causes and consequences of deficiency.

Links referred to in the podcast

Review on vitamin B12 and vegetarian diets www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/199/4/vitamin-b12-and-vegetarian-diets

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Low-carb diets: are they the best way to manage diabetes? Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

Low-carbohydrate diets are certainly on trend today. And it is for diabetes that such diets have attracted a lot of attention. Low-carbohydrate diets have without question helped many people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels more stable and even for some people with type 2 diabetes helped to even help to fully resolve their diabetes. In today’s podcast, I look at the history of dietary recommendations for diabetes. I’ll then look at what the scientific evidence says for how effective low-carbohydrate diets are for diabetes compared to other approaches.

Links referred to in the podcast

Meta-analysis of low-carbohydrate diets in T2DM https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32638087
Review of different diets for managing T2DM https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)05440-0/fulltext

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Iodine: why you need it and where you find it Nov 03, 2020

Show notes

Iodine is a trace element that is naturally present in foods and is added to some types of salt. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormone which plays a key role in digestion, heart and muscle function, brain development and maintenance of bones. Getting enough iodine is important for everyone, especially infants and women who are pregnant. In this podcast, I’ll look at the roles of iodine, where it is found in food and what are the health issues with not getting enough of it.

Links referred to in the podcast

Assessment of the effect of mandatory iodine fortification in Australia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133088

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Sleeping your way to better health Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

Sleep is like good nutrition for your brain. Poor sleep is like putting your brain on a junk food diet – literally. Now a growing pool of research is linking poor sleep habits and disrupted sleep patterns from shift work with adverse health problems that include obesity and metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In this podcast, I’ll look at the sleep-health connection and explain what disrupted sleep could be doing to your food habits, hormones and weight.

Links referred to in the podcast

Meta-analysis of the effect of shift work on the risk of obesity https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/obr.12621
Effect of sleep restriction on fat metabolism https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31484696
Effect of sleep deprivation on food choices https://elifesciences.org/articles/49053

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Can you cure a hangover? Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

Hangovers are the body's way of reminding us about the hazards of overindulgence. In this podcast, I’ll delve into what goes on behind the scenes to cause a hangover. I’ll then explore what science has to say about all those supposed ‘hangover cures’. And finally, I’ll outline the practical things that are in your control to help prevent and treat a hangover.

Links referred to in the podcast

Alcohol, caffeine and its effect on attention and reaction time http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03219.x/full
Systematic review of hangover treatments https://www.bmj.com/content/331/7531/1515

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Food comas: why overeating makes you sleepy Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

Feeling sleepy after a big meal? Is moving to the couch the only activity you’re capable of after Christmas lunch? You may just have been the victim of a food coma. Food comas are a real thing. And there is plenty of science to explain why the food binge you just took part in has done what it has to you. In this podcast, I explore the food coma in all its physiological and neurological glory and explain how you can help prevent it.

Links referred to in the podcast