5th December 2016
Nutrition courses

What will be trending in nutrition in 2017?

I was at Food Matters Live recently which was a perfect opportunity to catch up with nutrition friends, attend a huge range of seminars and debates and of course, see what’s happening in the wonderful world of new product development.  Food Matters Live is the perfect place for small brands to launch their products and it also provides a great insight into what nutrition trends will emerge in the coming year.  So strap yourselves in: from the sensible to the downright bonkers, here’s what I think will be trending next year!   Fibre The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey data show that we don’t eat anywhere near enough fibre (23g a day vs a target of 30g).  Ideally, we […]
24th November 2016

The cult of fitspo, clean eating’s even darker sister

I’m a keen gym goer and am no stranger to the free weights area as resistance training is a fantastic way to build strength and increase your lean body mass.  I once even took my hobby to the next level by entering a bodybuilding competition (more on that fateful story later).  This was a good few years ago and since then I’ve seen an explosion of girls and guys on social media posting their ‘fitspiration’ or ‘#fitspo’ gym selfies along with their highs and lows of training and competing.  Many of these wellness warriors have set themselves up as health and fitness coaches offering online advice on training and diet for those who aspire to their physiques.  Fitspo has gone […]
17th November 2016

The lowdown on dairy-free milks

If you have a lactose intolerance or cows’ milk protein allergy or you’re vegan, then dairy (or maybe lactose) free milks are undoubtedly for you. However, many people choose to avoid cows’ milk for other reasons.  What are the alternatives and how do they compare nutritionally?   First things first: cows’ milk is great!  It provides protein and calcium which help support bone and muscle health and it’s also a valuable source of iodine, which contributes to the growth of young children as well as supporting thyroid function.  Given that there are few sources of iodine in the diet, if you can consume milk products, it would be advisable to do so regularly, particularly for young children.  There is no […]
10th November 2016
Nutrition courses

What does “evidence-based” actually mean?

There has been a glut of articles online and in magazines recently telling us that vegetables are actually bad for us and even that negative thoughts can be converted into fat!  Clearly, most sensible people will ignore this nonsense but with the media and many ‘diet experts’ citing that “new evidence shows…” that X is bad/good/a superfood, who do we believe?   You can usually trust registered dietitians and registered nutritionists to give you evidence-based advice but you’ll also find many unregistered, unregulated nutrition ‘experts’ claiming to use the latest evidence.  What actually IS evidence and how do we tell good from bad?   You’ll be familiar with studies published in the media linking food and health.  These are usually […]