Struggling to understand and maintain your calcium intake? You’ve probably been told to have more dairy (& for good reason!). In this episode, we discuss delicious, nutrient-packed meal ideas that’ll help you hit your daily calcium targets - with and without dairy! Tune in for mouthwatering inspiration and smart tips to boost your bone and heart health effortlessly through calcium absorption and consumption!

We Cover:

• 0:55: What calcium helps with in your Body and why we need to consume enough
• 1:20: Calcium needs throughout the lifespan
• 2:00: Why our calcium needs fluctuate through life
• 3:00: How to enhance calcium intake through food
• 3:15: High calcium breakfast 
• 3:45: How to get calcium in your diet without consuming dairy
• 4:20: Higher-calcium, plant-based, dinner options
• 5:30: Discussing dairy vs plant-based milk and calcium fortification to ensure you meet your targets
• 6:10: What is bioavailability?
• 7:00: How calcium bioavailability can vary in each food product based on individual factors
• 8:00: Spinach and dark green leafy veggies as a source of calcium
• 9:40 The percentage of Australians that aren’t meeting their daily calcium requirements

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“There are so many ways to sneak in extra calcium without compromising flavour. Whether it’s adding leafy greens, beans, or fortified foods”

“Spinach, which is often seen as a calcium-rich food, has very low bioavailability, especially when it’s consumed by an individual with low vitamin D intake and status”

“Almost three-quarters of women and about 50% of men in Australia are not meeting their daily calcium requirements.”

FREE DOWNLOAD: CALCIUM GUIDE

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*Check out our RTE Meals Guide*

We cover:

• 2:30 Australia and New Zealand ready-to-eat meal brands 
• 4:15 Explanation of “real foods”
• 6:00 Saturated fat content in ready-to-eat meals
• 8:00 Dietary fibre content in meals
• 9:40 Upgrading nutrients/ vegetable content 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

"By real foods, I mean quality, whole foods which fall under one of the five food groups as outlined in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating."

"An easy way to incorporate quick nutrients is by adding spinach or grated carrot straight into the meal."

"Less than 10% of our energy should come from saturated fat, on average about 12% of energy comes from saturated fat in our diets."

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We cover: 

• 6:40 The power of connecting 
• 9.00 Ultra-Processed Food Heated Debate
• 12:15 Restructure Trial - Meal Texture/Eating Rate
• 13:30 AI Digital Marketing 
• 17:10 Sweet Tooth Trial - our taste for sweetness 
• 20:00 What the media shows us vs the scientific evidence
• 22:30 Jo Wicks “killer bar” PR vs Eat Lancet
• 25:30 UN High Level Meeting & non-communicable diseases 
• 27:20 GLP-1 & Wegovy released in NZ
• 28:35 Heston Blumenthal, celebrity chef - Scaling down tasting menu 
• 30:10 Wrap up 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

"We have just had the release of EAT- Lancet 2 which is this global report on planetary health and recommendations on how we should be eating. They have a huge communication campaign in place, however at their launch only half of the badges for the media have been picked up. We are seeing hardly any global media - just a handful of articles on the launch. In comparison, Jo Wicks is getting all of the media. It is really important we are looking to not just the media but other sources of information such as research or our dietitians - our leads in the profession, for this information, not just this the media. Because it can be really one-sided and can be related to click-bait - what’s going to get the readership.”

Ashley's Top LinkedIn Follows:

Ellie Hadjilucas - Founder of Nutricomms, Carrie Ruxton - PhD, Marcia Terra - IUFoST. 

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We cover: 

• 2:45 Deep science dive into omega-3 fatty acids and why they are important
• 9.00 Does the omega-3 and omega-6 ratio matter?
• 13:25 Is canola oil good for you?
• 15:00 Food sources of omega-3 
• 15:15 Best fish sources of EPA and DHA 
• 18:10 Purslane weed containing omega-3
• 20:00 Conversion rate of ALA into EPA/DHA
• 22:00 Is frozen crumbed or battered fish goof for you?
• 26:00 Would you recommend those who don’t eat fish of a certain age to supplement with EPA & DHA? 
• 28:00 Should we be concerned about mercury levels in omega-3 supplements and fish?
• 29:00 Pregnancy, fish and mercury
• 31:30 What is the intake of omega-3 in Australia and globally? What is the optimal omega-3 intake? 
• 34:00 Optimal omega-3 for heart disease, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety-home/safe-levels-of-chemicals-in-food/mercury-levels-fish/

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

"18+ years are consuming between 1.2-1.6g/day of ALA & 200-500mg of EPA/DHA/DPA. The nutrient reference values (targets) for ALA for men is 1.3g/day and for women is 0.8g/day. For EPA/DHA/DPA, 160mg/day men and 90mg/day women. Based on this we are meeting them but we need more information for how much we actually need for good health; which is a little bit different to how much people need if they have a health condition like arthritis."

“People talk about the ratio of omega -6 to omega -3 being about 10-12:1 in America. And in Australia they say it's sort of somewhere between And 7-5:1. So that is quite a contrasting difference. The types of oils that used in Australia are lower in omega -6 than what we find in America. And that's because in America they rely a lot more on soybean oil as one of their domestic oils.”

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We cover: 

• 3:00 Why this research was undertaken 
• 6.00 Common nutrient inadequacies in Aus/NZ 
• 8.00 Protein intake target - should it be higher? 
• 9:45 Are the Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) outdated? 
• 11:45 Nutrients that have Suggested Dietary Targets (SDTs) 
• 13:15 Methodological approach of the research 
• 29:10 Key findings from the research
• 31:30 Vitamin D deficiency in Aus/NZ
• 32:30 Calcium targets, absorption and what do we know to be true about calcium and bone health and calcium and fractures. 
• 39:20 Calcium bioavailability - how is this researched? 
• 41:00 How to get vitamin D from food?
• 45:00 How and when to get your vitamin D status assessed 
• 47:30 Omega-3 intake 
• 50:00 Interesting omega-3 findings 
• 51:30 Adult men - the forgotten group? 
• 53:10 Teenagers - 15 inadequate nutrients! 
• 54:00 Findings in females 19-45 years 
• 56:20 How to know if you are not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals?
• 60:00 How does exercise impact vitamin and mineral needs?
• 62:45 How can someone maintain healthy eating habits while still enjoying what they eat? 
• 65:45 How can your research findings be used in the real world? 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“We know that calcium intake is low, what we didn’t know was just how low and how severe that inadequacy was.” 

“It looks like higher intakes of vitamin C are really beneficial of 150-200mg/day. It doesn’t sound very much when you can go and buy vitamin C tablets which are 1000mg/day but the key with that is our body can’t absorb all of that at one time.”

“People are only over-consuming in nutrients of concern.”

“How we live, where we live, our lifestyles, our overall diet composition, how much exercise we are doing; all of these things really effect magnesium intake.” 

“Your body is not going to run out of calcium in terms of your blood levels. But what happens is when you don’t have enough calcium in your blood it will start to leach out of your bones.” 

“Vitamin D intake will help to decrease fracture risk. We need sufficient vitamin D to make sure we can adequately absorb calcium.” 

“Iron, vitamin D, calcium and the omega-3s, if you are exercising and very active. If you are concerned about priority nutrients those are the four. The other one that is also highlighted is selenium, that’s because it has antioxidant function. Selenium and vitamin E also work together, so getting both of these in.”

Reference
Starck CS, Cassettari T, Beckett E, Marshall S, Fayet-Moore F. Priority nutrients to address malnutrition and diet-related diseases in Australia and New Zealand. Front Nutr. 2024 Mar 13;11:1370550. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1370550. PMID: 38544756; PMCID: PMC10966131.

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We cover: 

• 3:00 Underrepresentation of females in the scientific literature 
• 6:00 Why a narrative review on dietary energy intake across the menstrual cycle was completed
• 7:15 Description of the evidence-base on the effect of the menstrual cycle phase on energy intake
• 9:10 Phases of the menstrual cycle
• 11:05 The effect of the menstrual cycle phase on energy intake
• 14:00 The effect of certain foods and macronutrients across the menstrual cycle 
• 17:00 Any other interesting pieces of research since the 2023 narrative review 
• 18:35 What else could be driving the increase/decrease of energy across the menstrual cycle?
• 19:10 Effect of the menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance and physiology
• 22:00 Katherine’s key message for women
• 24:00 Katherine’s thoughts on some of Dr Stacy Sims messages 
• 29:15 Does timing of post-workout snack/meal matter? 
• 32:00 Training across the menstrual cycle 
• 35:00 How will this field of research progress over the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years! 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

"That second half I guess you could say, of the menstrual cycle after ovulation, energy intake is higher and there seems to be a little bit more of a consistent pattern, that energy intakes higher in that luteal phase than in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.”

“Try and have the unprocessed foods - fruits and vegetables, so basically increasing your micronutrient intake (your minerals and vitamins) could help alleviate some of those symptoms that might get around menstruation.”

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We cover: 

• How alternative proteins are viewed across Europe now and previously
• What alternative proteins are people buying? 
• What is happening in alternative protein research and how is it evolving? 
• Alternative protein research and effects on health 
• Alternative protein and nutritional adequacy 
• What about plant-based milks? 
• "Next Gen" alternative proteins 

References 

Story in Europe

• Sales reports
• European retailer initiatives on price parity and report on advantages for helping retailers meet emissions targets. 
• Scitech reports on European research funding and publishing landscape
• UK research centres
• Danish PB action plan

Fermentation

• Precision fermentation page
• State of the industry fermentation report (global)

PB meat literature

• CVD systematic review and meta analysis
• Overall systematic review looking at health impacts as well as environmental impacts
• Eat-Lancet commentary on adequacy and role of APs
• RCTs exploring muscle synthesis rates in protein matched whole food and protein matched pb containing pb meat in elderly cohorts compared to conventional meat control. 

Milk

• Germany dietary guidelines & advice on PB milk
• UK’s Food Foundation summary of PB milk considerations
• Iodine pape

UPF

• UPF page
• UK and French govt findings on evidence quality on UPF
• ‘Plant-sourced’ stud

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We cover: 

• 10 easiest ways to include legumes (beans/peas) in your diet 
• FREE e-RECIPE BOOK

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Legumes support a healthy gut, help improve overall health, are full of key nutrients like protein and fibre and reduce risk of chronic disease.”

“1 cup of cooked peas provides 8g of protein and because it is a plant protein, also provides fibre, about 8g. In terms of micronutrients, just to name a few - peas contain iron, zinc, vitamin C and vitamin K. “

“Now it doesn’t get much easier than canned legumes. Crack the can, drain the liquid and you have your beans. One of the easiest ones for forming a dish is the four bean mix can. I mean, who doesn’t love a 2 for 1 let alone a 4 for 1.”

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• Behind the scenes Masterchef 
• What is sushi? 
• Differences between sushi in NZ/Aus vs Japan 
• Changing landscape of sushi and diet in Japan 
• What is actually in sushi 
• Sugar in sushi rice 
• Black/brown rice vs white rice 
• How to make sushi 
• Homemade sushi and how long it lasts 
• How much soy sauce to have with sushi 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Teriyaki chicken sushi is not a thing in Japan.”

“Do a temaki sushi (cone-shaped sushi) at parties. It’s so much fun and it’s way quicker and you get to choose your filling for each bite you have which makes it really fun and interactive.”

“Traditionally, when you have the traditional sashimi, you only use a little bit of the soy sauce. And you don’t put the soy sauce on the sushi, you are meant to dip your sushi in the soy sauce on a little plate. Even pouring it on in Japan is a bit like…what are you doing…”

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We cover: 

• What is leaf protein? 
• The extraction process 
• Global competitor landscape 
• Other plants and their protein extraction 
• Commercialising leaf protein
• What stage is Leaf Protein Co. currently at? 
• How is your product performing once applied to different formats and food matrices? 
• What the future holds for Leaf Protein Co 
• The future of the protein industry 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Rubisco protein enzyme can be found in pretty much any leaf of any pant on earth and this is how it comes to be this most abundant protein on earth.”

“To date is hasn’t been commercially made available. That’s potentially the nut we are trying to crack is to bring to market this amazing plant protein.” 

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There is a typical health trajectory that Kiwi's and Aussie's follow. Find out if you are on this trajectory and what you can do about it!

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We cover: 

• 02.50: Sunny’s weight gain and poor trajectory of health prior to transformation 
• 06.50: Weight loss attempts
• 09.30: Lack of sleep and it’s impact on health 
• 11:00: The burning desire to feel fitter and healthier 
• 12.10: What Sunny started to do when he landed in Singapore 
• 15.25: The #1 Key Factor To Sunny’s Health & Weight Transformation
• 18:00: Competing priorities of social life and health
• 19:00: Other aspects of health that come with weight loss - mental health 
• 22:00: Sunny’s final piece of advice 
• 24.15: Your realisation moment - you truely believe this is what you want 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“It seems so clear now, but I guess back then you are pushing through. You know you aren’t making the right choices but you go okay it’s just one choice here and one choice there and you forget that it is all adding up.” 

“I was 108kg and I went I’ve got to change the course of my life and the only way I can do is by becoming fit and healthy. So that old thing of when you really want something and you believe you want something you will start to do anything to achieve that. Prior to that I wanted to lose weight and be fit and healthy, but did I truely believe that I wanted it? Maybe, not sure. But when I landed in Singapore I truely understood that is what I wanted and needed.” 

“It can be a virtuous cycle or it can be a vicious cycle.” 

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We cover: 

• About Karlu Chu, CEO
• BARLEYMAX® cultivated by CSIRO 
• What is BARLEYMAX®? 
• BARLEYMAX® growers 
• Use of BARLEYMAX® in food products 
• The scientific evidence of BARLEYMAX® and gut health
• Elevate Food Co
• Collaboration in the journey of BARLEYMAX®
• Global Health Trends

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“BARLEYMAX® is a whole grain which has more than 30% fibre and 16% plant protein and also 4 types of prebiotics including fructans, arabinoxylans, beta-glucans and also resistant starch.”

“We are bringing to the consumers here a more complete set of products which are 100% BARLEYMAX®. So consumers can get their BARLEYMAX® in bread, in cereals or as a snack or salad topper.” 

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We cover: 

• What are Weet-Bix™ made of? 
• What does 100% wholegrains mean? 
• How many wholegrains in Weet-Bix™?  
• Why you should eat wholegrains 
• How many wholegrains to aim for each day
• Nutrition & health benefits of Weet-Bix™ 
• Dietitian’s top ways to eat Weet-Bix™

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“We can look at what Aussie’s are purchasing and when we look at the most recent data we see that only 1/3 of the recommended daily serves of grains and cereals foods were actually those that were whole grain or high in fibre. This is quite low and a steady decline from the previous 3-4 years.”

“Weet-Bix can be that vehicle to top with your favourite chopped fruit, milk of choice, low fat yoghurt, sprinkle of nuts and seeds and you pretty quickly have a well-rounded brekkie.” 

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• What is food processing? 
• Why are foods processed? Is it always bad? 
• What is an UPF? 
• The latest evidence on UPFs and health
• Regardless of how whole grains are processed, what does the research tell us about whole grains and health? 
• Can UPFs be part of a healthy diet? 
• Elissa’s three key takeaways on UPFs and whole grains

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“They categorise foods based on the level of processing and that UPF is that more extreme group of processing. They define an UPF based on the nature, extent and purpose of the food processing and are identified foods that have gone through more extensive processing.”

“Higher ultra-processed food intake and worse health outcomes. Some of those being obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression and all-cause mortality. There is a lot of research happening in this space and a lot of links being made.”


References 

Whole-grain health benefits 

Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet, 2019. 393(10184): p. 1958-1972.

UPF health associations 

Taneri, P.E., et al., Association Between Ultra-Processed Food İntake and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Epidemiol, 2022.

Martínez Steele, E., et al., Dietary share of ultra-processed foods and metabolic syndrome in the US adult population. Preventive Medicine, 2019. 125: p. 40-48.

Lane, M.M., et al., Higher Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Is Associated with Greater High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Concentration in Adults: Cross-Sectional Results from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Nutrients, 2022. 14(16): p. 3309.

Beslay, M., et al., Ultra-processed food intake in association with BMI change and risk of overweight and obesity: A prospective analysis of the French NutriNet-Santé cohort. PLOS Medicine, 2020. 17(8): p. e1003256.

Nova UPF subgroup associations 

Mendoza, K., et al., Ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease: analysis of three large US prospective cohorts and a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 2024. 37.

Chen, Z., et al., Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Three Large Prospective U.S. Cohort Studies. Diabetes Care, 2023. 46(7): p. 1335-1344.

Cordova, R., et al., Consumption of ultra-processed foods and risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases: a multinational cohort study. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

Nova UPF whole-grain exclusion 

Price, E.J., et al., Excluding whole grain-containing foods from the Nova ultraprocessed food category: a cross-sectional analysis of the impact on associations with cardiometabolic risk measures. Am J Clin Nutr, 2024.

Nova and ADG discordance 

Nguyen, H., et al., Extent of alignment between the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the NOVA classification system across the Australian packaged food supply. Nutr Diet, 2024.

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We cover: 

• What are alternative proteins? 
• What are complementary proteins? 
• Mainstream media on diet, health and alternative proteins 
• Are conventional processed meat products (e.g. sausages, bacon) improving the nutritional profile of their products? 
• Food Frontiers position on the ultra-processed foods 
• How alternative proteins could be positioned within the Australian Dietary Guidelines

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“We are told constantly through dietary guidelines and information that comes out of health associations that processed meats are very bad for us. And it’s gone to the extreme in some cases - state governments in Australia banning the use in school canteens of some of the processed meats. As by definition they are heavily processed, they have all sorts of processes involved in the production of that product that we now understand are detrimental to health and in some cases carcinogenic. ”

“I think we are going to see the growth of portfolios within government that have a clear focus on food systems because it is going to become essential. We are seeing in Australia the pressure on our food systems that are coming from climate change, particularly areas that have been impacted by food and draught.”

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• Why study juice?
• What do dietary guidelines say about juice?
• The latest research 
• Health benefits and health risks of juice 
• The effect of juice on satiety & weight, dental health, brain health, gut health
• The optimal amount and type of juice 
• What about pulp?
• The different types of juice processing and their effect on health
• Why might 100% juice have health benefits?
• How concerned should we be about sugars?
• What to look for on the label 
• Practical considerations of juice
• Bigger picture health & nutrition learnings that can be taken from juice

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Under extreme conditions juice can lead to worsening to some markers of dental health but we don’t actually have evidence to say that’s the case in normal circumstances.”

“100% juice can also improve markers of cardiovascular health and help to lower markers of chronic inflammation.”

“We now have 19 randomised controlled trials comparing 100% juice to non-calorie beverages, so that could be water, an artificially sweetened beverage. There is not one study that shows any change in body weight with 100% juice. ”

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• WHO definitions of depression & anxiety 
• Rates of depression & anxiety in NZ and Australia 
• Mediterranean diet & mental health
• New Lancet study around nutrition & mental health 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Across Australia and New Zealand, rates of depression and anxiety are ever-increasing.”

“Overall, research shows that diet is important to mental health, the same way it is to physical health. Eating healthier positively impacts mental wellbeing, such as improving depressive symptoms.”

“Over eight weeks they found that those assigned the lifestyle intervention had a 42% reduction in symptoms of depression and a 37% reduction in the psychotherapy program.”

References
https://theconversation.com/food-and-exercise-can-treat-depression-as-well-as-a-psychologist-our-study-found-and-its-cheaper-235952

What exactly is the Mediterranean diet? Easy adjustments you can make now to reap health benefits

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We cover: 

• What is PCOS?
• How common in PCOS? 
• Does it matter if someone remains undiagnosed? 
• Causes of PCOS 
• Main symptoms of PCOS
• How PCOS affects weight 
• How PCOS affects fertility 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“For years and years women have been treated like hypochondriacs and so a lot of that stems from this women not being taken seriously with pain, especially period pain and being told that this is normal when it is absolutely not. And thinking we need to dull down our symptoms.”

“PCOS isn’t a particularly well named syndrome as a lot of the emphasis gets put on the “cysts” on the ovary which are just follicles and just a symptom of what was going on.”

“We know that insulin and testosterone both cause body fat gain in females. So then we have this weight gain, and with this we get more testosterone and more insulin resistance, and this again causes more weight gain. And so it is this vicious cycle and in our body there is no negative feedback loop for this.”

References

https://www.ovie.io/

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We cover: 

• What is menopause? And what is “normal” for women? 
• How do you think women should view this time? 
• What does this time really mean? 
• Menopause myths 
• Menopause and belly fat, why? 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“In the 1800s life expectancy was about 45-50 years, we all died of our postpartum haemorrhage having our eighth baby. In 2024, life expectancy for women is about 85 so we can all expect very reasonably to live about 1/3 of our lifetimes in our postmenopausal years.” 

“Increasingly, science is showing us that this midlife time that is often the menopausal time for women, is a real window of opportunity to shape their health and wellbeing and therefore quality of life over their postmenopausal years.” 

“All of this talk around menopause which is so vast now is mostly good, but it’s a very negative Westernised narrative out there at the moment. It’s all about you’ll get this symptom, this symptom and this symptom then you get old and you become invisible. All tied up with Western ideas of ageing.”

References

https://www.menopause.org.au/health-info
https://erhassociates.co.nz/curated-resources

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We cover: 

• What is PMS and PMDD
• Signs & symptoms of PMS
• PMDD the more severe variant of PMS
• What impacts PMS?
• How does PMS typically change throughout life?
• PMS myths 
• Management & treatment of PMS 
• How to talk to teenagers about PMS

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Things that may impact your symptoms are basically things that impact your nervous system sensitivity - stress, trauma, sleep deprivation. ”

“PMS varies and is individualised. Sometimes it comes on very clearly at the time of having your period in the beginning, some people start to notice it after a traumatic event. It goes away by definition in pregnancy...”

“The biggest myth is that PMS is normal or you have to put up with it.”

“When you ovulate estrogen is at its highest point and a lot of people feel good at that time. Quickly after ovulation your estrogen drops quite suddenly and you can get estrogen withdrawal symptoms or headaches/migraines, drop in mood and energy…”

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We cover: 

• The Healthylife 2024 Living Healthy Report  
• An overview of recommended serve sizes from the dietary guidelines compared to those found on food packets
• Australian’s favourite packaged food snacks
• How snacking has changed across the last 4 years 
• How core food groups and their consumption have changed across the last 4 years
• How to improve portion control
• What Healthylife does to help the snacking habits of Australians 
• What snacks Simone recommends to children, teens and adults 
• The easiest way to select better-for-you packaged food snacks 
• Simone’s take on how the population is going to move towards a healthier dietary pattern 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Definitely biscuits, these are our biggest discretionary “unhealthy” food that people are purchasing, followed by ice cream. ”

“Try and think about snacking as just a smaller meal, because that way you don’t think about it as biscuits and ice cream and chocolate as much.”

“How do we make sure that people are putting fresh produce into their basket? I think alot of that is probably around the misconception that healthy is more expensive. Yes we want convenience, but it is just as convenient to me to peel a banana than open a packet of bisicuits.”

“We seem to have this social status where we talk about discretionary “unhealthy” foods as treat foods. We need to improve our language and embrace that fresh produce taste delicious. But we talk about, you have been really good so let’s have a fast food burger, or chocolate, lollies, ice cream or at a party it is these sorts of foods. We sort of give a status that these foods are better, more rewarding and taste better than the others. 

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We cover: 

• Portions, serve size, serving - what do they all mean? 
• Where New Zealanders go wrong with portion control 
• Recommended serve sizes of dairy foods 
• How do children and adults go at reaching the dairy targets? 
• Does portion control matter when consuming milk, yoghurt or cheese? 
• Has dairy consumption changed in NZ over the years?
• What role does the food industry play when it comes to portion control?
• Does dairy help with weight loss & weight maintenance? 
• Nutrition criteria Fonterra follow when designing new products 
• Laura’s top 3 tips on choosing the right dairy products for them and in the right amounts

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“49% of New Zealand adults are consuming the recommended serves of dairy per day (data from a survey carried out by Fonterra).”

“ Most people don’t know that most people who are lactose intolerant can still consume dairy without concerns. Cheese and yoghurt have much lower levels of lactose and milk even when consumed as part of a meal can often be well tolerated. ”

“The serve size of milk is 1cup (250ml), cheese 2 slices (40g), yoghurt 3/4 cup (150-200g).”

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We cover: 

• Portions, serve size, serving - what do they all mean? 
• Where Australians go wrong with portion control 
• Does portion control matter when consuming healthy foods? 
• What role does the food industry play when it comes to portion control?
• What role does portion control play with weight loss & weight maintenance? 
• Nutrition criteria Light n’ Easy follow when designing new products 
• Ashleigh’s top 3 tips on choosing the right food portions for you

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Hyperpalatable snack foods, if you are eating these straight from the packet, which a lot of us are guilty of, you lose track really quickly.”

“ It is up to food manufacturers on what the serving size actually is. It is great to work for a company who is ethical and transparent with how they do things. It would be easy to be a bit sneakier I guess if the company didn’t have the same values.” 

“If in doubt measure it out. What I mean by that is if you’re not sure how much cereal or chips, what a serving of vegetable is, it is actually a really good idea to get out the measure cups or the scale (and I am not saying to do this all the time as this wouldn’t be healthy)...”

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We cover: 

• Why is milks role in gut health overlooked? 
• What are some unintended consequences of self-diagnosing oneself with lactose or dairy intolerance? 
• The top milk myths that need busting this year! 
• What is a2 milk and what are its benefits? 
• The early evidence behind milk and gut health

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“There is really no data that says avoiding milk helps with weight loss. There is no data that says consuming milk increases weight or causes weight problems.”

“ People don’t feel the impacts of being low in calcium immediately. It’s something where you can go yes I feel better, I cut dairy. It’s not going to catch up on you until later in life when you start having trouble with your bone density. It’s really easy to get caught up in the now and forget about the future when it comes to this food group and food.”

“I would rather be farting in my 30s than have broken bones later in life.”

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• Men’s health in NZ - is it improving? 
• What happens with men’s health across the life stages
• The top 5 nutrition changes men should make and the impact they would have on their health
• Dave’s core approaches/philosophies on health & nutrition 
• Tips and tricks for busy Dads
• What Dave encourages men to do as part of Men’s Health Week

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“As a man you don’t want to be told what to do and how to do it.”

“ 1 in 3 adults over the age of 30 have high blood pressure. Men a more likely than women to have high blood pressure and are also less likely to medicate.” 

“Your 30s should be a time where, or even late 20s, to get your health assessed and for a lot of guys a really great starting point is just understanding family history.”

Other helpful links:

My Heart Check Tool

Men’s Health Week 

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We cover: 

• What is GLP-1?
• How is GLP-1 different in obese individuals?
• What are glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists?
• What are some known brands that people may have heard about? Where are these available? 
• How long have these injections been around for? 
• What are clinical trials showing when it comes to this medication and weight loss? 
• Some people do not see weight loss on these drugs, why may this be? 
• How do people describe their experience on the drug?
• With the absence of long-term safety data, what is the current recommendation for when individuals should come off the drug?
• What have clinical trials shown once participants stop taking the drug? 
• It’s important for people to get an understanding of the different aspects that meals play in impacting GLP-1. What are some key aspects for our listeners? 
• Why should someone seriously consider working with a nutritionist alongside taking this drug? 
• What does the future of weight loss look like 10, 20, 30 years from now? 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“It wasn’t until 2014 that we saw that one of the GLP-1 drugs was approved for people with obesity in the US. It didn’t capture the public’s attention so much as there was some wight loss but probably not as large as what we are seeing today.”

“It is quite impressive the weight loss that we are seeing. The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) actually has the highest weight loss that we have seen in clinical trials, up to around 22% of body weight is lost in people without diabetes and about 15% for people living with diabetes.”

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• What is fasting? What are some of the main types? 
• Where does the fasting research originate from? 
• What is time-restricted eating (TRE)? 
• Why is TRE the focus of Dr Evelyn Parr's current research projects? 
• What is the link between the circadian rhythm and TRE?
• What are the differences between early TRE and delayed TRE?
• What interrupts a fast? 
• Are there differences between an 8, 10 or 12 hour eating window? 
• What is the current eating window of Australian’s & New Zealander’s? 
• Negative impacts of TRE 
• Calorie restriction vs TRE 
• How much evidence is behind TRE? 
• What do we know about TRE and exercise/performance?
• TRE and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes - Dr Evelyn Parr’s current projects 
• Fear of failure with TRE

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We cover: 

• Have you tuned into part 1? There is a part 1 to this episode so start there. 
• Surprising health benefit #4 
• Surprising health benefit #5
• Details on the GIVEAWAY! 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“One of the things often overlooked when we think about our skin health is the role of vitamin C. Vitamin C actually plays a huge role in helping our body produce collagen. Collagen supports our skin health and vitamin C is important for this. Where do we get vitamin C from? Fruits & veggies! 

“Not all carbs are created equal. Certainly things like lollies, soft drinks, cakes etc. when we eat them our body breaks down those carbohydrates really quickly which can lead to big spike in blood sugars and then a big drop in blood sugars. Eating these foods they may give you a quick pick me up and leave you feeling quite sluggish.”

Click this link for the up_statuss & Sanitarium GIVEAWAY

Easy Eats eBook | Sanitarium Health Food Company

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Do you also want to go in the draw for our giveaway? Well, tune in to find out more! 

We cover: 

• The evidence behind plant-based dietary patterns 
• What does plant-based actually mean? As well as plant-based claims on food products. 
• A major myth on protein and amino acids 
• Surprising health benefit #1 - Hunger, cravings and blood sugar control
  • The requirement for not only protein, but fibre for satiety 
  • Protein and fibres impact on sugar cravings and blood sugars
• Surprising health benefit #2 - Gut health 
  • The most important foods for a healthy gut 
  • What happens to out gut health if we don’t eat the right foods? 
  • Probiotics and fermented foods 
• Surprising health benefit #3 - Mood 
  • Recent research on food & mood 
  • How food affects your mood 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“There is also some evidence that consuming healthy sources of protein and fibre can help reduce sugar cravings. Not only do they help us feel fuller for longer, protein and fibre also help to stabilise our blood sugars.”

“A study which is hot off the press found that every three per cent increase in plant protein consumption was associated with a 38 per cent higher chance of staying healthy for women as we age, which means fewer chronic diseases, better physical mobility and mental health, and less cognitive decline.”

up_statuss & Sanitarium GIVEAWAY

Easy Eats eBook | Sanitarium Health Food Company



References 
Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging – results from the prospective Nurses’ Health Study cohort - ScienceDirect

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• What is the Mediterranean diet?
• What is a dietary pattern or eating pattern? 
• What are the health benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet?
• What’s in the NEW Fresh Start by My Food Bag Mediterranean meal plan
• The Mediterranean diet is uniquely characterised by large intakes of extra virgin olive oil. What is the difference between extra virgin olive oil and olive oil
• Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in NZ & Australia
• Easy adjustments Kiwis and Aussies can make right now to their dietary patterns to reap the health benefits
• What other non-dietary factors are included as part of the Mediterranean diet? 
• Summarising: 3 key actionable steps for listeners 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“The evidence has really strengthened over the last decade. Even though it has been around for a long time, it is more recently we have had clearer and stronger evidence for health outcomes.” 

“If you look at the evidence collectively, we have evidence from long term observational studies and also randomised controlled trials looking at various heath outcomes. What I would say, some of the strongest evidence is in relation to managing our weight, supporting heart health and protecting against diabetes.”

Grab The 3 Simple Steps To A Mediterranean Diet right here!

 
References 

Australian adult adherence 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31635208/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36458481/

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9321

NZ adult adherence

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/12/2663

3 Simple Steps To A Mediterranean Diet | Uncategorized - Fresh Start (myfoodbag.co.nz)

FREE! Mediterranean Meal Plan | Fresh Start (myfoodbag.co.nz)

https://www.freshstart.nz/

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We cover:

• New school canteen guidelines in Western Australia - why guidelines exist and what’s changed? 
• Key challenges that arise when creating nutrition guidelines around foods and drinks
• What is the evidence behind the restriction on ham?
• If choosing ham, how do you go about choosing a better one? 
• What are some alternatives to ham? 
• What about processed turkey or chicken slices? 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Western Australia changed the guidelines that they provide to their schools. It refines where each food was categorised in terms of the traffic light system. Ham was one that was moved from being an amber food to a red food. Red meaning it can’t be on the menu. There was a small catch, canteens could still sell ham for only two days per week if it was already on the menu before they made this change to the guidelines.”

“This had some parents reportedly concerned, confused or frustrated about what that may mean their children would have access to at school.”

“The change in WA was a change to the guidelines overall, it wasn’t a change just to single out ham. Where we have seen the implication the most is with ham. A challenge we have is staying up with scientific evidence on what is good food to eat, but we’re able to communicate that with schools and often volunteers who are supporting school canteens to run, in a way that is going to support them and not hinder them or create additional problems.”

References
https://theconversation.com/why-ban-ham-from-school-canteens-and-what-are-some-healthier-alternatives-for-kids-lunches-223341

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• The benefits of pulses/legumes (in other words, beans & peas!)
• What legumes are in the supermarket and where to find them
• Why there has been a 12% increase in legumes in the supermarket the past two years
• The most popular legumes 
• What nutrition and health claims are used on legumes
• The highest fibre and highest protein legumes 
• Theresa’s favourite ways to cook and eat legumes
• GLNC’s position on the Australian Dietary Guideline review and how plant proteins should be positioned

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Soluble fibre, resistant starch, insoluble fibre which has many benefits to gut health and as we know good gut health helps reduce the risk of chronic disease.” 

“Australians are only consuming about 19g of legumes each day, which is significantly lower than the recommendations which is half a cup (75g). We are only having about one quarter of the recommendations.” 

“Based on our audit that we collected, we found that borlotti beans have the highest fibre content followed by navy beans.”

GLNC Recipe Book!
https://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Love-your-Legumes-Recipe-Book.pdf

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We cover: 

• What are plant proteins? 
• What are legumes and pulses?
• How many legumes should we be consuming? 
• Nutrition and health benefits of legumes 
• Cost & environmental benefits of legumes 
• Easy ways to add legumes to your snacks and meals
• Teri’s opinion on how plant proteins should be positioned in the dietary guidelines 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“If you’re not having an animal protein in your meal, really you need to be having one cup of legumes. This would be assuming you are having no other protein sources which is not what the typical Australian is doing.”

“When I use dried legumes I don’t even measure. I rinse them, pour them into a bowl, cover it with water and leave it overnight. It takes less than 30 seconds to set this up and they are ready the next day.”

“Studies have shown that one meat-free meal per week could save $40 per month off your grocery bill.”

References
Plant protein & health benefits (Norde et al. 2021; Morze et al. 2021; Trauchburg et al. 2023; Liu et al. 2020; Govindaraju et al. 2018; Gauci et al. 2022; Denova-Gutierrez et al. 2018; Pastore et al. 2022; English et al. 2021; Koutras et al. 2022; Bhandari et al. 2023; Zeraattalab-Motlagh et al. 2022; Eslami et al. 2020; Ramezani-Jolfaie et al. 2019; Pameijer et al. 2022)

Cost savings of one meat-free meal a week https://www.canstarblue.com.au/groceries/average-meat-cost/

Environmental benefits of plant-based diets
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9024616/

GLNC Recipe Book!
https://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Love-your-Legumes-Recipe-Book.pdf

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• Promotion of the DGs 
• Sustainability 
• International DGs 
• Expert Committee & Governance Committee 
• The “very high priorities” of the current review
• The need for the DGs to be practical 
• Stakeholder engagement
• Animal protein vs plant protein
• Plus more

Please refer to the up_statuss website for the NHMRC written responses. 

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How to create an after school/work snack

Where people go wrong with meal planning

One legume dish that every Kiwi & Aussie should know about 

Amanda's take on food prices in NZ 

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We take a look at:

- Abe's Supergrain Bagel
- Vogel's Original Mixed Grain Toast
- Weet-Bix Bites Berry

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• The nutritional composition of Australian Native Grains
• Who benefits from popularising the health benefits of native foods
• Breeding for commercial viability at the cost of nutrition
• Nutritional quality of food grown in degraded landscapes
• The vision for Australian Native Grains
• Indigenous principles of reciprocity, relationality, respect & responsibility in relation to food and health

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Grain comes from grass whether it’s wheat, rice, barley, corn they are all in the grass family. We have 1100+ native species of grass and quite a few of those have been used in the past by First Nations People in a similar way that you would use grains anywhere else in the world.”

“Protein levels equivalent to what you get in chicken breast.”

“Our natives take a lot of extra processing to get the grain out of the husk. We need to showcase how to do that on a commercially viable scale.”

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We cover:

• Myth: Eliminating carbs is the key to weight loss
• Myth: Grains cause bloating
• Myth: Grains cause inflammation
• Myth: Grains cause blood sugar levels to spike
• Myth: Those with coeliac disease can’t eat whole grains

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“People can see sudden weight loss shifting into a low carb diet because carbs do cause the body to store extra water. So the sudden weight loss is essentially the water weight loss.”

“When you have refined grains they definitely do increase some inflammatory markers, but that is the complete opposite to what whole grains do.” 

“If you are having a refined grain like white flour or white bread, they do have a much higher and faster peak in blood sugar levels. What we are talking about are whole grains - which are full of fibre which actually help to maintain a more steady blood sugar level.”

References 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627338/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18005489/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9777732/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821887/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537883/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24158434/

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Your top questions:

• Are Vita-Weat good for you? 
• What does 100% whole grains mean?
• What’s the Health Star Rating of Vita-Weat?
• Are Vita-Weat plant-based?
• How do Vita-Weat support digestive wellbeing?
• Are Vita-Weat high in carbs?
• + plus more!

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“This little crispbread packs a whole grain punch, they are made with 100% whole grains and those whole grains deliver a natural source of fibre which helps support your gut. It also provides a natural source of vitamin B3 which is an essential B vitamin which helps you unlock your energy for the day.”

“A chocolate coated Vita-Weat is surprisingly good.” :p

“Vita-Weat is made from 100% whole grain and that means that all of the grain used to make Vita-Weat is a whole grain and comes from a whole grain. 

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• The difference between whole grains and refined grains
• What “made from 100% whole grains” means on food packaging
• The key health benefits of incorporating whole grains into your family’s diet
• Three simple ways the whole family can enjoy whole grains
• How to minimise food waste when it comes to whole grains

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“A diet low in whole grains was the second biggest risk factor for mortality.” 

“1 in 3 toddlers in Australia are constipated. Healthy bowel habits are of huge importance and it needs to start early".

“As we move on in age everyone at some stage is trying to manage their weight. Whole grains are a great way to manage weight. They help with satiety and keeping us fuller for longer.”

References 
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00123-8/fulltext

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9777732/

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/impact-of-whole-grains-on-the-gut-microbiota-the-next-frontier-for-oats/7D421E4843AEA0E4548A92BBC284093E

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29985786/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24158434/ 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310957/

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• What are the benefits of eating chia seeds?
• Is it good to eat chia seeds daily?
• How much chia seed should you eat a day?
• Can chia seeds reduce belly fat?
• Do you need to soak chia seeds before eating? 

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From how Steph's upbringing and certain “moments” have influenced her career path, to landing her dream role at Sanitarium, to now spreading her message about nutrition through the up_statuss brand. 

We cover: 

What Steph’s upbringing with food and health was like and how that shaped her career path 

What was it that lead Steph on the path of nutrition? 

Some of the people and moments that have influence Steph along her journey 

The transition from study into the workplace and what it really takes to land a "dream job"

Career growth prior to landing Sanitarium role 

Career growth at Sanitarium 

What is up_statuss out to do? 

What is next for Steph? 

If you could go back and change something with your career what would it be? 

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• Alcohol is a psychoactive substance - what does that mean? 
• How does alcohol affect the body?
• Where is the evidence strongest when it comes to alcohol intake and health risks?
• The key heart health outcomes from the NZ Heart Foundation 2023 alcohol position statement
• The Mediterranean diet and red wine 
• Are some alcoholic drinks better than others (beer vs wine vs spirits etc.)? 
• What do the current New Zealand and Australian alcohol guidelines recommend? 
• What is the evidence that underpins daily vs weekly standard drink limits? 
• The Canadian alcohol guidelines use the most recent evidence when it comes to alcohol and health. What are their recommendations? 
• Why does New Zealand have different standard drink recommendations for females and males? 
• Food products must contain nutrition information panels. What about alcoholic beverages? 
• Has there been much research done on zero and low alcohol products?
• Are younger people drinking less? 
• NZ’s alcohol use is projected to increase over the next decade and likely by adults aged 50 years and over.
• Relationship between accessibility and affordability of alcohol and its consumption
• Q+A (questions from social media followers) 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

“Prior to this there were lots of myths floating around like “I am going to drink red wine instead of white wine because this is going to benefit my heart”

“In Ireland earlier this year they have announced they are making changes to mandatory labelling of alcohol. There will now be a health warning for cancer and liver disease.”

“Essentially our key message was that any steps you can take to drink less is going to benefit your heart health but also your overall health too.”


Reference links:

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/9990a17c-19f7-41fd-a276-ca747df3801b/210311_Position-Statement-Alcohol.pdf

https://ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health

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I’ve bought in two people to have this conversation. An everyday shopper like many of you (Jimmy) and a former pro who has applied the HSR to food products for a number of years (Marie). 

We cover: 

How your everyday shopper may perceive the health star rating (HSR)

Why the HSR exists 

How many products actually display the HSR on their product? 

The HSR in mainstream media 

The algorithm - how does it work? 

The categories - what are they? 

Review of the HSR in 2020

Why does the exact same product have different star ratings? 

Algorithm rules you need to know 

How can you use the HSR? 

Does the HSR align with the dietary guidelines?

One-liners you don’t want to miss 

“The big problem around the health star rating at the moment is the lack of education to the consumer. I don’t think people understand that it is grouped on products and it isn’t necessarily reflective of how healthy it is for you, but a healthier option than others in that same category.” 

“There are now automatic star ratings on top of the algorithm to fix some of these previous problems of the system.” 

“Nutrition isn’t simple, creating an algorithm that simplifies nutrition down to a star rating from 0.5 to 5, this is a huge feat. There is always going to be inconsistencies.”

“All HSR are done on a per 100g basis so serve size is not a consideration of the health star rating which I think is another thing that people get confused about.”

“The HSR does’t take into account the processing of a food. It is more of a nutritional measure rather than processed.”

“Health star rating isn’t all encompassing, it essentially just uses most of what is on the nutrition panel.”

“I also like to use the HSR as a red flag or a green flag. If something has a lower rating than I thought it should, it prompts me to take a further look into the nutrition of the product.”

“If you can, take your learning a little bit further. Say there is product you consume all the time and you have no idea why you consume it, look at the HSR. Then if you are feeling really into nutrition that day, flip the box over and look at the ingredients list and see if you can learn a bit more that way as well.” 

P.S. The last 10-minutes of the podcast we didn't have Marie as she had other commitments and our podcast went a little longer than expected..!

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• Background of added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners in the diet 
• Overview of the WHO’s systematic review (the evidence that informs the new guideline)
• Non sugar sweeteners and weight control in the short & long term
• Potential undesirable effects from long-term use of non-sugar sweeteners such as increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Other health effects
• Non-sugar sweeteners and their impact on eating behaviour (e.g. appetite and desire to eat) 
• Non-sugar sweeteners and their impact on sweet preference (e.g. sugar intake and sweet taste perception) 
• Do individuals need to consider the overall sweetness of their diet? If so, how to do it.
• Non-sugar sweeteners in the Australian and New Zealand food supply 

One-liners you don’t want to miss: 

“There is some evidence that we have been reducing the amount of added sugars in our diet over the last 10 or so years. And this is probably coming from a shift from the soft drinks to the diet varieties.”

“If artificial sweeteners were to drive our consumption of sugary foods and overeat more, we should’ve seen a much bigger weight gain in the observational research.”

"We have the WHO telling us that if you are drinking sweetened beverages your number 1 substitution is to swap this with naturally occurring sugars, so foods like fruit or a beverage that hasn’t been sweetened. This will help reduce the overall sweetness of your diet and you should be doing this form a very young age.”

“We can all agree we are eating too much added sugar, it’s not only in soft drinks, many foods contain added sugar and the free sugars. We still have a way to go to reduce these in our diet hence the non-nutritive or non-calorie sweeteners being a partial solution to at least transition people to less sugar in their diet.”

References 

Rios-Leyvraz M, Montez J. Health effects of the use of non-sugar sweeteners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Use of non-sugar sweeteners: WHO guideline. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Intense sweeteners review: Steviol glycosides risk assessment, March 2023. 

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• Concerns and importance of iron 
• Groups of people considered most at risk of iron deficiency anaemia 
• The three levels of iron deficiency and when you should be concerned 
• Concerns when it comes to plant-based (vegetarian/vegan) diets and iron intake 
• Are vegetarians and vegans at a greater risk of developing iron deficiency anaemia than omnivores? 
• What is the difference between plant foods and animal foods when it comes to iron? Why is it that people commonly associate red meat as a better source of iron?
• Non-haem iron absorption is carefully controlled by our gut; we absorb more only when we need it. Is this a protective measure? 
• Nutrients that enhance iron absorption and nutrients that inhibit iron absorption - do these matter? 
• The US, Australian and NZ governments set higher iron requirements for vegetarians. Are these higher requirements necessary? 
• Summary on what the research tells us about vegetarians and iron deficiency

 

One-liners you don’t want to miss:

• “In Australia, the groups we are most concerned about tend to be those that limit their food intake. Particularly young women and men who follow a restricted diet, perhaps for weight loss/ weight management or food intolerance or other concerns they may have. They are cutting back on grains, meat etc. - these folk are going to be at risk of iron deficiency.” 
• “We have to acknowledge that there are some vegetarians and vegans, who without realising perhaps, are eating poorly planned, imbalanced plant-based diets, with an inadequate variety of food and they may not be thinking about where they are getting their iron from.”
• “If the diet is well-planned, vegetarians/vegans actually eat as much or more iron than omnivorous diets. That is quite an amazing finding.” 
• “With iron from plants we only absorb what we need and this means our storage levels of iron don’t get too high. This is actually very protective and may actually be one of the reasons why vegetarians have less risk of chronic disease because of the lower levels of iron, a pro-oxidant, in our bodies.”

References
 
Craig WJ, Mangels AR, Fresán U, Marsh K, Miles FL, Saunders AV, Haddad EH, Heskey CE, Johnston P, Larson-Meyer E, Orlich M. The Safe and Effective Use of Plant-Based Diets with Guidelines for Health Professionals. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 19;13(11):4144. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34836399/

Saunders AV, Craig WJ, Surinder K Bains, Posen JS. Iron and vegetarian diets. Med J Aust 2013; 199 (4): S11-S16. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/199/4/iron-and-vegetarian-diets

Craig WJ, Saunders AV. (2018). Critical Nutrients in a Plant-based Diet. In Winston J Craig (Ed), Vegetarian Nutrition and Wellness (pp. 213-230). CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group.
 
Marsh, K., Saunders, A., & Zeuschner, C. (2018). The Health Impact of Eating Foods of Animal Origin: Evidence Regarding Animal Foods, Health, and Disease Risk. In D. Bogueva, D. Marinova, & T. Raphaely (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Social Marketing and Its Influence on Animal Origin Food Product Consumption (pp. 17-36). IGI Global.

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We cover: 

Eroni's current role as Pasifika Engagement Manager at NZ Rugby

Mindset around food & nutrition in Eroni’s 20s and 30s 

What is Match Fit and why did Eroni decide to get involved in this TV series? 

How do you stay on track when you have less accountability and support with fitness and nutrition through the TV show?

Biggest food & nutrition struggles

What does Eroni think would’ve happened if he didn’t do Match Fit? 

What all 20 & 30 year olds who don’t have health problems (yet!) need to hear

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Heart disease prevalence - is it improving? 

Do the number of heart attacks increase in the summer holidays? 

Why people in their 20s and 30s should care about their heart health

What does high cholesterol in your 20s and 30s really mean?

Salt intake and the connection to your heart health 

What foods do we get most of our salt from? 

Should we be choosing iodised salt? 

How does alcohol affect our heart health?

Getting the balance right when it comes to BBQ’ing this summer

Top three tips for reducing salt! 

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• Introduction to the Food Frontier report - “Plant-Based Meat: A Healthier Choice?”
• What are meat alternatives? What are they made from? 
• Criticism in the media 
• Additives and food processing 
• Report analysis and results 
• Where should plant-based meat alternatives sit when it comes to the dietary guidelines? 
• What future research can we be expecting from the plant-based alternative field? 
• Teri’s most wow nutrition moment in her 20+ year career so far 

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