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Supplements are big business and fitness and wellness influencers are constantly advertising them, but do we all need to be taking pills and potions to optimise our health, or are they a waste of money?  Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw pop the lid on which dietary supplements, if any, are worth taking and whether a healthy diet is enough on its own to keep your body in top shape.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From carnivore diets and coffee enemas to drinking raw milk and avoiding foods on the ‘dirty dozen’ list – there’s seemingly no end to the lengths people will go to in the quest to be healthier (while avoiding the basics). Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw head down the rabbit hole of wild nutrition trends on social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the latest baddie on the block, with everyone from wellness influencers to US politicians blaming them for our health woes.  While there's little doubt over consumption of UPFs is associated with a range of chronic health conditions, is the current demonising of all foods in that category helpful to everyday people trying to eat a balanced diet?  Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw unpack the facts around ultra-processed foods and explore some of the nuance of good nutrition and keeping a balanced outlook on what we eat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hormone imbalance is a culprit for all manner of health conditions, according to social media wellness influencers and people with expensive supplements to sell.  Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw sort the hype from the evidence when it comes to hormone health and the roles nutrition and lifestyle can play.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chewy, slimy, mushy? Nope! For some people, food texture can be a barrier to eating a balanced and nutritious diet.  Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw delve into what sensory sensitivities to food are, how preferring soft or limited food textures can impact our health, and practical ways to bring some textural (and nutritional) diversity to your plate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With most of us falling well below meeting our daily fibre needs, fibre-maxxing is a social media trend that Healthy Food Guide can get behind.  Managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw share how much fibre you need and how to hit your daily target the healthiest way.  Plus, eating 30+ plant per week is the key to a healthy gut microbiome.  Find out how to accumulate more plant points, without the fuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to the US dietary guidelines and the reintroduction of a food pyramid have been mired in controversary, with some critics saying they're adding to the confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Min Saw and managing editor Jenny de Montalk unpack the updates and discuss what they could mean for Australians and Kiwis.  Plus they share their top tips on packing the perfect healthy lunch for every life stage. References for this episode: AIHW. Diet. Available at aihw.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Better Health Channel. Cereals and wholegrain foods. Available at betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Eat for Health. Australian guide to healthy eating. Available at eatforhealth.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Fornari Laurindo L et al. 2025. Evaluating the effects of seed oils on lipid profile, inflammatory and oxidative markers, and glycemic control of diabetic and dyslipidemic patients: a systematic review of clinical studies. Front Nutr. 12:1502815. Healthy Food Guide. Back-to-school special: how to pack a healthy lunchbox. Available at healthyfood.com. Accessed March 2026. Hertzler SR et al. 2020. Plant proteins: assessing their nutritional quality and effects on health and physical function. Nutrients. 12(12):3704. Maki KC et al. 2021. Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: current evidence and controversies. J Clin Lipidol. 15(6):765-772. Petersen KS et al. 2024. Perspective on the health effects of unsaturated fatty acids and commonly consumed plant oils high in unsaturated fat. Br J Nutr. 132(8):1039-1050. Real Food. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Available at realfood.gov. Accessed March 2026. Rett BS et al. 2011. Increasing dietary linoleic acid does not increase tissue arachidonic acid content in adults consuming Western-type diets: a systematic review. Nutr Metab (Lond). 8:36. USAFacts. Are Americans meeting federal dietary guidelines? Available at usafacts.org. Accessed March 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acute inflammation is a necessary reaction to injury or infection in your body. But chronic inflammation has been associated with multiple health conditions from mental illness to diabetes and heart disease.  And many of the factors driving chronic inflammation are modifiable.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume take a look at what inflammation is, what it really means for your health and which foods can help ease it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your brain health is essential to your overall well-being. Deaths from dementia are second only to heart disease as Australia’s biggest killer, and around 43 per cent of people aged 16-85 years have experienced a mental disorder, at some point. The good news is, what we eat and how we live can reduce our risk of developing dementia, and a healthy diet and regular exercise can help with managing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume reveal which foods are best for our brain and what we can do to keep our noggins in top shape as we age. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can't start the day without coffee?  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume investigate what your daily brew is doing to your health and make some surprising discoveries! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digestive health may not make for polite dinner conversation but it affects everyone.  From constipation and bloating to building a thriving gut microbiome, Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume take us through what’s normal digestive health-wise and what can help with common tummy troubles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people are blessed with the even tone and smooth elasticity that are hallmarks of healthy skin, but is a ‘radiant glow’ achievable through lifestyle habits?  And does chocolate really cause acne?  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume investigate what role diet plays in skin health, including whether collagen supplements are worth the price tag. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Packing a healthy lunch that you or your kids actually want to eat is a constant challenge for busy households.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume share expert tips on what to include to keep everyone going throughout the day.  Plus, they deliver their verdict on whether ham sandwiches are in or out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having a family member announce they've become vegan can present a few challenges - from how to make sure they're getting all the nutrients they need to figuring out what to cook.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume take you through the basics of the vegan diet and how make sure your vegan loved one stays healthy.  Plus, they share practical tips to take the stress out of mealtime prep when not everyone is eating the same diet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What you eat before and after exercise can make a difference to how much you get out of your work out.  Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume dig into the research around the best eating patterns to fuel exercise, whether you're a regular gym goer, a performance athlete, or looking for ways to keep your kids' energy levels up for sports. Plus, they answer whether it's best to be fasted or fed before exercise.   If you'd like your questions answered by our experts on this podcast, send them through with the subject 'Healthy Families' to [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.