No (potato) waffling this week as we're speaking up for potatoes. We summarise results from a study which assessed associations between eating potatoes and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The results may surprise you.

https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj-2024-082121

This week we welcome Plant-Based Health Professionals U.K. campaign manager Sarah Bentley to the Nutshell.

On the eve of World Food Day, Sarah gives us an update on the exciting progress made with the Plants First Healthcare initiative, working to prioritise plant-based meals in healthcare settings. 

Follow the links below to read more about the initiative, download the toolkit, and buy Sarah's new book 'We Cook Plants'. 

https://plantsfirsthealthcare.com/

https://www.greenerbydefault.com/

The toolkit:

https://plantsfirsthealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HowTo-PPBF16.09.25.pdf

To buy Sarah's book:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-cook-plants/sarah-bentley/9781848994454

https://madeinhackney.org/

https://globalplantkitchens.org/

https://proveg.org/

And please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast, and share this episode with one other person today.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

Is it true that it is climate and health friendly to eat deer? Whilst our excessive love of meat from the usual farmed sources continues to dominate climate and health concerns,  we ask whether we are paying enough attention to whether the proposed benefits of eating wild animals -or 'game' -are accurate. So, in this week's nugget episode, Daisy and Clare discuss issues relating to the sustainability claims of the UK's wild meat industry.https://www.scottish-venison.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SVA-Carbon-Report-Final-v2.pdf

This week on the podcast we speak to Dr Matthew Nagra.

Dr Nagra is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine having studied at the Boucher Institute in Vancouver Canada, after graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology at the University of Victoria. He has also carried out additional training in nutrition, holding a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification from Cornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies where he’s authored multiple articles on the subject.

And when he isn't in his clinic helping patients improve their health through nutrition, you’ll find him on social media myth-busting and and countering misinformation.

In this episode we review the science on plant versus animal protein, the considerations for plant based athletes, recommendations for the older person and we finally get to ask Matthew all our creatine questions!

To connect with Matthew:

https://drmatthewnagra.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/@dr.matthewnagra

All the details on Plant-Based Health Professionals forthcoming conferences:

https://nlmc.org.uk/

And please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast, and share this episode with one other person today.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

In this week's nugget, take some time to relax and drop the pressure as Plant-Based Health Professionals' researcher and dietitian Michael Metoudi explains how increasing whole grains in the diet cuts the risk of high blood pressure.

Aune, D., Metoudi, M., Sadler, I. et al. Whole grain and refined grain consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sci Rep 15, 21447 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05197-5

This week we cover the topic of omega 3 fatty acids with Dr Tim Radak.

Dr. Radak has a masters and doctorate in Public Health Nutrition from The Loma Linda University, the leading university for vegetarian science and nutrition.

He is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has worked in the nonprofit sector and academia for over 20 years, authored or co-authored articles related to plant-based diets in peer-reviewed scientific journals, written several plant-based and vegetarian textbook chapters, and is passionate about helping the public discover the link between good health and plant-based diets via evidence-based nutrition.

To connect with Tim: 

https://radaktim.wixsite.com/websiteComprehensive review on essential fatty acids and brain health:

  https://radaktim.wixsite.com/website/post/omega-3-diet-and-lifestyle-factors-influencing-brain-healthTo join the PPOD conference:

 https://www.preventionofdisease.org/And please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast, and share this episode with one other person today.If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health; and with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

Last month there were positive headlines on how opting for a plant-based diet could significantly reduce cancer risk. This was following the latest study using data from the Adventist 2 Health cohort. Daisy and Clare discuss the study's exciting conclusions.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916525003284

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/plant-heavy-diets-link-reduced-cancer-risk-strengthened-2025a1000mhu?ecd=WNL_trdalrt_pos1_ous_250828_etid7673504&uac=299177SR&impID=7673504

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01870-z

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/diet-and-prostate-cancer

Welcome back to Season 5 of In A Nutshell

We are so excited to be back and we have a fantastic season lined up for you, full of inspiring guests and science backed, evidence based conversations on nutrition and lifestyle medicine. 

We kick off season five with Blue Zones founder, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, Dan Buettner. 

In this episode we explore the various reasons why people in the Blue Zones live the longest and healthiest lives;  from plant-based diets, regular movement and meaningful social connections, as well as hearing all about Dan's own favourite meals and that famous minestrone for breakfast!

To find out more about Dan Buettner's work and to buy his new book follow the links below:

https://danbuettner.com/

https://www.bluezones.com/

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-blue-zones-kitchen-one-pot-meals/dan-buettner/9781426224126

And please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast, and share this episode with one other person today.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health; and with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

For our season finale we speak with the octogenarian vegan athlete Paul Youd, who discovered a new lease of life after choosing veganism at the age of 66. 

He now raises money for charities with his ultra-marathon and press-up challenges, and is well on his way to complete 100 ultra marathons before his 100th birthday.

We're sure you will be inspired by this conversation where we dive into how shifting to a plant-based diet cured Paul's arthritis pains, to his favourite meals and his biggest challenges, and of course the documentary showcasing his incredible achievements called ' More Like Paul'.

To find out more:

https://shortstopfilms.co.uk/more-like-paul

To buy tickets for the premier screening:

https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/more-like-paul

To connect with Paul on Instagram @youdpaul 

To read more about Paul's work and sponsor him :

https://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.com/2013/02/52-diet-cake-in-mug-vegan.html

And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to be informed when we're back for season five!

For episode 15 we are joined by Plant-Based Health Professionals U.K. member, Ailsa McHardy, registered paediatric dietitian, and founder of Little Nutrition, to get her advice on food with a focus on children. 

Ailsa has over 14 years experience as a dietitian. We discuss trends in children's diets, healthfully bringing up children plant-based, fussy eaters, growth concerns, and, in seasonality discussions, the joys of salad and watercress.

To get in touch with Ailsa: www.littlenutrition.co.uk

Instagram: @littlenutritionwithailsa

The links to the Family and children's zone on the PBHP website and the  factsheets discussed:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/kids

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IronFactsheet201123.pdf