The Nutrition Couch

One in three young Australian women don’t have enough iron stored. And if you’ve ever been told your ferritin is normal while feeling exhausted, breathless on the stairs and unable to recover from training, a brand new international guideline suggests your result may not be normal at all.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack the latest iron data, put the new wave of high-protein cereals to the test, and answer your berberine questions once and for all.

Your ferritin might not be as normal as you think
New data released for Iron Awareness Week shows iron deficiency is still one of the biggest issues for Australian women, and Leanne reveals which age group is hit hardest (it’s probably not who you’d expect). She explains the new American Society of Hematology guideline that more than doubles the ferritin cut-off for diagnosing iron deficiency, why women with heavy periods may need to aim even higher, and what to ask your GP if your levels have been sitting in the teens for years. Plus the everyday habits that quietly block iron absorption.

High-protein cereals: worth it or just clever marketing?
Susie is surprisingly open to them. Leanne isn’t convinced 15 grams gets you anywhere near enough. Hear the ingredient checks to make before you buy, why most women need closer to 30 grams of protein at breakfast, and easy ways to turn a bowl of cereal into a meal that actually keeps you full until lunch.

$11.90 for frozen chocolate raspberries?
The hosts review Bomberry’s chocolate-coated raspberries, the realistic serve size (spoiler: nobody eats three), and Susie’s favourite 90-calorie ice cream swap.

Is berberine really nature’s Ozempic?
What the research actually shows for blood sugar, cholesterol and weight loss, who might benefit, and why you won’t find it in the Designed by Dietitians range.

If someone you know is always tired, send them this episode. It could be the nudge they need to get their iron checked.

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Eating more fibre but feeling more blocked, bloated or sluggish than ever? You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone.

This week Leanne and Susie explain why piling on more fibre so often backfires. It’s especially common if you’re in a calorie deficit or taking a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic or Mounjaro. Leanne breaks down the three types of fibre your gut actually needs and how each one works. She also explains why your lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad isn’t doing as much for your bowels as you think.

Then they dig into a brand-new JAMA Psychiatry trial that found cutting back on ultra-processed foods improved depression scores in just four weeks, and how it builds on Australia’s landmark SMILES trial. Plus there’s Leanne’s $7 supermarket pizza find, with an ingredient list she says she couldn’t beat at home. And a listener question has Leanne and Susie (rarely!) disagreeing: can peanut butter be your main fat?

In this episode:

• Why more fibre can make constipation worse, and the low and slow rule that fixes it
• The three types of fibre:
  • gel-forming fibre (psyllium, chia, oats, kiwifruit)
  • roughage (bran, wholegrains, skins left on)
  • fermentable fibre and resistant starch, which feed your gut bugs
• Why two kiwifruit a day is great, but not enough on its own
• Why the 20g of fibre in your protein bar isn’t the same as fibre from whole foods
• Susie’s gut tips for GLP-1 users: cooked veggies over salads, wheat bran vs oats, moving through the day, and eating little and often
• The new study on ultra-processed food and depression, and what the SMILES trial already showed us
• The La Napoli Wood Fired Margherita pizza from Woolworths: four simple ingredients and about 20g of protein per half pizza
• Peanut butter as your main fat: how much you need, and why Leanne and Susie land on different daily fat targets

Research mentioned:

• Chagwedera DN et al. Reducing Ultraprocessed Foods From the Diets of Patients With Depression: A Pilot Crossover Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 2026.
• Jacka FN et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the SMILES trial). BMC Medicine, 2017.

New episodes drop every Wednesday. If this one helped, send it to a friend who’s been battling a sluggish gut. A rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps more people find the show.

Follow Leanne on Instagram @leannewardnutrition and Susie @susie_burrell.

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Coffee instead of breakfast. Lunch at 2pm. Something at 5pm because you're starving, then dinner at 7.30 and maybe dessert after that. If that sounds like your day, this episode is for you.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack why our meals keep sliding later and later, what that does to hunger and metabolism, and why it's okay to skip a meal when you're genuinely not hungry, as long as you follow one important rule.

Why your eating day keeps drifting later
Susie explains why the real benefit of a shorter eating window comes from finishing earlier, not from pushing breakfast back. She covers why a balanced meal should keep you full for three to four hours, why dinner around 6pm can make such a difference if you're struggling with weight, hormones or metabolism, and why this isn't a one-size-fits-all rule for everyone.

Skipping a meal? Don't skip this
Leanne shares the caveat she gives clients every week. If you're not hungry, you don't need to force a full meal, but you shouldn't skip your protein either. She explains why most women can't hit their protein needs on two meals a day, and the easy options she reaches for instead, like a high-protein yoghurt or a scoop of Designed by Dietitians Digestive Protein.

Does tracking your food actually work?
A new study of more than 5,000 food tracking app users found that people who logged six to seven days a week lost around two-thirds more weight than those who logged fewer than two. Leanne explains why the results come with a big asterisk, and Susie shares the simpler approach she uses in clinic that can be just as eye-opening.

Product review: an ice block with caffeine?
The new Calippo+ Energy has 30mg of caffeine per tube, about the same as an instant coffee, plus more than three teaspoons of sugar. Who it might suit, who should steer well clear, and the simple reference point every parent needs. Plus Susie's new Maxibon obsession and Leanne's very strong feelings about banana flavour.

Listener question: how much food do kindy kids really need?
A kindergarten teacher asks whether children are being overfed. Leanne explains why afternoon tea matters at this age and how she uses Ellyn Satter's division of responsibility with her own girls. Susie shares a simple lunchbox formula, including the one-packet rule that helps the rest of the lunchbox actually get eaten.

Share this episode with the friend who lives on coffee until lunchtime.

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A new study found a common sunscreen chemical at surprisingly high levels in Queensland kids, and if you're a parent you've probably already seen the headlines. So what does it actually mean, and should you be changing what goes on your kids' skin this summer?

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie cut through the alarmist sunscreen coverage with a calm, evidence-based look at the research. Then they unpack new research showing that the more you like a fast food brand, the healthier you believe it is, and the poorer your overall diet tends to be. Plus the 18-calorie burger sauce Leanne happily paid $8 for, and the truth behind the viral claim that you should never blend bananas and berries.

In this episode:

• What the new homosalate study really found in Aussie kids, why Australia allows more than double the concentration Europe permits, and what the TGA is saying
• Leanne's no-panic approach to choosing a kids' sunscreen, and why zinc isn't automatically the better option
• The melanoma story that shows why yearly skin checks and acting early matter
• New research on fast food brand loyalty, and why the "healthier option" on the menu can quietly give you permission to eat more of it
• What Susie is seeing in clinic with GLP-1 users and fast food
• Why fast food sponsorship in sport, from cricket to State of Origin, shapes what our kids think is normal
• Product review: Fropro Fit Sauce Burger Mayo, the nutrition panel, the ingredient list, and Leanne's cheeseburger salad hack for eating more veg
• Listener question: should you stop putting bananas and berries in your smoothie? Where the claim started, the tiny eight-person study behind it, and why both dietitians are still blending them together

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That bottle of tomato sauce in your fridge could be anywhere from 53% tomatoes to 87%. And the brand that comes out on top will probably surprise you.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell work through the supermarket sauce aisle so you don't have to, then unpack the creatine sleep study that has been all over your feed.

The tomato sauce ranking every family needs
Leanne reveals which sauces have the highest percentage of tomatoes, which ones quietly swap sugar for sweeteners, and which "fancy" glass bottle brands are among the lowest in the aisle. She also shares the three brands to choose if buying Australian-grown tomatoes matters to you, because the top performers mostly aren't. Susie's top picks will be on our Instagram as a swipe-through so you can save them for your next shop.

Does creatine really give you 48 more minutes of sleep?
The headline is real, but the study behind it is far more specific than Instagram is letting on. Susie explains who was actually studied, why the benefit only showed up on certain days, and what it means for women in perimenopause and menopause. Leanne then covers a completely different line of research on creatine and sleep deprivation, which is very relevant for shift workers and parents of little ones, plus the one safety point you can't skip if you take more than the usual dose.

Plus:
Leanne gives her verdict on Susie's new favourite supermarket crumbed chicken, and a listener asks the hosts to settle a sister showdown: is carob actually healthier than chocolate? The answer comes down to one number on the label most people never check.

Got a specific supplement question? Join the Designed by Dietitians private community group on Facebook. Send us a DM and we'll share the link.

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who loves their tomato sauce.

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Most Australians buy crumbed chicken from the supermarket regularly. Very few have any idea that some of those products contain as little as 28% actual chicken.

This week Leanne and Susie go through every major supermarket crumbed chicken product on the Australian market, from Woolworths and Coles to Aldi and the big brands like Ingham's and Steggles, and rank them by actual chicken content. The results are genuinely surprising, and not always in the way you would expect.

Then they cover new CSIRO research on protein needs for women in the menopausal transition, and the specific data point that explains why so many women are eating well but still not seeing the results they are looking for.

In this episode:

• Every major supermarket crumbed chicken product ranked by percentage of actual chicken: the Woolworths products that come out on top, the Coles products that disappoint, the Aldi chicken schnitzel with only 28% chicken, and why the price you pay does not predict the quality you get
• Why Ingham's and Steggles crumbed products consistently fall short, and the one Steggles product Susie does recommend that is almost impossible to find outside of Costco
• Why crumbing chicken at home is always the better nutritional choice, what to use instead of standard supermarket breadcrumbs, and Susie's Bergen soy linseed crumb method
• The difference between a thin crust and a thick batter schnitzel and why it matters for the chicken percentage you are actually getting
• New CSIRO analysis of over 1,300 women in midlife: why most women in the menopausal transition are falling 35 grams short of optimal daily protein intake, what 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight looks like in practice, and why breakfast and lunch are where women consistently fall short
• Why swapping dairy milk for oat milk and Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt can quietly remove 20 or more grams of protein from your day without you noticing
• The Alinas Bakehouse Seeded Brown Rice Gluten-Free Crackers reviewed: 52% seeds, five clean ingredients, almost three grams of fiber per serve, and why Susie is giving them five out of five
• Is it better to exercise in two 15-minute sessions or one 30-minute session? The research on accumulated daily movement, why the answer changes depending on whether your goal is cardiovascular health or strength building, and why the best routine is the one you will actually do consistently.

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GLP-1 medications are now so widely used that most people know someone who is on them or have been tempted to try them themselves. But the questions that come with these medications, how long, how much, what happens when you stop, and what about the black market options circulating online, rarely get answered clearly.

This week Leanne and Susie work through the most frequently asked questions they receive about GLP-1 medications, with straight clinical answers rather than pharmaceutical company talking points. They also cover a brand new 2026 study on pork and weight loss that will reassure anyone who has been told they have to give up pork to lose weight.

In this episode:

• Do you have to stay on GLP-1 medications forever? Susie's clinical answer, who actually needs long-term use versus who can come off them, and the weaning strategy she uses with clients
• Who these medications are and are not appropriate for: the specific thresholds around body weight, waist measurement, and family history that Susie uses before recommending them to a client
• How to prevent muscle mass loss on GLP-1 medications, why some degree of muscle loss is unavoidable in a calorie deficit, and why extreme calorie restriction makes this significantly worse
• Why rapid weight loss on GLP-1 medications causes the face and neck changes people are calling Ozempic face, and why slower, more gradual weight loss over six to twelve months is the better approach for every reason
• How to still enjoy food on these medications: why controlling the dose is the key, and what it should feel like when the medication is working properly
• Why retatrutide is not approved in Australia, what the TGA has said, and why the black market version being sold through beauty clinics and informal networks is not safe under any circumstances
• A brand new May 2026 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Diabetes: what happened when habitual pork consumers followed a structured weight loss program, why 5.3% body weight loss is considered clinically significant, and what it means for how you think about pork in a healthy diet
• Why lean pork cuts are an underrated budget-friendly protein source, and Leanne's two favourite ways to cook pork that stretch a $20 to $22 cut into ten to twelve meals
• The Woolworths Potato Utopia duck fat potatoes reviewed: 91% potato, 2.9% duck fat, 188 milligrams of sodium, and a surprisingly modest nutritional profile for what is essentially an indulgent frozen side dish
• Is granola healthy? The honest answer, what to look for on the label, why portion size matters more than the granola itself, and the specific brands Susie reaches for

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflammation is everywhere right now. On Instagram, in wellness spaces, in your DMs. Everything from weight gain to brain fog to sore joints is being blamed on cortisol and chronic inflammation, and a growing number of people are convinced they cannot exercise, eat in a calorie deficit, or live normally because it will make their inflammation worse.

So is any of this true? And is an anti-inflammatory diet actually a real thing?

This week Leanne and Susie take on one of the biggest buzzwords in nutrition right now and give it a proper evidence-based look. They unpack what inflammation actually is and why the way it is being described online is often completely inaccurate, what the research on polyphenols and anthocyanins actually shows, and which foods are genuinely worth prioritising if reducing inflammation is your goal.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Queen Garnet, Australia's antioxidant plum. Leanne and Susie share the research behind Queen Garnet throughout this episode, and you can find the full range at queengarnet.com.

In this episode:

• The two types of inflammation and why they are completely different: why acute inflammation from exercise, injury, or illness is a normal and healthy response, and what chronic low-grade inflammation actually looks like and why it develops
• Why a single weekend of eating badly, a glass of wine, or a slice of pizza is not putting your body into a chronic inflammatory state, and the specific lifestyle patterns that do contribute to inflammation over time
• The misinformation that is actively harming people: why telling someone with PCOS that they cannot exercise or diet because it spikes cortisol and causes inflammation is not only incorrect but counterproductive
• Why the Mediterranean dietary pattern consistently outperforms every other approach when it comes to reducing inflammatory markers, and the specific foods driving that result
• A review of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial on Queen Garnet plum juice: what happened to blood vessel function and vascular inflammatory markers when participants consumed a high antioxidant juice alongside a high fat meal, even in a single meal occasion
• A 12-week randomized controlled trial on anthocyanin-rich foods and adipose tissue function: what researchers found about how polyphenol-rich whole foods may influence metabolic processes in fat tissue and why this matters for metabolic health
• What anthocyanins and polyphenols actually are, which foods contain the highest concentrations, and why the bright red, purple, and orange colours in fruits and vegetables are a direct indicator of antioxidant content
• The Queen Garnet Antioxidant Plum Nectar reviewed: why it has approximately six times the antioxidant content of blueberries, how to use it, who it is most beneficial for, and where to find it year-round when the fresh fruit is out of season. Available at queengarnet.com, with a 20% saving on subscription
• Practical daily habits that genuinely shift inflammatory pathways: extra-virgin olive oil, walnuts, herbs and spices, green tea, brightly coloured vegetables, and the case for seven to ten serves of fresh produce every day.

 

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Fast food chains are now launching burgers with 80 grams of protein and calling it high performance. But is that actually good for you, or has the protein craze officially gone too far?

This week Leanne and Susie answer the question the fitness industry does not want to talk about: how much protein is actually too much, what your body does with the excess, and why the race to push protein higher in every product on the market is starting to work against the very goals it claims to support.

Then they cover a brand new study published in JAMA Network Open that identified two very different dietary patterns linked to weight management through the menopausal years, including one that most people have never heard of and that contradicts almost everything being said about menopause diets online right now.

In this episode:

• The new Grilled High Performance burger range: 80 grams of protein, over 700 calories, and why Leanne thinks even her beloved Grilled has gone too far with this one
• How much protein the body can actually utilise in a single meal, why the old 30-gram rule has been updated by recent research, and what happens to protein calories your body does not need
• Why small women are often overdoing protein at the expense of good fats, and why the macronutrient ratio matters as much as the total protein number
• A brand new 12-year study of over 38,000 women from the Nurses Health Study published in JAMA Network Open: the two dietary patterns most effective at preventing weight gain through the menopausal years, and why their results are surprisingly contradictory
• The planetary health diet and the low insulinaemic diet: what they actually are, how differently they approach carbohydrate and fat, and what Susie thinks the contrasting results reveal about the two main metabolic subtypes in perimenopause and menopause
• Why there is still no single magic menopause diet, and why working with a dietitian to personalise macronutrient ratios to your own glucose regulation and metabolic response remains the most effective approach
• A high-fiber vanilla custard from the South Australian Gourmet Food Company reviewed: who this product is actually for, why inulin is not Leanne's favourite fiber type for digestive health, and why she would reach for kiwi fruit or oats first
• How to take collagen and creatine consistently every day without having to force yourself to drink a shake: the coffee method, the yogurt method, the supplement stack, and why the research really does require eight to twelve weeks of daily use before results appear
• Why collagen peptides dissolve perfectly well in hot drinks despite what you may have heard, and the simple trick for avoiding clumping

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If you have switched to oat milk because you think it is healthier than dairy, this episode has some important information for you. And if you saw Miranda Kerr's diet advice doing the rounds in the media this week, Leanne and Susie have thoughts.

This week the team does a full ranking of every milk on the market, from full cream dairy to oat, soy, almond, coconut, and the new high-protein dairy milks, covering protein, calcium, fortification, what to check on the label, and who each one is actually best suited to. Then they respond to Miranda Kerr's widely covered restrictive diet recommendations with the specific nutritional corrections the media cycle did not bother to include.

In this episode:

• Every milk ranked by protein, calcium, and overall nutritional quality: dairy milk, soy, oat, almond, coconut, high-protein dairy blends, and why the answer to which is healthiest is not what most people assume
• Why oat milk is higher in carbohydrate, lower in protein, and often sweetened without people realising, and why the barista varieties from cafes are frequently not calcium-fortified at all
• Why soy milk is Leanne's personal choice and her preferred dairy alternative for clients, including the phytoestrogen angle for women in perimenopause and menopause
• The one thing to always check when buying any plant milk, why 300 milligrams of calcium per cup is the number to look for, and what most people are missing when they pick up almond milk thinking it is a nutritious swap
• Miranda Kerr's diet recommendations fact-checked: no eggs, no kale, no sushi, no salmon, no sourdough, venison for breakfast, and caviar as a protein source. What is actually wrong with this, why it is a concern when mainstream media amplifies it, and why the foods she is avoiding are among the most nutritionally valuable you can eat
• Why you can absolutely cook with extra virgin olive oil and always could, and the claim about salmon and mercury that is not supported by the evidence
• The new Philadelphia Protein Cream Cheese exposed: why the regular light Philadelphia and the protein version are nutritionally near-identical per 100 grams, and why the only meaningful difference is that the serving size has been increased
• How to find leaner and cheaper cuts of meat as beef prices continue to rise, why pork is underrated as a high-protein budget option, why slow cooker cuts are one of the best investments in your weekly food budget, and what to do if the supermarket sells you a fatty cut you cannot use

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