Many of us describe ourselves as having a sweet tooth. But science is now unlocking the secrets of why having a well-developed taste and tolerance to bitter foods could have a wealth of health benefits. But even with their many health benefits, the bitterness of foods such as broccoli, spinach and turnip can put people off. Now new research finds that the taste perception of bitter foods can change the more they are eaten.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Bitter taste and salivary proteins adaptationhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31053859

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With all the recent health focus on sugar, poor old fruit has gotten undeserved attention for the simple reason that it is high in sugar. And from that, some very average advice has surfaced that people need to limit how much whole fruit they eat. Now a systematic review puts to bed any health concerns anyone should have about fruit, finding that whole fresh fruit does not contribute to weight gain. Eat up.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Systematic review of the Impact of whole fresh fruit on energy intake and body weight https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00066/full
• Frozen fruit and veg increases consumption https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29290348

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Inflammation is now getting top billing as the latest health concern you should be worrying about. From avoiding so-called inflammatory foods to eating anti-inflammatory foods to treat and even cure inflammation, is there no disease that cannot be explained by our understanding of inflammation? Far from something scary, inflammation is a natural process that helps your body heal and defend itself from harm. It is only when inflammation becomes chronic that the story changes. In this podcast, I’ll explain just what exactly inflammation is, what causes it, when it is good and when it is bad, and importantly: what role diet and lifestyle habits play in inflammation.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Mediterranean diet and inflammation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400632
• Effect of probiotics on inflammatory markers https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30854594 
• Meta-analysis of dairy foods and inflammation https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2014.967385

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To exercise fasted or fed? It’s a controversial topic with strong views coming from both camps. For those promoting weight loss, exercising fasted is often an essential criterion to ensure the most ‘fat burning’ possible. Then there is the opposing argument that you want to be well-fuelled before activity to help power the length and duration of your exercise. As with most things in nutrition, the simple logic of both camps falls down when you take into account the complexity of physiology and psychology of us as human beings. In this podcast, I’ll look at the fasted versus fed exercise debate. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Meta-analysis of fasted vs fed exercise on weight loss and boy composition https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/2/4/43 
•  Meta-analysis of fasted vs fed exercise and performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29315892 
•  Intermittent fasting and its effects on athletic performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31283627

Episode transcript
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause painful and chronic inflammation to the digestive tract with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis being the most common forms. It is a disease that cannot yet be cured, but it can be managed with the use of medications or in some cases by surgery. Diet and lifestyle can help play a role in managing symptoms of IBD and in this podcast, I’ll look at some of the evolving research for future potential treatments.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Clinical trial of a low-FODMAP diet in IBD - 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31470260
• Clinical trial of a low-FODMAP diet in IBD - 2020 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31586453
• FMT for the treatment of IBD https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.574533/full

Episode transcript
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Taking on carbohydrates during exercise is a well-described way to help fuel muscle and endurance. But the research in this area took a decidedly strange turn some years ago when it was shown that the simple act of just swishing a carbohydrate-containing drink in your mouth for a few seconds can also have a performance advantage. This was research that I simply could not believe when I first came across it, but it has been replicated many times now. In this podcast, I’ll look at just how carbohydrate mouth rinsing can improve sports performance.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Summary of the carbohydrate mouth rinsing research https://www.mysportscience.com/post/2015/05/20/spit-or-swallow-carb-mouth-rinse-and-performance
• Mouth rinsing with a pink artificially sweetened drink and running performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34055861

Episode transcript
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It was back in episode 55 that I first tackled the topic of collagen supplements. It proved to be one of my most popular episodes ever. And for good reason as there is a growing evidence base to support many of the health claims made about collagen: from improving skin health to perhaps even helping with sports injury recovery and osteoarthritis. In this podcast, I give an update on the growing scientific evidence for the use of collagen supplements. I’ll also explain how there is certainly a plausible biological mechanism to explain how this particular dietary protein source can have a targeted benefit even after digestion. 

Links referred to in the podcast

• Meta-analysis of effects of hydrolysed collagen on skin ageing https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33742704

Episode transcript
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One of the best guides to food variety is colour. And for colour, it is a group of natural plant chemicals called anthocyanins that are getting a lot of attention for their beneficial effects on our brain. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich colouring. They’re responsible for putting the ‘blue’ into blueberries and a bunch of other berries as well as some foods with bright red-orange colouration. In this podcast, I’ll look at the science behind how these anthocyanins can help keep your brain healthy and functioning well throughout life. 

Links referred to in the podcast

• Blueberry supplementation and cognitive function in older adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28249119
• Systematic review of effects of anthocyanins on cognition, vascular function and cardiometabolic risk factors https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34204250

Episode transcript
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Weight loss supplements are big business. Fat burners, fat blockers, metabolism boosters, appetite suppressants – these are just some of the popular kinds of pills, potions and herbal concoctions that fly off pharmacy and health food store shelves. But how effective are any of these products? That’s what I’ll explore in this podcast.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Systematic review of herbal supplements for weight loss https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31984610
• Systematic review of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34159755
• Weight-loss supplements loosen dietary control https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24096084

Episode transcript
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Chromium is an essential trace mineral that is most closely tied to helping insulin work to lower glucose levels. That means you will often see it as a recommended supplement for people with diabetes. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at what chromium does in our body, where you find it in foods, and unpack the numerous health claims made about it in helping control blood sugars and even shed excess body weight.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose control in people with T2DM https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32730903
• Meta-analysis of effects of chromium supplementation in people with T2DM https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34237387

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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