You are what you eat, yet what you eat can be influenced by many factors.  When attempting to reduce added and free sugar intake and eat well overall, being aware of what may be driving your food or drink selection is helpful. The reality is there are many forces at play! Here are some factors … Continued

The gut microbiome. You’ve probably heard of it. It is the community of trillions of microbiota (also called microbes or microorganisms) residing in the intestinal tract, their genes, and the products they produce. The microbes coexist with us so we can function. Amazing.  The composition of different bug populations residing in the gut can change … Continued

Less loved or glamorous than other organs in the body, we feel the liver is due more attention and respect! The liver undertakes numerous physiological processes (over 500 vital functions!) to keep the body healthy, including storing glucose to be later used for energy; producing bile for fat breakdown and utilising fat-soluble vitamins; forming proteins … Continued

Ever reached for a box of cookies even though you weren’t hungry or feeling anxious or a little down? Or sitting at your desk at work, nibbling on a couple of squares of chocolate, then before you knew it, you had demolished the whole block? Eating mindlessly plagues many of us and, unsurprisingly, can result … Continued

To eat for health, we are often guided by what to exclude or restrict. The problem is, with all the dietary ideas, recommendations, and advice out there, the counting and restrictions can feel overwhelming. We suggest flipping the focus and trying a simpler approach to healthy eating: focus on what to include. These being mostly whole and minimally processed foods, … Continued

Identifying added and free sugars by learning how to read labels takes a little practice, though worth doing. By building awareness of where and how much added sugar is hiding in food and drink, we are less likely to overconsume. This is important as too much of the sweet stuff increases the risk for tooth decay, type 2 … Continued

Every day we are exposed to ultra-processed packaged food and drink that is fancy looking, hyper-palatable, super-cheap, and easily accessible. And generally unhealthy. Whether online, on the TV, at school, on public transport, or at the weekend sporting match, it is hard to avoid the temptation of such offerings by the “Big Food” industry.  In the … Continued

When reducing added sugar intake and ditching dependence on the sweet stuff, there are various ways to go about it.  Some go cold-turkey, cutting out added and free sugars entirely. Others wean off gradually, consuming less as time goes on. Cravings are inevitable (especially in the early days), and ways to manage the desire including eating more … Continued

It is widely accepted that too much added sugar is not great for health. Specifically, then, how might excess added sugar intake impact the immune system? Sugar and the immune system Past research indicates immune system activity is suppressed following the overconsumption of free sugars, particularly fructose (though some scientists feel more studies in humans … Continued

True or false: Eating healthy means spending loads of cash on fancy superfoods found only at fancy health food stores. Thankfully, the answer is false, friends.  Look past the latest fad or trend on TikTok. There is no need for exotic, expensive ingredients to eat well and be healthy. There are plenty of affordable staple … Continued