Food & Nutrition
What actually works — beyond the diet wars
Forget keto vs vegan, carnivore vs plant-based. These debates happen at the margins. The areas where all serious nutrition scientists agree are far more powerful — and far more actionable.
5 Things Science Research Agrees On
- Minimally processed food outperforms ultra-processed food in every well-designed study — across metabolic health, weight, inflammation, and brain function. This is not a debated point.
- Protein matters more than most people think. Aim for roughly 1.6–2.2g per kilogram of your bodyweight each day. It keeps you full, preserves muscle, and has the highest calorie-burning effect of any macronutrient.
- Eat more fibre — aim for 25–38g a day from vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts, and wholegrains. Most people eat about half this.
- Omega-3 fats (from oily fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel — or algae supplements if vegetarian) reduce inflammation and support brain health.
- Cut ultra-processed foods — anything with a long ingredients list of things you couldn't find in a kitchen. Refined sugars, processed seed oils at high heat, and trans fats all increase chronic disease risk.
When You Eat Matters Too: The Case for Time-Restricted Eating
Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) means keeping all your eating within an 8–10 hour window each day.
Research suggests this improves insulin sensitivity and reduces visceral fat independent of what you eat. The practical rules: don't eat within 2 hours of bedtime (it raises your core temperature and disrupts sleep), and start eating 1–2 hours after waking.
Hydration: The Nutrient Nobody Talks About
Mild dehydration — as little as 1–2% of body weight in fluid loss — measurably impairs concentration, short-term memory, and physical performance.
- How much? Roughly 35ml per kg of bodyweight daily as a baseline. Urine colour is a reliable real-time indicator — pale straw yellow is the target; dark yellow means drink more; completely clear means you may be over-hydrating and flushing electrolytes.
- Start the day with water. After a night's sleep, the body is in a mild deficit. A large glass of water before coffee is one of the simplest habit upgrades available.
- Filter your tap water. A basic activated carbon filter removes chlorine byproducts, some heavy metals, and many microplastic particles — and costs very little to run. Bottled water is not a better option — it contains significantly more microplastic particles than filtered tap water.
- During exercise: for sessions over 60 minutes, plain water may not replace electrolytes lost through sweat — consider adding a small pinch of sea salt or an electrolyte tablet.
- Tea and coffee count. Despite common belief, caffeinated drinks do contribute to daily fluid intake for regular caffeine users whose bodies have adapted to them. They are not net dehydrating at normal consumption levels.
10 Foods Worth Prioritising Every Week
| Food | Why it's worth eating |
|---|---|
| Salmon, sardines, mackerel | Omega-3 fats, vitamin D, protein — anti-inflammatory, brain-protective |
| Eggs (whole) | Choline (essential for brain function), lutein, complete protein |
| Cruciferous veg (broccoli etc) | Sulforaphane — activates the body's own antioxidant and detox pathways |
| Berries | Plant compounds that cross into the brain, improving memory and reducing oxidative damage |
| Legumes (beans, lentils) | Fibre, plant protein, slow-release energy — excellent for gut and blood sugar |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | Anti-inflammatory compounds, heart-protective fats, polyphenols |
| Fermented foods | Kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut — feed a healthy gut microbiome |
| Dark leafy greens | Magnesium, folate, nitrates — support blood flow and brain health |
| Walnuts & almonds | Vitamin E, magnesium, plant omega-3s — heart and brain protective |
| Liver | The most nutrient-dense food on earth — B12, iron, vitamin A, CoQ10 |
Microplastics: The Hidden Toxins in Your Kitchen
Microplastics are now found in human blood, lungs, liver, brain tissue, and even the placenta. A 2024 study found microplastics present in testicular tissue, with particle levels correlated with lower sperm counts in the samples studied — a correlational finding, not yet evidence that microplastics directly cause the reduction. They enter the body primarily through water, food packaging, and the air we breathe.
Some act as endocrine disruptors — meaning they interfere with hormone signalling. The science is still developing (? Emerging), but the precautionary principle clearly applies.
- A widely-cited 2024 study found an average of around 240,000 plastic particles per litre in bottled water — a single-study figure, not an established population average, and counts vary considerably by brand and method. Still, using a filtered tap (carbon or reverse osmosis) instead is one of the highest-return swaps you can make.
- Never heat food in plastic — heat increases leaching dramatically. Switch to glass, ceramic, or stainless steel for cooking and storage.
- Non-stick cookware (PFAS/Teflon) releases particles when scratched or overheated — cast iron and stainless steel are the safe alternatives.
- Clothing: natural fibres (cotton, wool, linen) shed far fewer microplastics than synthetic fabrics during washing.
- Sauna sweat is a real excretory pathway — measurable levels of BPA and phthalates (plastic-associated chemicals) are found in sweat, making regular sauna use a practical reduction tool.
Key Takeaway
Eat mostly whole, minimally processed food with adequate protein (1.6–2.2 g/kg) and 25–38 g of fibre daily. The diet wars are a distraction from what all scientists agree on.
Connections
Your Gut — The Second Brain
Fibre and fermented foods are the primary fuel for your microbiome — the two chapters work together.
Heart & Metabolic Health
Blood sugar, triglycerides, and whole-body inflammation are all directly driven by what and when you eat.
Your Brain
Choline from eggs and liver is the precursor to acetylcholine — the chemical of focus and learning.