Are you unknowingly missing key nutrients in your diet? Dr Carlene Starck joins us to break down her Priority Nutrients research, revealing the vitamins and minerals Australians and New Zealanders are lacking. From energy to immune health, these hidden micronutrient inadequacies could be holding you back. Tune in to find out what your diet might be…

A deep dive into the science of the menstrual cycle, nutrition, and exercise. Evidence-based chats on hormones, training, and fuelling your body right! We cover: 3:00 Underrepresentation of females in the scientific literature 6:00 Why a narrative review on dietary energy intake across the menstrual cycle was completed 7:15 Description of the evide…

Amy Williams from the Good Food Institute Europe joins us to explore the alternative proteins landscape across Europe. We cover: How alternative proteins are viewed across Europe now and previously What alternative proteins are people buying? What is happening in alternative protein research and how is it evolving? Alternative protein research and …

It's Pulses Week and this year I’ve teamed up with The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council and we are keeping it easy! We cover: 10 easiest ways to include legumes (beans/peas) in your diet FREE e-RECIPE BOOK One-liners you don’t want to miss: “Legumes support a healthy gut, help improve overall health, are full of key nutrients like protein and fib…

Sushi is a quick, easy, better-for-you takeaway option that is popular by many. It’s time to dig into the nutrition alongside Jiwi chef and 4th place getter on NZ Masterchef, Hana Kirk. We cover: Behind the scenes Masterchef What is sushi? Differences between sushi in NZ/Aus vs Japan Changing landscape of sushi and diet in Japan What is actually in…

Fern Ho, CEO and Co-Founder of The Leaf Protein Co. joins us to talk about a protein source you may have not heard about yet! We cover: What is leaf protein? The extraction process Global competitor landscape Other plants and their protein extraction Commercialising leaf protein What stage is Leaf Protein Co. currently at? How is your product perfo…

Welcome to The Weekly Motivation by Steph Polson, your go-to podcast for quick bursts of inspiration, accountability, and support. Every week, I’ll share practical tips, uplifting messages, and the encouragement you need to go beyond your goals. It’s about more than just achieving a goal—it's about the ongoing journey, building emotional resilience…

Subscriber-only episode Welcome to The Weekly Motivation by Steph Polson, your go-to podcast for quick bursts of inspiration, accountability, and support. Every week, I’ll share practical tips, uplifting messages, and the encouragement you need to go beyond your goals. It’s about more than just achieving a goal—it's about the ongoing journey, build…

Sunny Nathu left Auckland weighing 108kg, landed in Singapore for a work secondment, and said to himself that this has to stop, “if I go further down this path there is no turning back”. 6-months later Sunny has lost 15kg, well on his way to his 80kg goal weight, and is feeling better than ever! We cover: 02.50: Sunny’s weight gain and poor traject…

Subscriber-only episode LISTEN HERE Welcome to The Weekly Motivation by Steph Polson, your go-to podcast for quick bursts of inspiration, accountability, and support. Every week, I’ll share practical tips, uplifting messages, and the encouragement you need to go beyond your goals. It’s about more than just achieving a goal—it's about the ongoing jo…

The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council’s Whole Grain Week is here! We’re bringing you Karlu Chu, The Healthy Grain CEO to take us on the journey of BARLEYMAX® and show us why this whole grain really is a superfood. We cover: About Karlu Chu, CEO BARLEYMAX® cultivated by CSIRO What is BARLEYMAX®? BARLEYMAX® growers Use of BARLEYMAX® in food products…

The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council’s Whole Grain Week is here! We’re bringing you Jessica Ferguson, the Weet-Bix™ Dietitian to answer your top questions about Weet-Bix™. We cover: What are Weet-Bix™ made of? What does 100% wholegrains mean? How many wholegrains in Weet-Bix™? Why you should eat wholegrains How many wholegrains to aim for each da…

The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council’s Whole Grain Week is coming soon (next week!). We’re bringing you Elissa Price, PhD Candidate at the University of New South Wales to discuss her research findings on ultra-processed foods (UPF) and whole grains. We cover: What is food processing? Why are foods processed? Is it always bad? What is an UPF? The…

Join us for a conversation on alternative proteins through the lens of nutrition and health. We cover: What are alternative proteins? What are complementary proteins? Mainstream media on diet, health and alternative proteins Are conventional processed meat products (e.g. sausages, bacon) improving the nutritional profile of their products? Food Fro…

To drink juice or not to drink juice? Tim Cassettari has been researching juice for the past 3 years, so we are in excellent hands as we cover the latest research on juice and health. We cover: Why study juice? What do dietary guidelines say about juice? The latest research Health benefits and health risks of juice The effect of juice on satiety & …

It's Women's Health Week and mental health always matters! Join us as we discuss what the evidence says when it comes to nutrition and depression & anxiety. We also look at a new study that was published in the Lancet comparing lifestyle (diet and exercise) and psychotherapy interventions. We cover: WHO definitions of depression & anxiety Rates of …

It’s Women’s Health Week and Clare Goodwin, the PCOS Nutritionist and founder of Ovie is here to answer your questions on PCOS. We cover it all, including how PCOS affects weight and fertility. We cover: What is PCOS? How common in PCOS? Does it matter if someone remains undiagnosed? Causes of PCOS Main symptoms of PCOS How PCOS affects weight How …

It’s Women’s Health Week and endocrinologist, Dr Sasha Nair is with us to discuss premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We cover: What is PMS and PMDD Signs & symptoms of PMS PMDD the more severe variant of PMS What impacts PMS? How does PMS typically change throughout life? PMS myths Management & treatment of PMS …

It’s Women’s Health Week and endocrinologist, Dr Megan Ogilvie is with us and flipping the script on menopause. Megan draws from different cultures and looks at menopause through a positive lens. A must-listen for all women that will leave you feeling aspired! We cover: What is menopause? And what is “normal” for women? How do you think women shoul…

Are packaged snack foods creeping into your diet more than you would like? Join us as we look at what we are snacking on, how we are snacking and what changes could be made that take into account the reasons you love to snack. We cover: The Healthylife 2024 Living Healthy Report An overview of recommended serve sizes from the dietary guidelines com…

No idea how much dairy you should be having each day? Laura Anderson, Global Head of Nutrition at Fonterra has you covered. This episode explores dairy through the lens of portions, recommended serve sizes and daily targets. We cover: Portions, serve size, serving - what do they all mean? Where New Zealanders go wrong with portion control Recommend…

The first of three podcast episodes on food portions! To kick us off we have Ashleigh Jones, Nutrition & Health Manager at Lite n’ Easy to give us the facts when it comes to food portions and how to go about portion control (something we could all use a little help with). We cover: Portions, serve size, serving - what do they all mean? Where Austra…

When hearing milk and gut health in one sentence, many would assume gut health ‘problems’ or ‘issues’. Not today my friends! Dr Emma Beckett walks us through why milks role in gut health is overlooked and the early evidence behind milk and gut health. Emma also busts the top milk myths! We cover: Why is milks role in gut health overlooked? What are…

It’s Men’s Health Week and it's time for you to take the first step to being in charge of your health. Join Dave Monro, Chief Advisor of Food & Nutrition at the NZ Heart Foundation and I as we explore men’s health and provide you with some actions to put you in the drivers seat of your health. We cover: Men’s health in NZ - is it improving? What ha…

Join us as Professor Rachel Brown provides a deep dive on the highly sought after weight loss drugs. So sought after, that there are shortages of these drugs across the globe. We cover: What is GLP-1? How is GLP-1 different in obese individuals? What are glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists? What are some known brands that people may have heard a…

Are you like everyone else and not sure what to believe when it comes to intermittent fasting and its effect on weight loss and health? Tune into this episode with Dr Evelyn Parr and get answers to your questions! What is fasting? What are some of the main types? Where does the fasting research originate from? What is time-restricted eating (TRE)? …

Are you wanting to eat more plant foods but need a hand to get going? Join Sanitarium Senior Dietitian, Charlotte Coltart and I as we take you through 5 surprising health benefits of eating more plant foods and easy ways to add more to your plate. We cover: Have you tuned into part 1? There is a part 1 to this episode so start there. Surprising hea…

Are you wanting to eat more plant foods but need a hand to get going? Join Sanitarium Senior Dietitian, Charlotte Coltart and I as we take you through 5 surprising health benefits of eating more plant foods and easy ways to add more to your plate. Do you also want to go in the draw for our giveaway? Well, tune in to find out more! We cover: The evi…

Ever wonder what the Mediterranean diet actually is and why it is regarded as one of the healthiest dietary patterns in the world? This conversation strikes a balance between the traditional Mediterranean diet and what may actually be achievable for everyday Kiwi’s & Aussie’s. We cover: What is the Mediterranean diet? What is a dietary pattern or e…

Ham & cheese toastie a winner in your household? School canteens in Western Australia have new restrictions in place which limit ham. Tune in to hear what’s changed and the evidence behind it. We cover: New school canteen guidelines in Western Australia - why guidelines exist and what’s changed? Key challenges that arise when creating nutrition gui…

It’s Pulse Week in February! In this episode we are joined by Theresa Pham, Nutrition Manager of the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council. We are sharing the benefits of pulses/legumes and helping you find them in the supermarket! We cover: The benefits of pulses/legumes (in other words, beans & peas!) What legumes are in the supermarket and where to…

Feeling uninspired about using the canned chickpeas in the cupboard? After listening to this episode you will know why you need to start eating more chickpeas and other legumes and how to go about it. We cover: What are plant proteins? What are legumes and pulses? How many legumes should we be consuming? Nutrition and health benefits of legumes Cos…

Rosemary is a stand-out Australian nutritionist and dietitian whose work has been acknowledged with an Order of Australia award. The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) are Australia’s leading public health nutrition resource. Every few years (when there is funding) the ADGs are reviewed and updated. Join us as Rosemary weighs in on the current AD…

Amanda Brien takes us through the nutrition highlights of the latest season of Eat Well For Less NZ. Coffee drink sachets what is actually in them? Are 98% sugar free ones better? How to create an after school/work snack Where people go wrong with meal planning One legume dish that every Kiwi & Aussie should know about Amanda's take on food prices …

In this episode we look at how to avoid weight gain during the holiday period, without any loss of joy. Joy is a non-negotiable during the silly season right?! We discuss a 2023 study which looked 375 Australian adults who weighed themselves across an entire year. This study was the first to look at changes in weight across a full calendar year in …

Throughout Whole Grain Week in November questions came in about grain food products that are found on supermarket shelves. Thanks to those who sent them through! We take a look at: - Abe's Supergrain Bagel - Vogel's Original Mixed Grain Toast - Weet-Bix Bites Berry Support the showBy Steph Polson

An episode for the Aussie listeners, brought to you by The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council in celebration of Whole Grain Week in November. Australian Native Grains are re-emerging and Jacob Birch (an academic & entrepreneur) is here to tell us where the opportunity lies. We cover: The nutritional composition of Australian Native Grains Who benef…

It’s Whole Grain Week in November! In this episode we are joined by Kathy La Maccia, General Manager of the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council. We are going against the grain and busting 5 top myths about grain foods. We cover: Myth: Eliminating carbs is the key to weight loss Myth: Grains cause bloating Myth: Grains cause inflammation Myth: Grains…

The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council’s Whole Grain Week is here! We’re bringing you Ali Baldwin, the Nutritionist at Arnott’s, to answer your top questions about Vita-Weat. Your top questions: Are Vita-Weat good for you? What does 100% whole grains mean? What’s the Health Star Rating of Vita-Weat? Are Vita-Weat plant-based? How do Vita-Weat suppo…

It’s Whole Grain Week in November! In this episode we are joined by Kathy La Maccia, General Manager of the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council. We dive into whole grains and why they are one of the missing pieces when it comes to health for the whole family and what you can do about it. We cover: The difference between whole grains and refined grai…

In under 15-minutes I answer your top 5 questions on chia seeds! Your top 5 questions: What are the benefits of eating chia seeds? Is it good to eat chia seeds daily? How much chia seed should you eat a day? Can chia seeds reduce belly fat? Do you need to soak chia seeds before eating? Support the show…

The Nutrition Society of New Zealand released a podcast series where they interviewed a group of NZ Registered Nutritionists to help graduates and early career nutritionists navigate their nutrition career. Emma Wylie interviews Steph Polson about her nutrition career to date. From how Steph's upbringing and certain “moments” have influenced her ca…

Kiwi’s and Aussie’s love a drink or three. But does your knowledge on alcohol stop at “hangover”? This conversation strikes a balance between recommendations and what may be realistic for you. This discussion is based around the most up-to-date synthesis of evidence from the Heart Foundation NZ’s 2023 alcohol position statement and Canada’s Guidanc…

You’ve probably heard about the Health Star Rating (HSR) by now. Either via news articles pointing out its flaws or Hamish & Andy as they give it their comedic spin. It has been the centre of much controversy and confusion - but can it actually help you during your supermarket shop? I’ve bought in two people to have this conversation. An everyday s…

If you love a fizzy drink or two - this one is for you. With Dr Tim Crowe’s extensive nutrition research background we discuss the WHO’s advice against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. By the end of this episode you will know how to apply this guidance to your everyday. We cover: Background of added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners in …

An all-encompassing conversation on the essential nutrient, iron. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. Angela Saunders brings 37+ years experience and has a particular interest in the adequacy of vegetarian and vegan diets. We cover: Concerns and importance of iron Groups of people considered most at risk of iron de…

Former All Black, Eroni Clarke has had life-changing experiences throughout season 1 and 2 of Match Fit. The TV show has been the catalyst to shift his mindset from health & nutrition not being a priority, to a realisation that general, day-to-day eating deserves a high performance mindset. We cover: Eroni's current role as Pasifika Engagement Mana…

“Heart disease takes years to develop, but the process starts in our 20s and 30s. When we are younger these years lay the foundation or the platform for heart health in our future years.” Our favourite one-liner from our chat with Lily Henderson, the National Nutrition Advisor at the Heart Foundation of New Zealand. We cover: Heart disease prevalen…

Are plant-based meat alternatives a “healthier” alternative to conventional meat? Teri Lichtenstein, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, co-authored a first-of-its-kind comprehensive report that did a deep analysis of plant-based meat alternatives in Australia & New Zealand. We cover: Introduction to the Food Frontier report - “Plant-Based Meat: A Hea…

-Welcome Luuka -What is canoe slalom? -New "extreme slalom" event at the Paris 2024 Olympics -Where Luuka's plant journey started -Has it been easy to trust you are getting the nutrition you need from a plant-based way of eating? -Protein and iron as a plant-based athlete -Changes (or not) since eating a plant-based diet -Luuka's favourite snacks a…