The food system and planetary health

The food system and planetary health

The food system and planetary health By Isabelle Sadler Image credit The climate crisis is a health crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that the projected global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels could happen within the next...
Are plant-based diets deficient in choline?

Are plant-based diets deficient in choline?

Are plant-based diets deficient in choline? In the Summer of 2019, a rather controversial opinion piece about the lower choline content of plant-based diets was published in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health. The article suggested that there is a...
Coconut oil is not heart healthy

Coconut oil is not heart healthy

Coconut oil is not heart healthy Highly successful Industry marketing has convinced many that coconut oil is a ‘health food’. Unfortunately, this is not borne out in the scientific literature. Coconut oil is unusual amongst plant foods in being high in saturated fat,...
Diet, lifestyle and breast cancer

Diet, lifestyle and breast cancer

Diet, lifestyle and breast cancer By Dr Shireen Kassam Breast cancer is now the commonest cancer in the UK and the most common cancer in women globally. One in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The genes we inherit are responsible for...
Diet, lifestyle and brain health

Diet, lifestyle and brain health

Diet, lifestyle and brain health By Shireen Kassam Cognitive impairment refers to a decline in brain function, including forgetfulness, poor concentration and difficulty making decisions, which can then lead on to dementia. The most common types of dementia are...
Zinc: how to get enough on a plant-based diet

Zinc: how to get enough on a plant-based diet

Zinc: how to get enough on a plant-based diet By Lisa Simon and Isabelle Sadler What is zinc? Zinc is a mineral essential to cell division, playing a key role in growth during pregnancy and from birth through to adolescence. It is also important for the preconception...