Healthy Families with Healthy Food Guide

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the latest baddie on the block, with everyone from wellness influencers to US politicians blaming them for our health woes. While there's little doubt over consumption of UPFs is associated with a range of chronic health conditions, is the current demonising of all foods in that category helpful to everyday people trying to eat a balanced diet? Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw unpack the facts around ultra-processed foods and explore some of the nuance of good nutrition and keeping a balanced outlook on what we eat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hormone imbalance is a culprit for all manner of health conditions, according to social media wellness influencers and people with expensive supplements to sell. Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw sort the hype from the evidence when it comes to hormone health and the roles nutrition and lifestyle can play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chewy, slimy, mushy? Nope! For some people, food texture can be a barrier to eating a balanced and nutritious diet. Healthy Food Guide managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw delve into what sensory sensitivities to food are, how preferring soft or limited food textures can impact our health, and practical ways to bring some textural (and nutritional) diversity to your plate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With most of us falling well below meeting our daily fibre needs, fibre-maxxing is a social media trend that Healthy Food Guide can get behind. Managing editor Jenny de Montalk and accredited practising dietitian Min Saw share how much fibre you need and how to hit your daily target the healthiest way. Plus, eating 30+ plant per week is the key to a healthy gut microbiome. Find out how to accumulate more plant points, without the fuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to the US dietary guidelines and the reintroduction of a food pyramid have been mired in controversary, with some critics saying they're adding to the confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Min Saw and managing editor Jenny de Montalk unpack the updates and discuss what they could mean for Australians and Kiwis. Plus they share their top tips on packing the perfect healthy lunch for every life stage. References for this episode: AIHW. Diet. Available at aihw.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Better Health Channel. Cereals and wholegrain foods. Available at betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Eat for Health. Australian guide to healthy eating. Available at eatforhealth.gov.au. Accessed March 2026. Fornari Laurindo L et al. 2025. Evaluating the effects of seed oils on lipid profile, inflammatory and oxidative markers, and glycemic control of diabetic and dyslipidemic patients: a systematic review of clinical studies. Front Nutr. 12:1502815. Healthy Food Guide. Back-to-school special: how to pack a healthy lunchbox. Available at healthyfood.com. Accessed March 2026. Hertzler SR et al. 2020. Plant proteins: assessing their nutritional quality and effects on health and physical function. Nutrients. 12(12):3704. Maki KC et al. 2021. Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: current evidence and controversies. J Clin Lipidol. 15(6):765-772. Petersen KS et al. 2024. Perspective on the health effects of unsaturated fatty acids and commonly consumed plant oils high in unsaturated fat. Br J Nutr. 132(8):1039-1050. Real Food. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Available at realfood.gov. Accessed March 2026. Rett BS et al. 2011. Increasing dietary linoleic acid does not increase tissue arachidonic acid content in adults consuming Western-type diets: a systematic review. Nutr Metab (Lond). 8:36. USAFacts. Are Americans meeting federal dietary guidelines? Available at usafacts.org. Accessed March 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acute inflammation is a necessary reaction to injury or infection in your body. But chronic inflammation has been associated with multiple health conditions from mental illness to diabetes and heart disease. And many of the factors driving chronic inflammation are modifiable. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume take a look at what inflammation is, what it really means for your health and which foods can help ease it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your brain health is essential to your overall well-being. Deaths from dementia are second only to heart disease as Australia’s biggest killer, and around 43 per cent of people aged 16-85 years have experienced a mental disorder, at some point. The good news is, what we eat and how we live can reduce our risk of developing dementia, and a healthy diet and regular exercise can help with managing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume reveal which foods are best for our brain and what we can do to keep our noggins in top shape as we age. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can't start the day without coffee? Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume investigate what your daily brew is doing to your health and make some surprising discoveries! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digestive health may not make for polite dinner conversation but it affects everyone. From constipation and bloating to building a thriving gut microbiome, Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume take us through what’s normal digestive health-wise and what can help with common tummy troubles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people are blessed with the even tone and smooth elasticity that are hallmarks of healthy skin, but is a ‘radiant glow’ achievable through lifestyle habits? And does chocolate really cause acne? Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume investigate what role diet plays in skin health, including whether collagen supplements are worth the price tag. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Packing a healthy lunch that you or your kids actually want to eat is a constant challenge for busy households. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume share expert tips on what to include to keep everyone going throughout the day. Plus, they deliver their verdict on whether ham sandwiches are in or out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having a family member announce they've become vegan can present a few challenges - from how to make sure they're getting all the nutrients they need to figuring out what to cook. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume take you through the basics of the vegan diet and how make sure your vegan loved one stays healthy. Plus, they share practical tips to take the stress out of mealtime prep when not everyone is eating the same diet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What you eat before and after exercise can make a difference to how much you get out of your work out. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum-of-three Kathleen Alleaume dig into the research around the best eating patterns to fuel exercise, whether you're a regular gym goer, a performance athlete, or looking for ways to keep your kids' energy levels up for sports. Plus, they answer whether it's best to be fasted or fed before exercise. If you'd like your questions answered by our experts on this podcast, send them through with the subject 'Healthy Families' to editor@healthyfood.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protein bars, protein shakes, protein bread – it seems like protein is showing up everywhere these days. But how much of this specific nutrient is enough and what does it do anyway? Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume take a closer look at the marketing of protein and discuss what realistic daily requirements are for athletes, weight watchers, older people, vegetarians and everyday folk. Plus, they show you the healthiest sources of protein and some of the common traps to avoid when choosing protein foods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some kids are great at eating their greens, others… not so great. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume share their best tips for fostering a love of eating vegies in children, and explain exactly why it matters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the cost of living squeezing household budgets tighter and tighter, healthy eating can seem like an unaffordable luxury for many. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume investigate what you can get for the average Aussie family-of-four food spend of $200 a week and share practical tips to save more money on your food bill while cutting down on waste. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades we've been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with the advent of intermittent fasting many of us are rethinking this advice. Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume look at what the latest evidence is on our morning meal and what happens if you or your kids skip it. Plus, they'll give you practical tips to help you avoid any nutritional shortfalls, so you and the ones you love can perform at their best a work, school or play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healthy Food Guide dietitian Jess Burvill and nutritionist and mum of three Kathleen Alleaume introduce themselves and the Healthy Families with Healthy Food Guide podcast. Find out what you can expect from this podcast series on evidence-based nutrition advice to keep you and your family thriving. Get in touch with your questions at editor@healthyfood.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.