Explore every episode of the podcast The Nutrition Couch

One in three young Australian women don’t have enough iron stored. And if you’ve ever been told your ferritin is normal while feeling exhausted, breathless on the stairs and unable to recover from training, a brand new international guideline suggests your result may not be normal at all.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack the latest iron data, put the new wave of high-protein cereals to the test, and answer your berberine questions once and for all.

Your ferritin might not be as normal as you think
New data released for Iron Awareness Week shows iron deficiency is still one of the biggest issues for Australian women, and Leanne reveals which age group is hit hardest (it’s probably not who you’d expect). She explains the new American Society of Hematology guideline that more than doubles the ferritin cut-off for diagnosing iron deficiency, why women with heavy periods may need to aim even higher, and what to ask your GP if your levels have been sitting in the teens for years. Plus the everyday habits that quietly block iron absorption.

High-protein cereals: worth it or just clever marketing?
Susie is surprisingly open to them. Leanne isn’t convinced 15 grams gets you anywhere near enough. Hear the ingredient checks to make before you buy, why most women need closer to 30 grams of protein at breakfast, and easy ways to turn a bowl of cereal into a meal that actually keeps you full until lunch.

$11.90 for frozen chocolate raspberries?
The hosts review Bomberry’s chocolate-coated raspberries, the realistic serve size (spoiler: nobody eats three), and Susie’s favourite 90-calorie ice cream swap.

Is berberine really nature’s Ozempic?
What the research actually shows for blood sugar, cholesterol and weight loss, who might benefit, and why you won’t find it in the Designed by Dietitians range.

If someone you know is always tired, send them this episode. It could be the nudge they need to get their iron checked.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eating more fibre but feeling more blocked, bloated or sluggish than ever? You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone.

This week Leanne and Susie explain why piling on more fibre so often backfires. It’s especially common if you’re in a calorie deficit or taking a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic or Mounjaro. Leanne breaks down the three types of fibre your gut actually needs and how each one works. She also explains why your lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad isn’t doing as much for your bowels as you think.

Then they dig into a brand-new JAMA Psychiatry trial that found cutting back on ultra-processed foods improved depression scores in just four weeks, and how it builds on Australia’s landmark SMILES trial. Plus there’s Leanne’s $7 supermarket pizza find, with an ingredient list she says she couldn’t beat at home. And a listener question has Leanne and Susie (rarely!) disagreeing: can peanut butter be your main fat?

In this episode:

• Why more fibre can make constipation worse, and the low and slow rule that fixes it
• The three types of fibre:
  • gel-forming fibre (psyllium, chia, oats, kiwifruit)
  • roughage (bran, wholegrains, skins left on)
  • fermentable fibre and resistant starch, which feed your gut bugs
• Why two kiwifruit a day is great, but not enough on its own
• Why the 20g of fibre in your protein bar isn’t the same as fibre from whole foods
• Susie’s gut tips for GLP-1 users: cooked veggies over salads, wheat bran vs oats, moving through the day, and eating little and often
• The new study on ultra-processed food and depression, and what the SMILES trial already showed us
• The La Napoli Wood Fired Margherita pizza from Woolworths: four simple ingredients and about 20g of protein per half pizza
• Peanut butter as your main fat: how much you need, and why Leanne and Susie land on different daily fat targets

Research mentioned:

• Chagwedera DN et al. Reducing Ultraprocessed Foods From the Diets of Patients With Depression: A Pilot Crossover Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 2026.
• Jacka FN et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the SMILES trial). BMC Medicine, 2017.

New episodes drop every Wednesday. If this one helped, send it to a friend who’s been battling a sluggish gut. A rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps more people find the show.

Follow Leanne on Instagram @leannewardnutrition and Susie @susie_burrell.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coffee instead of breakfast. Lunch at 2pm. Something at 5pm because you're starving, then dinner at 7.30 and maybe dessert after that. If that sounds like your day, this episode is for you.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack why our meals keep sliding later and later, what that does to hunger and metabolism, and why it's okay to skip a meal when you're genuinely not hungry, as long as you follow one important rule.

Why your eating day keeps drifting later
Susie explains why the real benefit of a shorter eating window comes from finishing earlier, not from pushing breakfast back. She covers why a balanced meal should keep you full for three to four hours, why dinner around 6pm can make such a difference if you're struggling with weight, hormones or metabolism, and why this isn't a one-size-fits-all rule for everyone.

Skipping a meal? Don't skip this
Leanne shares the caveat she gives clients every week. If you're not hungry, you don't need to force a full meal, but you shouldn't skip your protein either. She explains why most women can't hit their protein needs on two meals a day, and the easy options she reaches for instead, like a high-protein yoghurt or a scoop of Designed by Dietitians Digestive Protein.

Does tracking your food actually work?
A new study of more than 5,000 food tracking app users found that people who logged six to seven days a week lost around two-thirds more weight than those who logged fewer than two. Leanne explains why the results come with a big asterisk, and Susie shares the simpler approach she uses in clinic that can be just as eye-opening.

Product review: an ice block with caffeine?
The new Calippo+ Energy has 30mg of caffeine per tube, about the same as an instant coffee, plus more than three teaspoons of sugar. Who it might suit, who should steer well clear, and the simple reference point every parent needs. Plus Susie's new Maxibon obsession and Leanne's very strong feelings about banana flavour.

Listener question: how much food do kindy kids really need?
A kindergarten teacher asks whether children are being overfed. Leanne explains why afternoon tea matters at this age and how she uses Ellyn Satter's division of responsibility with her own girls. Susie shares a simple lunchbox formula, including the one-packet rule that helps the rest of the lunchbox actually get eaten.

Share this episode with the friend who lives on coffee until lunchtime.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study found a common sunscreen chemical at surprisingly high levels in Queensland kids, and if you're a parent you've probably already seen the headlines. So what does it actually mean, and should you be changing what goes on your kids' skin this summer?

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie cut through the alarmist sunscreen coverage with a calm, evidence-based look at the research. Then they unpack new research showing that the more you like a fast food brand, the healthier you believe it is, and the poorer your overall diet tends to be. Plus the 18-calorie burger sauce Leanne happily paid $8 for, and the truth behind the viral claim that you should never blend bananas and berries.

In this episode:

• What the new homosalate study really found in Aussie kids, why Australia allows more than double the concentration Europe permits, and what the TGA is saying
• Leanne's no-panic approach to choosing a kids' sunscreen, and why zinc isn't automatically the better option
• The melanoma story that shows why yearly skin checks and acting early matter
• New research on fast food brand loyalty, and why the "healthier option" on the menu can quietly give you permission to eat more of it
• What Susie is seeing in clinic with GLP-1 users and fast food
• Why fast food sponsorship in sport, from cricket to State of Origin, shapes what our kids think is normal
• Product review: Fropro Fit Sauce Burger Mayo, the nutrition panel, the ingredient list, and Leanne's cheeseburger salad hack for eating more veg
• Listener question: should you stop putting bananas and berries in your smoothie? Where the claim started, the tiny eight-person study behind it, and why both dietitians are still blending them together

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That bottle of tomato sauce in your fridge could be anywhere from 53% tomatoes to 87%. And the brand that comes out on top will probably surprise you.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell work through the supermarket sauce aisle so you don't have to, then unpack the creatine sleep study that has been all over your feed.

The tomato sauce ranking every family needs
Leanne reveals which sauces have the highest percentage of tomatoes, which ones quietly swap sugar for sweeteners, and which "fancy" glass bottle brands are among the lowest in the aisle. She also shares the three brands to choose if buying Australian-grown tomatoes matters to you, because the top performers mostly aren't. Susie's top picks will be on our Instagram as a swipe-through so you can save them for your next shop.

Does creatine really give you 48 more minutes of sleep?
The headline is real, but the study behind it is far more specific than Instagram is letting on. Susie explains who was actually studied, why the benefit only showed up on certain days, and what it means for women in perimenopause and menopause. Leanne then covers a completely different line of research on creatine and sleep deprivation, which is very relevant for shift workers and parents of little ones, plus the one safety point you can't skip if you take more than the usual dose.

Plus:
Leanne gives her verdict on Susie's new favourite supermarket crumbed chicken, and a listener asks the hosts to settle a sister showdown: is carob actually healthier than chocolate? The answer comes down to one number on the label most people never check.

Got a specific supplement question? Join the Designed by Dietitians private community group on Facebook. Send us a DM and we'll share the link.

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who loves their tomato sauce.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most Australians buy crumbed chicken from the supermarket regularly. Very few have any idea that some of those products contain as little as 28% actual chicken.

This week Leanne and Susie go through every major supermarket crumbed chicken product on the Australian market, from Woolworths and Coles to Aldi and the big brands like Ingham's and Steggles, and rank them by actual chicken content. The results are genuinely surprising, and not always in the way you would expect.

Then they cover new CSIRO research on protein needs for women in the menopausal transition, and the specific data point that explains why so many women are eating well but still not seeing the results they are looking for.

In this episode:

• Every major supermarket crumbed chicken product ranked by percentage of actual chicken: the Woolworths products that come out on top, the Coles products that disappoint, the Aldi chicken schnitzel with only 28% chicken, and why the price you pay does not predict the quality you get
• Why Ingham's and Steggles crumbed products consistently fall short, and the one Steggles product Susie does recommend that is almost impossible to find outside of Costco
• Why crumbing chicken at home is always the better nutritional choice, what to use instead of standard supermarket breadcrumbs, and Susie's Bergen soy linseed crumb method
• The difference between a thin crust and a thick batter schnitzel and why it matters for the chicken percentage you are actually getting
• New CSIRO analysis of over 1,300 women in midlife: why most women in the menopausal transition are falling 35 grams short of optimal daily protein intake, what 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight looks like in practice, and why breakfast and lunch are where women consistently fall short
• Why swapping dairy milk for oat milk and Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt can quietly remove 20 or more grams of protein from your day without you noticing
• The Alinas Bakehouse Seeded Brown Rice Gluten-Free Crackers reviewed: 52% seeds, five clean ingredients, almost three grams of fiber per serve, and why Susie is giving them five out of five
• Is it better to exercise in two 15-minute sessions or one 30-minute session? The research on accumulated daily movement, why the answer changes depending on whether your goal is cardiovascular health or strength building, and why the best routine is the one you will actually do consistently.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GLP-1 medications are now so widely used that most people know someone who is on them or have been tempted to try them themselves. But the questions that come with these medications, how long, how much, what happens when you stop, and what about the black market options circulating online, rarely get answered clearly.

This week Leanne and Susie work through the most frequently asked questions they receive about GLP-1 medications, with straight clinical answers rather than pharmaceutical company talking points. They also cover a brand new 2026 study on pork and weight loss that will reassure anyone who has been told they have to give up pork to lose weight.

In this episode:

• Do you have to stay on GLP-1 medications forever? Susie's clinical answer, who actually needs long-term use versus who can come off them, and the weaning strategy she uses with clients
• Who these medications are and are not appropriate for: the specific thresholds around body weight, waist measurement, and family history that Susie uses before recommending them to a client
• How to prevent muscle mass loss on GLP-1 medications, why some degree of muscle loss is unavoidable in a calorie deficit, and why extreme calorie restriction makes this significantly worse
• Why rapid weight loss on GLP-1 medications causes the face and neck changes people are calling Ozempic face, and why slower, more gradual weight loss over six to twelve months is the better approach for every reason
• How to still enjoy food on these medications: why controlling the dose is the key, and what it should feel like when the medication is working properly
• Why retatrutide is not approved in Australia, what the TGA has said, and why the black market version being sold through beauty clinics and informal networks is not safe under any circumstances
• A brand new May 2026 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Diabetes: what happened when habitual pork consumers followed a structured weight loss program, why 5.3% body weight loss is considered clinically significant, and what it means for how you think about pork in a healthy diet
• Why lean pork cuts are an underrated budget-friendly protein source, and Leanne's two favourite ways to cook pork that stretch a $20 to $22 cut into ten to twelve meals
• The Woolworths Potato Utopia duck fat potatoes reviewed: 91% potato, 2.9% duck fat, 188 milligrams of sodium, and a surprisingly modest nutritional profile for what is essentially an indulgent frozen side dish
• Is granola healthy? The honest answer, what to look for on the label, why portion size matters more than the granola itself, and the specific brands Susie reaches for

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflammation is everywhere right now. On Instagram, in wellness spaces, in your DMs. Everything from weight gain to brain fog to sore joints is being blamed on cortisol and chronic inflammation, and a growing number of people are convinced they cannot exercise, eat in a calorie deficit, or live normally because it will make their inflammation worse.

So is any of this true? And is an anti-inflammatory diet actually a real thing?

This week Leanne and Susie take on one of the biggest buzzwords in nutrition right now and give it a proper evidence-based look. They unpack what inflammation actually is and why the way it is being described online is often completely inaccurate, what the research on polyphenols and anthocyanins actually shows, and which foods are genuinely worth prioritising if reducing inflammation is your goal.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Queen Garnet, Australia's antioxidant plum. Leanne and Susie share the research behind Queen Garnet throughout this episode, and you can find the full range at queengarnet.com.

In this episode:

• The two types of inflammation and why they are completely different: why acute inflammation from exercise, injury, or illness is a normal and healthy response, and what chronic low-grade inflammation actually looks like and why it develops
• Why a single weekend of eating badly, a glass of wine, or a slice of pizza is not putting your body into a chronic inflammatory state, and the specific lifestyle patterns that do contribute to inflammation over time
• The misinformation that is actively harming people: why telling someone with PCOS that they cannot exercise or diet because it spikes cortisol and causes inflammation is not only incorrect but counterproductive
• Why the Mediterranean dietary pattern consistently outperforms every other approach when it comes to reducing inflammatory markers, and the specific foods driving that result
• A review of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial on Queen Garnet plum juice: what happened to blood vessel function and vascular inflammatory markers when participants consumed a high antioxidant juice alongside a high fat meal, even in a single meal occasion
• A 12-week randomized controlled trial on anthocyanin-rich foods and adipose tissue function: what researchers found about how polyphenol-rich whole foods may influence metabolic processes in fat tissue and why this matters for metabolic health
• What anthocyanins and polyphenols actually are, which foods contain the highest concentrations, and why the bright red, purple, and orange colours in fruits and vegetables are a direct indicator of antioxidant content
• The Queen Garnet Antioxidant Plum Nectar reviewed: why it has approximately six times the antioxidant content of blueberries, how to use it, who it is most beneficial for, and where to find it year-round when the fresh fruit is out of season. Available at queengarnet.com, with a 20% saving on subscription
• Practical daily habits that genuinely shift inflammatory pathways: extra-virgin olive oil, walnuts, herbs and spices, green tea, brightly coloured vegetables, and the case for seven to ten serves of fresh produce every day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fast food chains are now launching burgers with 80 grams of protein and calling it high performance. But is that actually good for you, or has the protein craze officially gone too far?

This week Leanne and Susie answer the question the fitness industry does not want to talk about: how much protein is actually too much, what your body does with the excess, and why the race to push protein higher in every product on the market is starting to work against the very goals it claims to support.

Then they cover a brand new study published in JAMA Network Open that identified two very different dietary patterns linked to weight management through the menopausal years, including one that most people have never heard of and that contradicts almost everything being said about menopause diets online right now.

In this episode:

• The new Grilled High Performance burger range: 80 grams of protein, over 700 calories, and why Leanne thinks even her beloved Grilled has gone too far with this one
• How much protein the body can actually utilise in a single meal, why the old 30-gram rule has been updated by recent research, and what happens to protein calories your body does not need
• Why small women are often overdoing protein at the expense of good fats, and why the macronutrient ratio matters as much as the total protein number
• A brand new 12-year study of over 38,000 women from the Nurses Health Study published in JAMA Network Open: the two dietary patterns most effective at preventing weight gain through the menopausal years, and why their results are surprisingly contradictory
• The planetary health diet and the low insulinaemic diet: what they actually are, how differently they approach carbohydrate and fat, and what Susie thinks the contrasting results reveal about the two main metabolic subtypes in perimenopause and menopause
• Why there is still no single magic menopause diet, and why working with a dietitian to personalise macronutrient ratios to your own glucose regulation and metabolic response remains the most effective approach
• A high-fiber vanilla custard from the South Australian Gourmet Food Company reviewed: who this product is actually for, why inulin is not Leanne's favourite fiber type for digestive health, and why she would reach for kiwi fruit or oats first
• How to take collagen and creatine consistently every day without having to force yourself to drink a shake: the coffee method, the yogurt method, the supplement stack, and why the research really does require eight to twelve weeks of daily use before results appear
• Why collagen peptides dissolve perfectly well in hot drinks despite what you may have heard, and the simple trick for avoiding clumping

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have switched to oat milk because you think it is healthier than dairy, this episode has some important information for you. And if you saw Miranda Kerr's diet advice doing the rounds in the media this week, Leanne and Susie have thoughts.

This week the team does a full ranking of every milk on the market, from full cream dairy to oat, soy, almond, coconut, and the new high-protein dairy milks, covering protein, calcium, fortification, what to check on the label, and who each one is actually best suited to. Then they respond to Miranda Kerr's widely covered restrictive diet recommendations with the specific nutritional corrections the media cycle did not bother to include.

In this episode:

• Every milk ranked by protein, calcium, and overall nutritional quality: dairy milk, soy, oat, almond, coconut, high-protein dairy blends, and why the answer to which is healthiest is not what most people assume
• Why oat milk is higher in carbohydrate, lower in protein, and often sweetened without people realising, and why the barista varieties from cafes are frequently not calcium-fortified at all
• Why soy milk is Leanne's personal choice and her preferred dairy alternative for clients, including the phytoestrogen angle for women in perimenopause and menopause
• The one thing to always check when buying any plant milk, why 300 milligrams of calcium per cup is the number to look for, and what most people are missing when they pick up almond milk thinking it is a nutritious swap
• Miranda Kerr's diet recommendations fact-checked: no eggs, no kale, no sushi, no salmon, no sourdough, venison for breakfast, and caviar as a protein source. What is actually wrong with this, why it is a concern when mainstream media amplifies it, and why the foods she is avoiding are among the most nutritionally valuable you can eat
• Why you can absolutely cook with extra virgin olive oil and always could, and the claim about salmon and mercury that is not supported by the evidence
• The new Philadelphia Protein Cream Cheese exposed: why the regular light Philadelphia and the protein version are nutritionally near-identical per 100 grams, and why the only meaningful difference is that the serving size has been increased
• How to find leaner and cheaper cuts of meat as beef prices continue to rise, why pork is underrated as a high-protein budget option, why slow cooker cuts are one of the best investments in your weekly food budget, and what to do if the supermarket sells you a fatty cut you cannot use

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you watched the ABC Four Corners food fraud documentary and felt unsettled but were not quite sure what to do with the information, this episode is going to help. Leanne and Susie cut through the noise, share their honest dietitian response to what was actually alarming versus what was sensationalised, and give you the practical takeaways that matter.

Then they expose one of the most misleading supermarket product launches in recent memory, and explain something most women who exercise regularly do not want to hear: the workouts you are calling strength training probably are not.

In this episode:

• The ABC Four Corners documentary Duped: what Leanne and Susie actually think, what the investigation got right about tomato products and country of origin claims, why supermarkets and food regulators are equally responsible for the lack of accountability, and what you can practically do to reduce your exposure
• Why claims of Australian-made or Italian-grown do not always mean what you think they mean, and which food categories are most likely to be affected by supply chain substitution
• The xanthan gum research: a new study linking this common food additive to mild colon inflammation and changes to the gut microbiome in animal models, what a large French cohort study of over 100,000 adults found about emulsifier intake and cancer risk, and who specifically should be paying closer attention to this ingredient
• Primo's new High Protein Ham range exposed: how they appear to have increased the protein content without meaningfully changing the product, why the World Health Organization classifies processed red meat as a carcinogen, and the much cheaper and far better protein sources Leanne and Susie recommend instead
• Why going to the gym and lifting weights is not the same as strength training, what progressive overload actually means and why most women are not doing it, and why Pilates with one-kilo dumbbells is not building the bone density and muscle mass the guidelines are recommending

The bone health case for proper strength training: how mechanical load stimulates osteoblasts to lay down new bone, why this matters more from your 40s onward as estrogen declines, and the most practical way to get started if you genuinely do not know whether you are doing enough

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have already done the hard work, lost a decent amount of weight, and are now staring at the same two or three kilos that simply will not budge, this episode is going to make a lot of sense of what is happening and exactly what to do about it.

Leanne and Susie break down the real physiology behind why losing the last few kilos is significantly harder than losing the first ten, why the strategies that got you here are not the ones that will get you there, and the specific changes that actually move the needle when you are already doing most things right.

Then they do the research nobody wants to do themselves: wading through the menus at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Perto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and more to find the lowest calorie, highest protein options you can actually order without sacrificing the whole meal.

In this episode:

• Why losing 30 kilos is genuinely easier than losing three, the physiology of why the human body resists leanness, and why everything that worked before will eventually stop working
• Why going to bed slightly hungry is actually a useful signal when you are trying to lose the last few kilos, and why the fear of hunger is one of the main things holding people back
• Why eating earlier rather than eating less can be one of the most powerful and sustainable strategies for shifting stubborn body fat, and how to apply it practically around a busy family schedule
• Why some people need to do less exercise, not more, to finally see the scale move, and how to tell which camp you are in
• The role of the weekend in undoing five days of good eating, why most people are maintaining rather than losing without realising it, and the one change that breaks the cycle
• The lowest calorie, highest protein options at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Porto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and KFC. Specific menu items named, calorie counts given, and honest advice on what is actually worth ordering versus what just looks healthy
• Why Guzman y Gomez burritos and bowls are significantly higher in calories than most people assume, and the menu hack that most people would never consider
• Why a well-chosen burger from Grilled or Nando's is often a better nutritional choice than sushi, and what to ask for to drop the calorie count further without sacrificing the meal
• The Arnott's Quattro Caramel and Peanut Bar reviewed: 140 calories, five grams of protein, 33 ingredients, and the honest debate between Leanne and Susie about whether it is genuinely healthier than a chocolate bar or simply better marketing

The vitamin C question answered with the actual evidence: does it prevent colds, does it shorten them, and is there anything better to take in winter if that is your goal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you or someone you know is on a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro and the results have plateaued, or the weight is starting to creep back, this episode has the explanation you have been looking for and it is probably not what your doctor told you.

This week Susie breaks down exactly why these medications stop working for so many people, what is actually going wrong metabolically, and what to do about it instead of just increasing the dose. Then Leanne takes over for a genuinely useful segment on the Coles and Woolworths home brand products both dietitians buy every single week, which ones are just as good as the branded version, and which ones they would never swap out.

In this episode:

• Why GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy stop working: the two metabolic patterns Susie sees most commonly in her clients, and why increasing the dose is often exactly the wrong response
• Why dramatically reducing calorie intake without addressing muscle mass and exercise will always lead to a plateau, and the counterintuitive reason why eating a little more and reducing the dose can actually restart results
• Why muscular, active women are particularly vulnerable to GLP-1 plateaus, and how being in carbohydrate no man's land sabotages fat burning even when the medication is working properly
• Why these medications should never be given without dietitian support, and what to actually focus on if you want to come off them eventually without regaining the weight
• The Coles and Woolworths home brand products Leanne and Susie buy every single week without hesitation: rolled oats, canned legumes, passata, frozen vegetables, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken breast bites, marinated chicken, and more. Specific product names, aisle locations, and honest reasons why
• Why the Coles Kitchen frozen grilled vegetables and the Woolworths chicken breast bites are non-negotiables in both shopping trolleys, and the specific products in the Coles Perform and Coles Kitchen ranges that keep making it back onto the list
• The Aldi Gourmet Protein Bar reviewed: 10 grams of protein, 37% nuts and seeds, less than a dollar per bar, and a price-per-protein calculation that puts most supermarket bars to shame. What the ingredient list actually contains and who this bar is genuinely suited to
• Continuous glucose monitors: who actually needs one, why Leanne and Susie have both turned down paid partnerships with CGM companies, and the specific situations where they might genuinely be useful versus where they are more likely to create unnecessary food fear

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people have no idea what actually happens to body fat when they lose it. They assume it is sweated out, burned off somehow, or just disappears. The real answer is both surprising and genuinely fascinating, and it changes how you think about fat loss entirely.

This week Leanne and Susie open with the science behind what actually happens to fat cells when you lose weight, why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, and what that means for keeping weight off long term. Then they get into the practical stuff: their best tricks for avoiding that slow winter weight creep that catches so many people out between June and August.

In this episode:

• The surprising science of fat loss: where body fat actually goes when you lose it, why the answer involves your lungs and not your sweat glands, and what happens to fat cells after you lose weight that makes maintaining that loss genuinely harder than most people realise
• Why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, what that means for long-term weight management, and why working with a dietitian to maintain weight loss is often more important than working with one to lose it
• The winter weight gain conversation: why it happens, why exercise drops off before food quality does, and the three practical strategies Leanne and Susie use with clients every winter to come out the other side feeling good in their clothes
• Why a hot lunch makes more difference to afternoon cravings than most people expect, the slow cooker approach to packing in protein and vegetables without giving up comfort food, and the specific swaps that lighten up winter favourites without removing the enjoyment
• The new Moccona Protein Latte Coffee from Woolworths: 10 grams of protein, $10 for eight serves, bovine collagen as the first ingredient. What Leanne and Susie actually think, who it is and is not for, and the important protein quality point about collagen that most people buying this have not considered

Why making your coffee on dairy or soy milk at home gives you a comparable amount of protein with significantly less processing, and why the caffeine content of this product is lower than most people would expect

The oxalate question answered plainly: do oxalates in spinach and leafy greens actually block iron absorption, should you be avoiding them with iron-rich meals, and the only situation where oxalates genuinely warrant attention in your diet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have taken iron supplements for months and your ferritin still is not coming up, there is a physiological reason for that. And it is not your fault.

A study published in The Lancet Haematology found that taking iron supplements on consecutive days actually blocks absorption due to a hormone called hepcidin, and that alternate-day dosing improved iron uptake by 40 to 50%. This is one of the most practically useful pieces of research the show has covered, and Leanne and Susie break it down clearly so you know exactly what to do differently.

This week also includes a straight-talking collagen segment, the fibre maxing trend assessed honestly, and a review of the new Woolworths high-protein meal range.

In this episode:

• The fibre maxing trend on TikTok and Instagram: why Leanne and Susie actually support the idea, what most people get wrong about increasing fibre too quickly, and why processed fibre from bars and wraps is not the same as fibre from whole foods
• Why consistency with fibre matters more than volume, what happens to your gut during travel and weekend eating, and the three things that need to work together for good digestive health
• The Lancet Haematology iron absorption study: what hepcidin is, why it blocks iron absorption for 24 hours after a high dose, and why taking iron every day may actually be preventing your levels from improving
• Why alternate-day iron supplementation improved absorption by 40 to 50% compared to daily dosing, and the practical implication for how much to take and when
• Whether an iron infusion is still preferable for people who struggle with oral supplements, why follow-up blood tests are essential, and the one mistake Leanne sees women make once they start feeling slightly better
• The new Woolworths Teriyaki Chicken Bowl reviewed: 35 grams of protein at $12, brown rice, edamame, and quinoa, what a client who tried it actually said, and whether frozen meals might genuinely be the better option in this category
• The collagen evidence honestly assessed: what the research actually shows for skin, joints, and wrinkle depth, why you need to take it daily for 8 to 12 weeks to see results, and the specific trademarked peptide called Verisol that has the most clinical research behind it
• Why marine collagen is not superior to bovine collagen despite what you have seen online, how much you need for skin versus joint health, and why some brands charging $80 to $90 are not giving you anything better than a well-formulated $37 option

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you shop at Aldi regularly or have been thinking about adding it to your grocery rotation, this episode is going to save you time and money. Leanne and Susie share their personal Aldi favourites, the specific products they recommend to clients, and the ones that look good but do not stack up.

And if you have ever used AI to get nutrition advice, track your intake, or build a meal plan, there is a study published earlier this year that you genuinely need to hear about.

In this episode:

• The Aldi products Leanne and Susie actually buy and recommend, across fresh produce, protein, dairy, snacks, frozen meals, and a few honest indulgences. Specific product names included, no vague recommendations
• Why the leafy greens at Aldi outperform the major supermarkets for freshness and shelf life, and how to store them to make them last even longer
• The Aldi protein yogurt, low-carb protein bread, beetroot hummus, tuna bean cups, and almond butter that both dietitians put on their regular shopping list and why
• A new study from March this year published in Frontiers in Nutrition comparing AI-generated diet plans against dietitian-designed plans: AI underestimated calories by up to 600, protein by 20 grams, and carbohydrates by 100 grams. Not a small margin of error, a significant one
• Why the false confidence AI creates around calorie and nutrient counts is the real danger, and the specific situations where Leanne and Susie would and would not use it in a nutrition context
• The Mission Carb Balance wrap reviewed: 16 grams of fibre and four grams of carbohydrate per wrap, a five-star health rating, and Leanne's strong views on why this product is not what it appears to be
• Why ultra-processed, low-carb wraps with modified wheat starch, wheat gluten isolate, and 16 grams of added fibre are a problem for most women's digestive health, and what to eat instead
• The creatine and heat question answered properly: can you add creatine to porridge, baked oats, or warm drinks without losing its effectiveness? What temperatures and time frames matter, and the one mistake Leanne sees clients make all the time with their creatine drink bottle

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six Australians have developed acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit weight loss peptides online. The TGA and the Victorian Department of Health have both issued urgent warnings this week. And yet these products are still a Google search away from anyone who wants them.

If you have seen retatrutide or any weight loss peptide being promoted on TikTok or Instagram, or you know someone who has bought one through a gym contact, a beauty clinic, or an online supplier, this episode is essential listening.

Leanne and Susie cover the full picture this week: what these peptides actually are, why buying them outside of a prescription is genuinely life-threatening, and what you should do instead if weight loss medication is something you are considering.

In this episode:

• The breaking Australian story: six people in acute liver failure after purchasing counterfeit retatrutide, what happened, how they obtained it, and the urgent warning now issued by the TGA and the Victorian Department of Health
• What retatrutide actually is, where it is in the clinical trial process, and why it is not approved in Australia regardless of what you have seen promoted online
• Why buying weight loss peptides outside of a prescription is not a grey area: the comparison to buying illicit drugs off the street, what contaminants and counterfeit ingredients can do, and why there is no coming back from liver failure
• The right way to access weight loss medication in Australia if it is appropriate for you, what a proper prescription process looks like, and why doing it correctly is not as difficult or expensive as people assume
• New research from over 83,000 people published in the Journal of Nutrition: which of the five most well-regarded healthy eating patterns performs best for people with high blood pressure, and why the result confirms what dietitians have been saying for decades
• What the DASH diet actually requires in terms of fruit and vegetable intake, why most people who think they are following it are not eating anywhere near enough plant food, and the sodium-to-potassium ratio that makes the biggest difference to blood pressure
• The Campbell's Gut Goodness Bone Broth reviewed: 20 grams of protein per pack, Monash low FODMAP certified, acacia prebiotic fibre, less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serve, and a clean ingredient list that genuinely impressed both Leanne and Susie
• Thaumatin: what it is, where it comes from, why it sounds more alarming than it is, how it compares to stevia and monk fruit, and whether it is safe to consume

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most women who are trying to eat well are getting carbohydrates wrong. Not because they are eating too many, which is what they usually assume. Often because they are eating too few of the right ones and too many of the wrong ones at the wrong times.

This week Leanne and Susie break down one of the most misunderstood topics in women's nutrition, what too little carbohydrate actually looks like in the body, what too much of the wrong kind does over time, and how to find the sweet spot that matches your actual activity level, hormones, and goals.

Plus, PCOS has a new name. Published in The Lancet in May this year, it is now being referred to as PMOS, and the reason behind the change tells you a lot about how the medical world is finally starting to understand this condition more accurately.

In this episode:

Why PCOS has been renamed PMOS in a landmark article published in The Lancet, what the name change actually reflects about the condition, and why it matters for the 8 to 13% of women living with it right now

The surprising truth about polycystic ovaries: why there are not actually more cysts, and what is really happening in the ovaries of women with this condition

Why an anti-inflammatory diet, inositol, and working with a dietitian long-term are central to managing PMOS, and why medication alone will not move the needle the way lifestyle can

The signs you are not eating enough carbohydrate: ongoing fatigue despite normal blood tests, poor exercise performance, constant cravings, difficulty concentrating, and never feeling full after meals

The signs you are eating too many of the wrong carbohydrates, why the combination of too few quality carbs and too many refined ones is the pattern Leanne and Susie see most consistently in their clinics

Why being in carbohydrate no man's land, not low enough for ketosis but not high enough to support metabolism, is one of the most common reasons women stall when trying to lose body fat

How carbohydrate needs are highly individual and change depending on body size, activity level, hormones, life stage, and whether you are breastfeeding, perimenopausal, or training intensively

The quality carbohydrates to focus on at each meal, and the refined ones that are quietly slipping in while women are avoiding rice at lunch and sweet potato at dinner

The new Uncle Tobys Protein Quick Oats reviewed: where the 8 to 9 grams of protein is actually coming from, whether it is enough for women with fat loss or body composition goals, and when Leanne would and would not recommend it

The best frozen fish in Australian supermarkets ranked: Sealord, Birdseye, Findus, the Coles wild caught fish fingers, and the steam fresh range reviewed by fish percentage, protein, and taste

Work with Leanne or Susie:

Winter is one of the best times to work with a dietitian, with fewer social events and more structure. Leanne is at leannewardnutrition.com.au and Susie is at susieburrell.com.au.

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

Support your protein, creatine, magnesium, and collagen needs with science-backed supplements at designedbydietitians.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone is asking AI about their diet. Recipes, meal plans, protein targets, what to eat for weight loss. And some of what it spits out is genuinely useful. Some of it is wrong. And some of it, as one American celebrity found out the hard way after buying a fake celebrity-endorsed Jell-O diet, can actually make you unwell.

This week Leanne and Susie give their honest take on exactly what AI can and cannot do when it comes to nutrition, where it is actually worth using, and the specific reasons why it will never replace the kind of personalised advice that accounts for who you actually are.

Then they go deep on one of the most-requested topics the show has ever had: a comprehensive guide to the best gluten-free products in Australian supermarkets right now.

In this episode:

The Jell-O diet scandal that kicked off this conversation, why fake celebrity diet endorsements generated by AI are now a genuine public health concern, and how to spot them

Where AI genuinely helps with nutrition, including getting recipe ideas from pantry leftovers, converting a meal plan into a shopping list, and even making your food photography look better

The critical limitations of AI diet advice: why it defaults to population averages, cannot account for your individual nutrient needs, does not know the Australian supermarket, and will simply agree with whatever you tell it rather than pushing back when you are wrong

Why accountability is the single biggest thing AI cannot replicate, and why that matters more than most people realise when it comes to actually getting results

The gluten-free product guide for Australian supermarkets in 2025: Leanne and Susie's current recommendations across bread, crackers, cereals, frozen meals, sauces, snacks, and more, including the specific brands and products they actually recommend to their celiac and gluten-intolerant clients

Why newly diagnosed celiac clients make one consistent mistake with gluten-free eating, and the simple shift that saves money and dramatically improves nutrition at the same time

The Health Lab Pistachio and Rose Protein Super Treat reviewed: beautiful packaging, white chocolate as the first ingredient, and 12% saturated fat. Is it a protein bar or a chocolate bar with good PR?

How to eat well after leaving home on a tight budget: the smartest protein sources for young people who have zero cooking experience, very little money, and a toaster

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If your diet needs a boost of protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen, explore the evidence-based range formulated by two Australian dietitians at designedbydietitians.com

Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the people in your life who need it. Over 5.5 million downloads and counting.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are thinking about having a baby in the next year or two, or you have been trying for a while and wondering if your nutrition could be doing more, this episode is a genuinely useful place to start.

And if you are in your 20s or 30s and have not had a blood test recently because you feel fine and assume everything is probably okay, Leanne and Susie have something to say about that too.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, they dig into the nutrition and lifestyle strategies that actually move the needle on fertility outcomes, what the research says about diet patterns, key nutrients, and male fertility, and the common mistakes that quietly work against conception that most women have never been told about.

In this episode:

The Australian longitudinal study of over 5,000 women linking anti-inflammatory dietary patterns to better fertility outcomes, and what that actually looks like on a plate day to day

The key nutrients that appear time and time again in fertility research: omega-3s, vitamin D, vitamin E, and natural folate, why food sources beat supplements in almost every case, and the one supplement Susie did take during pregnancy

The MTHFR gene mutation: what it is, how common it is, why women with this mutation should not be taking synthetic folate in standard prenatal supplements, and how to find out if you have it

Why male fertility contributes to 40 to 50% of fertility challenges and is chronically overlooked, and what partners should actually be doing differently

The under-eating and overtraining pattern that silently disrupts ovulation and hormonal health even in women who appear to be doing everything right

The truth about caffeine and fertility: the research does not say what most people assume, and Susie explains exactly how much is genuinely safe if you are trying to conceive

The blood tests Leanne recommends for every woman in her 20s and 30s, including the ones most GPs do not automatically order, and the vague symptoms that are easy to dismiss but might actually signal something easily fixed

Why low ferritin is one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated issues in young Australian women, and Susie's case study of a client whose iron had been dangerously low for two decades without anyone properly addressing it

The Harvest Pantry Protein Smoothie reviewed: clean ingredients, impressive packaging, and a protein claim on the front of the pack that requires an asterisk the size of a footnote to actually be true

The nine-month-old baby and solids question: how much milk is too much, why iron should be the focus of every meal at this age, and the feeding order that makes a bigger difference than most parents realise

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

Looking to support your protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen intake with evidence-based supplements made in Australia? Visit designedbydietitians.com

Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the women in your life. This is exactly the kind of episode worth passing on.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most Australians eat chicken schnitzel regularly. Most are unknowingly buying one where barely a third of the product is actually chicken.

This week Leanne and Susie went through every pre-crumbed and frozen chicken schnitzel option across Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi, checked the labels, compared the protein and chicken percentages, and came back with a definitive ranking of which ones are genuinely worth buying and which ones are quietly ripping you off.

Spoiler: the best option in the whole supermarket is not what most people expect.

In this episode:

A full ranking of supermarket chicken schnitzels by chicken percentage and protein content, including the specific products from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Lilydale, Steggles, and Cleavers Organic that Leanne and Susie actually recommend

Why some schnitzels are as low as 28% chicken, what is filling the rest of the product, and the one word to look for on the label that almost always signals a better option

Why a chicken schnitzel from the supermarket has roughly half the protein and double the calories of a plain chicken breast, and how to build it into a meal without undoing your nutrition goals

How to make a significantly better version at home in under 10 minutes using ingredients you probably already have, including an air fryer method Susie swears by

New research from a 25-year longitudinal study at the University of Manchester on breakfast timing, cognitive ageing, and why the timing of your meals in older age is a more important health marker than most people realise

Why your parents eating dinner at 5pm might actually be a sign they are ageing well, and the subtle shift in meal habits that can signal early cognitive decline worth paying attention to

Flavoured Medjool dates: the True Dates range reviewed, why dates have a significant health halo that the numbers do not fully support, and when Leanne actually recommends them to clients

The high-protein yogurt question answered: is it actually worth paying more for Chobani, YoPro, or Coles Perform over standard Greek yogurt, and when does the extra protein genuinely matter

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If your protein, creatine, magnesium, or hydration needs a bit of a boost, explore the full evidence-based range at designedbydietitians.com

Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch so this show can keep reaching the people who need it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have a family history of dementia or Alzheimer's and you have been wondering what you can actually do about it now, this episode has something important for you.

New Australian research from the Australian National University has found that people consuming higher amounts of magnesium daily had measurably better brain health as they aged, with brains appearing roughly a year younger at midlife compared to those eating the recommended daily amount. The problem is that most Australians are not even hitting the baseline, let alone the levels associated with brain protection.

Leanne and Susie break down what the research actually means, where magnesium is found in food, why so few people are getting enough, and what to look for if a supplement is the right option for you.

Plus, with apples hitting $8 a kilo and oranges at $10, they share their honest, practical strategies for eating enough fruit without the supermarket bill becoming genuinely painful.

In this episode:

The Australian National University study on magnesium and brain health: what 550mg per day actually does to your brain at midlife, why the standard recommended intake is not enough, and why women with a family history of dementia or Alzheimer's should be paying close attention right now

The best dietary sources of magnesium, why most busy women are falling well short of even the basic target, and the specific forms to look for if you are considering a supplement

Why cheap magnesium supplements are largely a waste of money, what magnesium oxide actually does in the body, and the forms that are genuinely well absorbed

Fresh fruit prices in Australia right now: why apples and oranges have become a budget item worth thinking carefully about, and the smartest ways to keep fruit in your diet without overspending

The case for frozen berries, tinned fruit in natural juice, baby-sized fruit portions, and a Saturday morning market trip that Susie says changes the weekly grocery bill significantly

The Heart and Soul Mexican chicken and bean soup: a different flavour, a whole food base, and $4.50 a pouch. Leanne and Susie give their honest verdict including the one number on the nutrition panel that gives them pause

The post-workout dinner question answered properly: can you skip dinner after an evening workout, what to eat instead, and why the timing of your meals matters more than most people realise

Why Leanne says the answer to "can I skip dinner" is almost always no, and what a balanced post-workout snack actually looks like if a full meal is not realistic

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

The Designed by Dietitians RESTORE triple magnesium blend uses three clinical forms of magnesium chosen specifically for absorption, sleep support, and muscle recovery. If you are not hitting your magnesium through food, it is worth a look. Find it at designedbydietitians.com

Join the private Designed by Dietitians Facebook community for exclusive content, upcoming webinars, and giveaways. DM Leanne or Susie on Instagram for the link.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You picked the toastie instead of the burger. You got sushi instead of a sandwich. You grabbed rice crackers instead of chips. You are making the healthy choice, right?

Not always. And this week Leanne and Susie are talking about exactly that, the foods that feel like the lighter option but are quietly adding a lot more to your day than you realise. No guilt, just the information you actually need to make better calls when you are busy, hungry, and eating on the run.

In this episode:

The cafe and bakery foods that seem like a sensible choice but regularly clock in at 500 to 700 calories, including the toasted sandwich that is closer to a croissant than you think

Why sushi is not the light lunch most women believe it is, and what is actually happening when you compact that rice into three or four rolls

The rice cracker trap: why 10 rice crackers are nutritionally equivalent to two slices of bread, and which crackers are genuinely worth buying

Why hummus should not be counted as a protein source, and what to eat instead if protein is actually your goal at lunch

The new research linking ADHD and perimenopause: women with ADHD were twice as likely to experience perimenopausal symptoms in a recent European study, and what that means for how this group should be eating through the day

Susie's practical nutrition strategies for women managing both ADHD and perimenopausal symptoms, including why savoury, bulky meals and structured eating windows make a bigger difference than any supplement

A full breakdown of the types of ADHD most commonly seen in adult women, and why the hyperactive young boy stereotype has nothing to do with how it typically presents in women in their 30s, 40s and 50s

The Coles Kitchen Chicken and Corn Soup: 21 grams of protein, under 200 calories, $4.50. Leanne and Susie revisit one of their all-time favourite supermarket finds and explain how to build it into a genuinely complete lunch

Matcha versus coffee versus chai: is matcha actually better for you, or is it just more photogenic? Leanne breaks down the caffeine, L-theanine, and antioxidant research, and gives her honest verdict on the Starbucks matcha latte trend

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

Looking for evidence-based supplements made in Australia by two busy dietitian mums? Visit designedbydietitians.com to explore the full range.

Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch so this show keeps reaching the women who need it most.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pub has quietly become one of Australia's most budget-friendly options for a family dinner out. And with the cost of groceries where they are right now, that is not going to change any time soon.

But if you are trying to eat well, the pub menu can feel like a minefield. Do you order the salad you do not actually want? Ignore the chips? Feel guilty for choosing the schnitzel?

This week Leanne and Susie are cutting through all of it with their honest, practical, no-guilt guide to eating at the pub, the RSL, and anywhere else that serves a $18 special. Plus they take aim at Subway's new high-protein marketing claims, and the numbers are not pretty.

In this episode:

How to navigate a pub menu without ordering a salad you do not feel like and still ending up hungry an hour later, including the exact strategies Leanne and Susie use themselves

Why splitting a meal is often the smartest move at a pub, and how to do it without missing out on protein

The entrée trap: which pub starters are quietly adding hundreds of calories before your main even arrives, and which ones are genuinely worth ordering

Why the pub salad is often not the healthy option it appears to be, and what to order instead if your goal is to keep calories in check

Subway's new Packed with Protein range: Leanne deep-dived the nutritionals so you do not have to, and what she found about that 54-gram protein footlong will genuinely surprise you

Why the Subway wrap is almost never the healthier choice over the bread, despite what most people assume

The chocolate-coated health bar that is being heavily marketed to pregnant and breastfeeding women. Leanne and Susie break down the ingredient list and the saturated fat content, and explain why it has more in common with a chocolate bar than a snack bar

The listener question: is a mini Coke a few times a week really a problem? Leanne and Susie give an honest, nuanced answer that is more useful than a simple yes or no

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

Looking for supplements that are actually formulated to clinical doses with real ingredients? Visit designedbydietitians.com to explore the full range.

Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch and join the private Designed by Dietitians Facebook community for exclusive content, giveaways, and free webinar recordings. DM Leanne or Susie on Instagram for the private link.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You have probably seen them all over your Instagram feed. Beef liver supplements, sold as a natural, ancestral, high-iron fix for tired, depleted women. But before you add one to your cart, Leanne and Susie have something important to say.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, they dig into the iron conversation that so many women desperately need to have, including why your doctor might have told you your iron is fine when it is anything but, why infusions are often the only real solution when stores are genuinely low, and exactly why beef liver supplements are one of the most overhyped products circulating on social media right now.

If you are tired, breathless, foggy, or just never quite feel rested no matter how much sleep you get, this episode might be the most useful 40 minutes you spend this week.

In this episode:

Why ferritin is the iron marker that matters most and why a result your doctor calls normal can still leave you feeling exhausted, foggy, and completely flat

The real daily iron requirements for women across different life stages, including why pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave stores so depleted that supplements alone simply will not cut it

Why iron supplements can be so rough on your gut, which forms tend to be better tolerated, and why liquid over capsule is often the smarter starting point

The signs that your iron might be low that most women overlook, including restless legs at night, breathlessness on easy walks, and waking up exhausted after a full night of sleep

The best food sources of iron ranked, including the ones that most women are not eating nearly enough of, and the vitamin C pairing that makes all the difference to absorption

What to avoid when taking iron and why washing your tablet down with coffee or tea is quietly undoing your efforts

Beef liver supplements: Leanne looked up more than ten brands and the numbers are damning. Why these products are providing a fraction of what your body actually needs, what they cost versus what you get, and why they are not a therapeutic solution for anyone with genuinely low iron

A supermarket hot chocolate review comparing Jarrah, Avalanche, Cadbury and Lindt, what the nutrition panels actually reveal, and why some functional hot chocolates retailing at $60 should be approached with serious caution

A review of the new Birdseye scalloped potato with paprika from the frozen vegetable range, and why the nutritionals are stronger than you might expect

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If you are looking for a genuinely functional hot chocolate to wind down this winter, REST by Designed by Dietitians is formulated with magnesium glycinate, glycine, L-tryptophan, passionflower, chamomile, and jujube extract for sleep and nervous system support, with no artificial sweeteners and a whole milk powder base for that creamy mouthfeel. Find it at designedbydietitians.com

Join the private Designed by Dietitians Facebook community for exclusive giveaways, webinar recordings, and content you will not find anywhere else. DM Leanne or Susie on Instagram for the private link.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your joints ache after exercise, if your hips or knees are not what they used to be, or if you are just noticing your body recovering more slowly than it did a few years ago, this episode is going to be genuinely useful.

Leanne and Susie break down the evidence on what food can and cannot do for chronic pain and joint health, call out the supplements that are not worth your money, and explain what the Mediterranean diet actually looks like in real life, which is not what most people think it is.

Plus there is new research on meal repetition and weight loss that might just change how you think about meal prep, a verdict on the new Arnott's Shapes Light and Crispy range that had everyone's Instagram lighting up, and a straight-talking answer to one of the most common questions in clinic: do you actually need a multivitamin?

In this episode:

Why joint pain increases as estrogen declines, and why women in their 40s and 50s are disproportionately affected by inflammation, tendinitis, frozen shoulder, and chronic pain

The only three nutrients with a genuine evidence base for joint health, and why turmeric is not one of them

What the Mediterranean diet actually looks like when you strip away the Instagram version, and why most people eating reasonably well are still not doing it properly

Why just 10% body weight loss can meaningfully reduce the experience of joint pain, and why that number is more achievable than most people think

The collagen question answered properly: how much you need, which form works, why vitamin C must be paired with it, and how long you actually need to take it before expecting results

New research from a US university showing that eating the same meals most days led to nearly 6% body weight loss over 12 weeks, compared to 4% in those who varied their diet significantly. What this actually means in practice, and the important caveat both Leanne and Susie flag

The new Arnott's Shapes Light and Crispy range: is the white box marketing genius or genuine nutrition improvement? Leanne and Susie give their honest verdict, including what the ingredients and nutrition panel actually reveal

Why neither Leanne nor Susie routinely recommend multivitamins, what the real risks of nutrient stacking are, and what to do instead if you know your diet has gaps

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If you are looking to support joint health, recovery, and overall nutrition, explore the range at designedbydietitians.com, including RENEW collagen, omega-3 support, and the full supplement range formulated specifically for busy women.

Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch, and join the private Designed by Dietitians Facebook community for free content and upcoming online seminars. DM Leanne or Susie on Instagram for the private link.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your dinner creeps out to 8 or 9pm most nights and your fat loss has stalled, this one is worth 30 minutes of your week.

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack why late dinners quietly derail body composition for so many women — and why the fix isn't as simple as just eating earlier.

Do late dinners actually stall fat loss? Why pushing your last meal out often triggers a calorie catch-up spiral: over-hunger, reliance on bars and snacks, and a heavier meal than your body actually needed. Susie and Leanne explain how circadian rhythm and insulin sensitivity quietly stack the deck against you, why some women (think CrossFit at 5am, or insulin-resistant clients) genuinely need different approaches, and the simple shift of moving more calories into lunch and the afternoon snack that changes everything.

The 12-hour overnight window for gut health Why Susie aims for a minimum 10 hours — ideally 12 — between your last mouthful at night and breakfast the next day, and what happens to next-day hunger regulation when that window gets squeezed.

Is the protein pudding trend actually necessary? Pools, Arlo, Rockabees, Muscle Nation. The hosts weigh in on whether you really need another 20g of protein after a dinner that already hit 30–40g, and when a protein pudding genuinely earns its place.

Tinned tuna ranked: Coles vs Aldi vs Woolworths vs Sirena vs John West Susie runs the actual tuna percentages inside the tin across every major supermarket brand. The Aldi range that beats tuna triple the price. The Coles home brand that comes in at 80% tuna for $1.10. Why Woolworths home brand falls short. And why tinned red salmon at around $10 might quietly be one of the best-value high-protein lunches going.

Product review: Sunny Queen Bacon & Cheese Protein Bites 27g of protein on the front of the pack, a long additive-heavy ingredient list inside, and a 200g "single serve" that raises serious questions. The hosts' verdict on whether this one earns a spot in your trolley.

Listener question: How should shift workers eat? Long-time listener Nicole asks for a practical framework around day, afternoon, and night shifts. Susie and Leanne walk through meal timing, the low-fuel snack options that keep you alert without blowing out calories, and why structure beats "eating lighter" every time.

For the range of protein, creatine, collagen, and magnesium Leanne and Susie refer to at the close of this episode, head to Designed by Dietitians.

Hit subscribe so you never miss a Wednesday drop, and share this one with someone who always eats dinner too late.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your cholesterol came back high. Now what? Most women in their 40s and beyond have sat with that question and got very little useful guidance on the other side of it.

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie give you the cholesterol conversation most doctors don't have time for, including what your individual numbers actually mean, why your LDL is almost certainly rising right now if you are in perimenopause, and the specific point at which diet can genuinely help versus when medication is the only realistic path. If you have high cholesterol and you are doing everything right, this one is especially for you.

The cholesterol conversation your doctor probably hasn't had with you

Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides. Susie and Leanne walk through what each number means, what the target ranges are, why genetics can override even the best diet, and why there is no shame in needing medication. They also cover the calcium score test most women have never heard of, and why it matters more than a single cholesterol reading.

What diet can and cannot do for your cholesterol

Diet can realistically move cholesterol one to two points. It cannot bring a seven down to five. That is one of the most important clinical distinctions in this episode, and it is one that a lot of online health content gets badly wrong. Susie and Leanne also name the specific supermarket products and supplements that are clinically proven to help, and explain why your dad's tiny scrape of cholesterol-lowering margarine is doing absolutely nothing.

Protein powder vs skim milk powder: is the cheap swap actually worth it?

A claim has been circulating online that skim milk powder is essentially the same as protein powder at a fraction of the cost. Leanne and Susie run the actual numbers and the comparison is not even close. They also explain why this matters specifically for women in peri and menopause who are trying to hit protein targets without extra carbs.

Plus: A surprisingly impressive new dip at Coles and Aldi that Susie gives a 10 out of 10, and a listener question about kids and sugar at parties that every parent needs to hear.

For the supplement range Leanne and Susie refer to in this episode, head to designedbydietitians.com.

If this one helped you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most women trying to lose weight have been told the same thing their whole lives: eat less. But on this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell make the case that under-eating may be one of the most common and most overlooked reasons women struggle to lose fat, build muscle, and feel well.

If you are tired despite sleeping well, craving sugar and carbs by mid-afternoon, getting sick more than you should, or stuck at the same weight no matter what you do, this episode is for you.

Are you under-eating? The signs your metabolism is working against you

Leanne and Susie walk through the most common clinical signs of chronic under-fuelling: persistent fatigue, intense cravings, poor gym performance, frequent illness, and hormonal disruptions including irregular or missing periods. They explain why women who train hard, eat clean, and keep portions small are often the most at risk, and why not feeling hungry is not a sign you are doing well. They also break down the restrict-crave-overeat cycle and why eating more, not less, is often the fastest path to the body composition results their clients are actually after.

Sausages: what the label is actually telling you

Australians eat a lot of sausages, but the nutritional quality varies dramatically across supermarket brands. Susie compares Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi options and reveals exactly what to check on the label, including the three specific additive numbers (250, 251, 252) that indicate nitrates, what total fat and saturated fat thresholds to look for, and why butcher sausages are usually not the healthier choice most people assume.

Product review: Peter's Frosty Fruits 50% Less Sugar

Leanne tried these on holiday in Noosa and the kids loved them. She breaks down the ingredient list, the sugar comparison versus the originals, and why these are one of the better supermarket ice block options, particularly when you catch them half price.

How to choose the right collagen supplement

Not all collagen works, and a lot of what is being sold is poorly formulated. Leanne shares five evidence-based criteria for choosing a collagen supplement that actually delivers results: why vegan collagen is ineffective, what hydrolysed collagen peptides means and why it matters, which patented strains have clinical research behind them, how vitamin C improves collagen absorption, and why daily dose consistency matters far more than a large serve size. If you are currently spending money on collagen and not seeing results, this segment will tell you exactly why.

For a collagen supplement built to these exact standards, visit designedbydietitians.com.

Hit subscribe so you never miss a Wednesday drop, and if this episode helped you, share it with a friend who needs to hear it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cancer is on everyone's mind right now, and the research has finally caught up. In this episode, Leanne and Susie unpack the largest ever study on diet and cancer risk, published just weeks ago in the British Journal of Cancer. With data from 1.8 million people tracked over 16 years, the findings are genuinely surprising, and not always in the direction you'd expect.

In this episode:

The big cancer and diet study (1.8 million people, 17 cancers, 16 years)

A landmark new study compared cancer risk across meat eaters, poultry eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans. The results are more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Pescatarians showed lower rates of colorectal, breast, and kidney cancers. Vegetarians had lower rates of pancreatic, breast, prostate, kidney cancers, and multiple myeloma. But here's what almost nobody is reporting: vegans showed a statistically higher risk of colorectal cancer, and vegetarians had a significantly elevated risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Leanne and Susie break down what this actually means in real life, including how much red meat is too much, why processed meat is a completely different conversation to lean red meat, and whether most of us really need to go vegetarian to meaningfully reduce our cancer risk.

Easter hot cross buns: what the nutrition actually looks like

They're in supermarkets from Boxing Day and some of this year's flavours are genuinely surprising (yes, there's a Dorito one). Susie and Leanne rank the best and worst options, break down the calorie difference between mini, standard, and indulgent varieties, and explain when a hot cross bun can actually be the right pre or post workout nutrition choice.

Product review: Noon protein milk drink

A new breakfast-on-the-go drink has landed in Woolworths and the nutrition panel is genuinely impressive. 18 grams of protein, 6.3 grams of fibre, 580 milligrams of calcium, and a clean, milk-first ingredient list. Leanne breaks down whether it stacks up against Up and Go and who it is and isn't suitable for.

Listener question: the best vegetarian meat replacements

If you are vegetarian or cooking for one, this segment is worth listening to twice. Leanne and Susie name the specific products and brands they actually recommend in clinic, explain why Quorn mince beats most of the plant-based aisle on protein and fat, and cover the marinated tofu options that even tofu-sceptics tend to enjoy.

Whether you eat meat every day, are trying to eat less of it, or are navigating a vegetarian household, this episode gives you real, evidence-based clarity without the extremism that tends to surround this topic.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever been told your blood tests are “normal”, but you’re still exhausted, flat, foggy, struggling with weight changes, or just not feeling like yourself?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack the difference between normal and optimal blood test results, and why women need to look beyond a quick “everything’s fine” from the doctor.

They break down the key markers worth tracking over time, including glucose, HbA1c, ferritin, vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid, and estrogen, especially for women in their 30s, 40s and beyond.

They also dive into a new warning linked with GLP-1 medications, including how appetite suppression can reduce diet quality and increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies if you are not actively protecting your intake.

Plus, they review a high-protein granola topper and answer a listener question on the healthiest takeaway options.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why normal blood tests are not always optimal
• The blood markers women should track over time
• Low ferritin, fatigue, brain fog and poor exercise tolerance
• Glucose, HbA1c and the early signs of insulin resistance
• Vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid and estrogen changes to watch
• Why women in perimenopause and menopause need to pay closer attention
• The new GLP-1 nutrient deficiency concern
• Why eating less can still mean poor nutrition
• Product review: Coastal Crunch Protein Crunch
• Listener question: the healthiest takeaway choices

If you’ve ever felt dismissed by “normal” results, this episode will help you ask better questions and understand what to look at more closely.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are low sugar lollies actually healthier… or just clever marketing?

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Susie and Leanne take a deep dive into the booming “better-for-you” confectionery trend and unpack whether these fibre-based, low-sugar lollies are genuinely a smarter choice — or simply another ultra-processed product wearing a health halo.

With brands like Fun Day dominating supermarket checkouts, are we being lured into a false sense of security?

But that’s not all.

Leanne shares compelling new research (January 2026) linking body fat distribution — not just body weight — to brain structure, cognitive performance and neurological disease risk. The findings raise important questions about muscle mass, abdominal fat, rapid weight loss, and long-term brain health.

Plus:

• A practical review of convenient pre-prepared vegetables and whether they’re worth the price
• The truth about Aldi’s lower carb white bread and why not all “low carb” options are created equal
• A bigger conversation about ultra-processed foods and health star ratings

This episode cuts through marketing noise and brings you back to what truly matters for long-term health, metabolic function and cognitive protection.

If you’ve ever stood in the lolly aisle wondering “Is this actually better?” — this one’s for you.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you eat the same breakfast on repeat because it “fits your macros”, this episode is for you.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack the biggest breakfast mistake they see in clinic, why it can quietly stall gut health and fat loss, and the simple way to fix it without overhauling your whole routine.

Then, they cut through the noise on ultra-processed foods, sharing realistic supermarket swaps that reduce additives while keeping your grocery bill (and your sanity) intact. Plus, a surprisingly decent chocolatey lunchbox snack gets reviewed, and they answer the question everyone asks after we’ve “bagged out” wraps, which ones are actually worth buying?

In this episode, we cover:

• The number one breakfast mistake for gut health and metabolism (and why “same breakfast every day” backfires)

• The 30 plant foods per week idea, what counts, and how to rack up plant points without trying

• Easy ways to rotate breakfasts while still hitting protein goals

• Why your weight loss can plateau even when you’re doing everything “right”, and how variety helps

• Ultra-processed foods: the difference between “some processing” and foods that genuinely drive poor outcomes

• Practical UPF swaps that actually make a difference (cereal, milks, breads, yoghurts, chips, crackers)

• The truth about additives like emulsifiers, when they matter, and when social media fear has gone too far

• Cracker chat: why some “party crackers” are basically biscuits, and what to buy instead for everyday

• Product review: Nestlé Milo 40% Less Sugar Dairy Snack, is it a solid option for active kids?

• The “maths isn’t mathing” moment, how the lower sugar version stacks up against the regular one (and why we’re investigating)

• Listener question: wraps, which ones are okay, and why “spinach wraps” are usually marketing, not veggies

• Best buys: the simple, budget-friendly wholegrain mini wraps Leanne and Susie actually recommend

As always, this is practical, evidence-led nutrition advice without the all-or-nothing nonsense.

Designed by Dietitians

If your diet needs a little extra support, explore our scientifically formulated supplement range including protein, creatine, collagen, magnesium, and hydration at designedbydietitians.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re trying to lose weight, manage stress, or just feel better in your body, this episode connects the dots between what’s on your plate and how you actually feel.

This week on The Nutrition Couch:

A viral article claims cottage cheese, berries and seeds are the “best breakfast for weight loss.” We unpack whether it’s genuinely superior — or just smart marketing.

Plus, a major Australian dataset of over 45,000 people has found a strong link between higher fruit and vegetable intake and lower psychological distress. Women in particular saw greater benefits at higher vegetable serves.

We break down:

• Why protein + fibre still matters at breakfast

• Whether cottage cheese is worth the hype

• The gut–brain connection and mood regulation

• How many veggie serves actually make a difference

• The sugary drink–depression link

• A new high-protein Coles Perform barramundi option

• And the viral “Japanese cheesecake” trend (and why it’s not actually cheesecake)

If you want simple, science-backed ways to support fat loss, mood and energy — without extremes — this one’s for you.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is brain fog getting worse in menopause?

Trying to lose weight but nothing works anymore?

This episode explores new research on creatine and cognition — and why willpower isn’t the real reason weight loss stalls.

Here’s what we cover:

• A new 8-week randomised controlled trial on creatine in peri- and menopausal women
• What actually improved: memory, mental fatigue and cognitive performance
• Why women may store less creatine than men
• Whether all forms of creatine are equal

Plus:

• CSIRO data from 78,000 Australians shows why structured meal planning leads to more weight loss
• Why willpower fails when planning is absent
• The psychology behind “starting again Monday”

We also review the new Cobs Popcorn Bars — are they really a healthy lunchbox option?

And we answer a listener question: why are your measurements dropping but not the scale?

Leanne and Susie are dietitians and co-founders of Designed by Dietitians. As always, the discussion is evidence-led and practical.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peptides are the newest anti-ageing obsession.

Injected. Micro-dosed. Marketed as skin-saving, hormone-balancing, fat-loss miracles.

But are peptides actually evidence-based… or just another expensive wellness trend?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, we break down the truth about peptides, influencer marketing, regulation gaps, and what the science really says before you spend hundreds of dollars chasing “anti-ageing”.

🧬 Peptides: What You Need to Know

• What peptides actually are (and why you already consume them daily)
• The crossover with GLP-1 medications
• Why buying peptides online is risky
• The regulation problem most people don’t realise
• The anti-ageing basics that outperform supplements

🌾 TikTok “Fibremaxxing”

• Are Australians really low in fibre?
• Whole food fibre vs added inulin and chicory root
• How to increase fibre without bloating
• The weekend eating trap that ruins gut health
• The simple formula to hit 25–30g per day

🥣 Product Review: High-Protein Cereal

• Coles’ new high-protein cereal analysed
• Why protein on the label isn’t enough
• The key ingredient missing
• Who it might suit

🥤 Coke Zero vs Diet Coke

• Is diet soft drink actually bad?
• Aspartame and cravings
• How often is too often?
• How to reduce reliance without extremes

If you care about anti-ageing, gut health, fibre intake, weight regulation, or cutting through online nutrition misinformation — this episode will give you clarity.

For evidence-based supplements, explore Designed by Dietitians at designedbydietitians.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US has released new dietary guidelines, and they’ve already caused a nutrition firestorm. Higher protein targets. More dairy. Fewer carbs. A tougher stance on ultra-processed foods.

But do these changes actually matter, especially if you live in Australia?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell break down what’s changed, why it’s controversial, and what’s genuinely useful versus what can be ignored.

Then we get practical, because real nutrition decisions happen in lunchboxes and supermarket aisles, not food pyramids.

In this episode:

• The new US dietary guidelines and why they’ve divided dietitians

• Higher protein targets, dairy’s comeback, and the carb rethink

• What this could signal for future Australian guidelines

• Why ultra-processed foods are finally being called out

Plus:

• A simple lunchbox formula that actually works

• Why kids’ lunches are often low in protein, and easy fixes

• The truth about protein meat snacks and “no nitrate” options

• A high-protein milk worth considering

• Are fermented veggies really worth it for gut health?

If you want clear, practical nutrition advice without hype or fear-mongering, this episode is for you.

Hit play, and subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s discussion.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

January is hectic, decision fatigue is real, and eating well can start to feel exhausting.

In this episode, Leanne and Susie break down meal prep that actually works in real life, the sneaky way fries creep into your week, and what to order when fast food is the only option.

No extremes. No guilt. Just systems that make healthy eating easier in 2026.

In this episode, we cover:

• The simplest meal prep system to save time and mental load (without cooking every meal)

• The best foods to batch prep and what not to prep because it turns soggy

• Why convenience foods are not “cutting corners” and how to drop the guilt

• How long common prepped foods actually last in the fridge and freezer

• Freezer hacks that reduce waste and stop boredom

• The “Fry Creep” problem, how many fries is really a serve, and the once-a-week rule

• Leanne’s fry quality filter and how to enjoy chips without overdoing it

• A new freezer-friendly, high-protein seafood option for busy nights

• Smarter picks at Maccas, KFC, and Subway when you need something fast

This episode is perfect if you want to eat well this year without burnout, perfectionism, or overthinking every meal.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cravings feel powerful, frustrating, and often completely out of your control.

But what if most cravings aren’t random at all?

In this first episode of The Nutrition Couch for 2026, Leanne and Susie unpack what’s really driving cravings, why willpower is not the problem, and how simple changes to your day can make a huge difference.

They also break down new research linking diet quality to better sleep, review a popular lower-calorie ice cream, and tackle a listener question on why low-carb wraps aren’t the health food they’re marketed to be.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why blood sugar dips are one of the biggest hidden drivers of sugar cravings

• How restricting carbs earlier in the day often backfires by 4pm

• The difference between true cravings and habit-based or emotional eating

• Why after-dinner cravings are often learned, not physiological

• How stress, fatigue, boredom and “reward eating” can disguise themselves as hunger

• A simple way to interrupt cravings without relying on willpower

• New research showing higher fruit, vegetable and whole-grain intake is linked to better sleep quality that same night

• Whether lower-calorie ice creams are worth it nutritionally

• Why low-carb wraps are more processed than many people realise, and what to choose instead

Subscribe so you don’t miss a Wednesday episode, and send your listener questions or word of the year via Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to enjoy Christmas without the food hangover?

Leanne and Susie share simple, realistic strategies to enjoy the festive season without overeating or falling into the “all or nothing” trap.

In this episode:

• The mindset that leads to festive bingeing
• Portion and pacing tricks that actually work
• How to enjoy your favourites without feeling stuffed
• When to get back on track (hint: it’s sooner than you think)

Press play to feel lighter, calmer and more in control this Christmas.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re tackling the big one for party season: alcohol. Leanne and Susie break down how much is too much, why “just one glass” is rarely one glass, and the simple rules that prevent Christmas weight gain.

Inside the episode:

• The truth about alcohol, hormones and cancer risk
• Why you might be drinking more than you think
• Party-season rules to protect sleep, energy and metabolism
• The canapé traps that lead to hidden weight gain
• Susie’s new favourite Woolies protein find
• Listener question: Is swimming actually good exercise for fat loss?

Perfect if you want to enjoy December without the blowout.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are the foods in your trolley really Australian owned, and should you be worried about MSG or that 2-kilo overnight weight jump after a salty meal?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack how to support Aussie-owned brands, the real story on MSG, and why salt can make the scales jump without you gaining body fat.

In this episode, we cover:

The Aussie-owned supermarket brands worth supporting

• Why there are so few 100% Australian-owned and operated food companies on our shelves

• The big-name Aussie brands Leanne and Susie actually buy, including cereals, dairy, oils, snacks and condiments

• How Australian ownership, local jobs and higher ingredient standards often translate to better nutritional quality

• Fun facts about Sanitarium’s not-for-profit structure and SPC as the last remaining Australian-owned fruit and veg processor

• Smaller state-based dairies and boutique brands to look out for in your local supermarket

MSG: what the science says vs what social media says

• What MSG actually is, how it’s made, and why glutamate naturally occurs in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese

• How to spot MSG and other flavour enhancers on labels (621, 635 and friends)

• Why major health bodies consider MSG safe at normal intakes, and why “Chinese restaurant syndrome” hasn’t held up in blinded trials

• The real issue: ultra-processed, highly flavoured snacks that drive overeating, especially in kids

• Common supermarket foods that still contain flavour enhancers, and how to choose plainer, less “more-ish” options instead

Product Spotlight: the Moroccan tomato dip Leanne and Susie love

• A deep dive on Tahini Miri Moroccan Matbucha, a chunky tomato-based dip with 87% tomatoes

• Why the ingredient list is so impressive compared to most dips in the fridge section

• How to use it: on veggie sticks, crackers, omelettes, eggs, sourdough or as a salsa-style base for quick meals

• Why cooked tomato products are a great way to boost lycopene and plant intake, especially during party season

Salt, fluid retention and “overnight” weight gain

• The recommended daily sodium and salt limits for healthy adults, and how much Australians are actually having

• Why your weight can jump 1–2 kilos after a salty meal or takeaway, even if you’ve been eating well

• Who genuinely needs to watch salt more closely (e.g. high blood pressure, kidney or fluid issues) and who doesn’t need to stress over a pinch in home cooking

• Simple label-reading rules: what counts as low, moderate and high sodium per serve

• Practical ways to cut back on salt without eating bland food, using herbs, spices and smarter product choices

• How to keep party-season canapés, chips and takeaway in check without feeling deprived

Plus

• How Leanne and Susie think about “supporting local” in a realistic, supermarket-based way

• Why choosing more minimally processed options automatically helps with both salt and additive intake

• Reassurance that balance matters more than perfection when it comes to salt, MSG and processed foods

If your goal is to shop more consciously, support local brands, and stop panicking about every ingredient on the label, this episode will give you a clear, calm roadmap.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack three huge topics women are constantly asking about: fasting, constipation, and whether “natural Ozempic” supplements like berberine are worth the hype.

First up, they dive into intermittent fasting and why it often backfires for women, especially if you’re training hard, in your perimenopausal years, or constantly battling cravings and afternoon blow-outs. They talk through what the research actually says, how female hormones and muscle mass change the picture, and why a simple 12-hour overnight break from food may be the sweet spot for most women rather than extreme fasting windows.

Next, they break down the brand-new constipation guidelines from the British Dietetic Association, including the now-famous kiwi fruit recommendation, mineral-rich water, magnesium and that slightly outrageous “six to eight slices of rye bread a day” advice. You’ll hear what’s genuinely useful, what’s unrealistic in real life, and how to build a gut-friendly routine that goes beyond just “eat more fibre”.

In product spotlight, the ladies share their new favourite dip for summer entertaining, Yumi’s Capsicum & Roasted Cashew, and explain why it beats many cream-cheese-based dips nutritionally. They also give practical platter strategies to keep portions, costs and calories in check without feeling like you’re on a diet at the party.

Finally, they tackle a listener question about berberine, the supplement being pushed online as “nature’s Ozempic”. Leanne and Susie explain what the science really shows for blood sugar and weight, the doses used in research, why side effects are more common at effective doses, and why it is absolutely not equivalent to GLP-1 medications. They share the simple, proven strategies that do more for metabolic health than chasing a miracle capsule.

In this episode:

• Fasting and female physiology: why skipping breakfast can tank performance, worsen cravings and backfire for many active women, and when a gentle overnight fast may still have benefits.
• New constipation guidelines: the role of kiwi fruit, mineral-rich water and magnesium, why “more and more fibre” isn’t always the answer, and realistic ways to get things moving again.
• Summer platter upgrade: a healthier capsicum and cashew dip, smart portion tricks, and how to build a party platter that tastes amazing without blowing your goals or your budget.
• Berberine under the microscope: why calling it “natural Ozempic” is misleading, what it can and can’t do for blood glucose, and when you’re better off with lifestyle changes or prescribed medication.

If this episode helps you rethink fasting or finally sort your gut and “magic pill” confusion, please follow the show, tap 5⭐, and share it with a friend who’s always starting a new diet on Monday.

To explore our evidence-based supplement range, including our new Hydrate mix for summer, head to Designed by Dietitians.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people wait for January to “start fresh” — but the research shows 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. So in this bonus episode, Leanne and Susie flip the script and show you why starting small now is the real secret to lasting results.

You’ll learn how to use December to build momentum, not lose it, and how a few simple habits can make 2026 feel completely different from every other “new year, new me” attempt.

In this episode, we cover:

• The real reasons resolutions fail — and why January is actually the hardest time to overhaul your habits
• Why waiting for motivation never works (and what to focus on instead)
• How to set SMART goals that fit your real life, not your perfect-life fantasy
• The one small daily “anchor point” that keeps your goals front-of-mind
• Simple progress tracking that works even for the busiest women
• Holiday “healthy hacks” to help you stay balanced without feeling restricted
• How to avoid your personal “Achilles heel” habits that derail you every year
• Our own 2026 health and lifestyle goals and how we’re starting early

If you’re tired of restarting every January, this is the episode that finally shows you how to start small, stay consistent and build habits that last.

Press play — and start now, not later.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trying to eat more without gaining weight? Wondering how much protein you actually need — or if you’ve gone overboard? And what about that burning reflux that ruins your sleep?

In this week’s episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell cut through the confusion with practical, no-BS advice that real women can use every day.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• The truth about “free foods” and fat loss — what dietitians really mean by low-calorie “free” foods, and how to use them to bulk up meals, feel satisfied, and enjoy more flavour without blowing your calories.
• Protein myths busted — how much women actually need for fat loss, hormones and muscle support, what “too much” looks like, and why overdoing protein can leave you bloated, gassy, and tired.
• Healthy, affordable protein swaps — the best whole-food and budget-friendly sources of protein (and why most “protein everything” snacks aren’t helping your gut or your wallet).
• Smarter drink choices for summer — the surprising truth about tonic water sugar, and the best low-sugar options for your next G&T or alcohol-free spritz.
• Reflux fixes that actually work — how to eat at night without triggering reflux, which foods make it worse, and the simple evening habits that can finally help you sleep better.

If you want to eat well, feel full, and still hit your health goals — without tracking every calorie or giving up your favourite foods — this episode is your blueprint.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kick off summer without blowing your goals. In this episode, Leanne and Susie show you how to enjoy Aussie barbecues while keeping calories, carbs and salt in check — plus the truth about “everyday electrolytes” and a frank review of a trending high-protein pasta. We finish with easy, kid-approved breakfast ideas for fussy eaters.

What you’ll learn:

• BBQ pitfalls that quietly add 500–800+ calories
• The leaner barbecue blueprint: better sausages, smarter patties, chicken/seafood wins, and veggie sides that actually fill you up
• Portion strategy that stops the “sausage + chop + kebab” overload
• Social season survival: pre-event snacks that prevent grazing blowouts
• Smarter Hydration 101: when water is enough, when a hydration mix helps, and why most “electrolytes” are too salty for everyday use
• New from Designed by Dietitians: Hydrate (a gentle, low-sugar hydration range) — what’s in it, who it’s for, and how to dose after hard sessions, sauna, or gastro
• Product Review: the high-protein ravioli everyone’s buying — protein math vs. carbs, sodium and fibre additives; who it suits (and who should skip)
• Listener Q: fast breakfast wins for fussy kids (yoghurt pot bars, smoothie pops, egg soldiers, upgraded pancakes, freezer-friendly muffins)

Helpful links:
• Designed by Dietitians Hydrate (Lemon Lime; Blood Orange & Mango).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell tackle two big food questions women are asking right now — and the science behind them.

1. Do You Really Need to Ditch the Dinner-Time Carbs?
   • Why so many of us eat rice, pasta and bread on autopilot — and how to know if your body really needs it.
   • Smart swaps to lighten your dinners without cooking two separate meals.
   • How to balance portions when your partner or kids eat more than you.
   • Real-life hacks for burgers, curries and creamy sauces that still taste amazing.
2. The Fibre That Could Protect Your Liver
   • New research from Nature Metabolism linking inulin — a type of prebiotic fibre — to better liver health and reduced inflammation.
   • What fatty liver actually is (and why it’s not just about alcohol).
   • Easy ways to add more inulin-rich foods like leeks, asparagus and artichokes into your week.
   • Kitchen hacks to save time: how to freeze flavour cubes of onion, garlic and leek for gut- and liver-friendly cooking.
3. The Portion-Control Dessert We’re Loving
   • The Mars Bar frozen dessert bar (yes, really). Why one perfectly portioned treat can work better than “healthy” dessert substitutes.
4. Listener Question: Should You Eat the Dressing in Salad Kits?
   • The verdict on supermarket salad kits — and why those tiny dressing sachets aren’t the problem.
   • How to make them a satisfying lunch or dinner shortcut without the food guilt.

Leanne and Susie wrap up with a reminder that balance matters most: simple swaps, not food fear, make nutrition work long-term.

Designed by Dietitians

Created by Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell, our Designed by Dietitians range gives busy women science-backed supplements that actually work — no fluff, no filler.

• Protein for strength and recovery
• Creatine for women
• Triple magnesium for muscle and sleep support
• Collagen for skin and joints
• Hydration range for energy and focus

Explore the range at designedbydietitians.com and tag The Nutrition Couch on Instagram while listening to go in the draw to win a Hydration Pack.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you avoiding foods just because you can’t pronounce an ingredient? You’re not alone — but this week, we unpack why obsessing over “seed oils” and additives can sometimes do more harm than good.

In this episode, Leanne and Susie explain how to actually read a food label, which additives are worth caring about (and which aren’t), and the 10-year window when your health habits matter most.

Inside this episode:

• Smart label reading: Why a long ingredient list doesn’t always mean “unhealthy,” how to judge the whole food, and what to focus on instead of fear-scrolling for “nasties.”

• The nuance on additives: The few ingredients dietitians really avoid — flavour enhancers 621/635, nitrates in processed meats (250 range), and certain emulsifiers like CMC, carrageenan, and polysorbate-80 — plus why dose and frequency matter more than perfection.

• Your 36–46 health wake-up call: New research shows this decade is when silent metabolic and hormonal shifts begin. Leanne and Susie share the simple screenings and habits that can genuinely protect your future health.

• Product spotlight: The protein pudding everyone’s talking about — how it stacks up nutritionally (hint: the calcium is impressive) and when it fits into a balanced diet.

• Listener question: “Do I really need protein powder?” The honest truth from two dietitians who own a supplement brand — and still say food first.

Take-home tip:

Stop aiming for perfection. Focus on patterns — not single ingredients. A balanced diet with mostly whole foods, enough protein, and regular movement will always matter more than avoiding a tiny emulsifier.

Connect with us:

Follow us on Instagram @the_nutrition_couch_podcast for more product reviews and label breakdowns, or submit your listener question for a future episode.

We also mention our own supplement range, Designed by Dietitians, and acknowledge our role as founders when discussed.

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Are supermarket BBQ chickens a smart shortcut or something to avoid? Today, we separate facts from fear — plastic bags, heat lamps, skin vs breast, sodium, additives — and how to enjoy a “chook night” without the blow-outs.

We also rant (productively!) about convenient nutrition “rules”, seed-oil panic, and the “natural = healthy” trap. Plus, a Woolies pantry hack we genuinely rate: Lebanese-style grains with chickpeas that make a high-fibre lunch in minutes. We finish with your listener question: how to find whole-grain, protein-forward options on weekends when everything seems to be white bread.

In this episode

• BBQ chicken decoded: plastic packaging under heat, microplastics concerns, skin vs breast, sodium, stuffing, and MSG sensitivities — what actually matters for health and what doesn’t.

• Rant time (useful, we promise): convenient “rules” that only apply when it suits, seed-oil scaremongering, and why “natural” lollies with “fake fibre” aren’t a free pass.

• Product spotlight: Woolworths Lebanese-style grains & chickpeas — why the ingredient list stacks up, clever add-ins, and how to split the pouch into two balanced lunches.

• Listener Q: weekend grab-and-go wins when whole-grain options seem non-existent (Subway builds, Vietnamese rice-paper rolls, Mexican bowls, and pre-packing strategies that beat mindless snacking).

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If you’ve ever felt “all in” Monday and “off the rails” by Friday, this one’s for you. Leanne and Susie unpack why behaviour change feels hard — and a practical self-coaching framework that actually survives busy seasons, social weekends, and end-of-year chaos.

What’s inside:

• Self-coaching that works: accept that hard is normal, aim for small wins over perfection, and laser in on controllables (planning, portions, swaps, timing).

• New research spotlight: how improving diet quality can reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain — benefits that aren’t explained by weight loss alone, from a UniSA study of 104 adults on a 3-month program. We cover the promise and the caveats. 

• Product review: Nice & Natural Protein Whole Seed Bars (seed-led, ~20% protein via soy crisps; sunflower and pumpkin seeds up front). Where they fit, when to use them, and our stance on additives vs real-world convenience. 

• Listener Q — “Fakeaway” weekend ideas: build-your-own burgers, taco/fajita boards, dumplings, deconstructed sushi bowls, thin-base pizzas, and portion-controlled desserts so you keep the fun, not the calorie hangover. Why the fakeaway trend is booming with cost-of-living pressures. 

• Quick tip from the lab: lighter-calorie days and occasional fasts can nudge inflammatory markers in the right direction — what the evidence does and doesn’t say. 

If this episode helped, follow the show, tap 5⭐, and send to a friend who’s “starting again on Monday.” Questions or product requests? DM us on Instagram @the_nutrition_couch_podcast.

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