Food Matters Live Podcast

Crohn's disease and colitis are the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and they affect over 500,000 people in the UK.Characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, IBD can cause a whole range of health complications and can have a profound impact on a person's life.Although there is no cure, there are ways of managing the symptoms, including through diet.Regulating what you eat and drink can help ease the impact IBD may have on someone's quality of life.So, how does nutrition affect the development and management of IBD? What food might trigger flares? And how can diet control help with those in remission?Guests:Dr Miranda Lomer, Senior Consultant Dietitian in Gastroenterology, Guy’s & St Thomas’ HospitalMairi Wilcock RD BSc (Hons), Dietitian, Stanner Nutrition Clinic

Parkinson's disease is a disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. It is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the brain, but what causes that loss is unclear. Parkinson’s is fundamentally a condition that affects the brain but there is growing evidence that the gut may have a role to play. The idea has ignited a wave of scientific exploration, delving deeper into the gut-brain axis and its potential implications for people with the disease. The question is: if your gut plays a role in the development of Parkinson’s, could what you eat and drink play a role too? Guest: Professor K Ray Chaudhuri, Consultant Neurologist

In March 2023, Italy's minister of agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, announced that the country will be the first to ban lab-grown foods, including the production and commercialisation of cultivated meat. The draft bill has been put forward in the name of farmers, to protect them from the perceived threats that what they call “synthetic” foods pose to traditional cuisine. Those behind the bill also say it will protect human health and the national agri-food industry. The head of the Italian dairy industry group Assolatte praised the government’s efforts in blocking so-called "unnatural" products that he claims are promoted "under the pretext of protecting the environment". But some feel the proposal completely misses the mark, such as Alice Ravenscroft the European Policy Head for the Good Food Institute. She notes that 54% of Italians want to give cultivated meat a try. She also claims that “the passing of such a law would shut down the economic potential of this nascent field in Italy, holding back scientific progress and climate mitigation efforts”. So, are lab grown meats a real threat to traditional Italian cuisine? How could Italy’s banning of them affect the food industry? And is the ban ever likely to actually come to fruition? Guests: Sharon Cittone, Founder and CEO, Edible Planet Adventures Robert Jones, Chair, Cellular Agriculture Europe & VP Public Affairs, Mosa Meat

Food inflation is a huge concern across the world.Over the course of 2022, food prices were on average 14.3% higher than the year before.In the UK, things are looking a little worse than average.The Office for National Statistics found that in the 12 months leading up to March 2023, food prices rose 19.2%.The thing is, the World Bank is reporting that, globally, wholesale prices are starting to fall.In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we explore the implications of high food prices on consumers, businesses, and the broader food industry.We discuss when we might see a drop in the cost of food, and ask: "Why are food prices still so high?"Guests:Liliana Danila, Lead Economist, the Food and Drink FederationRachelle Earwaker, Senior Economist, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Nutritional studies are vital to the world of sports.The right nutrients can optimise an athlete’s performance, reduce their risk of injury and help them get the most out of training.But traditionally, research on nutrition for female athletes has been lacking.Despite their incredible achievements and contributions to sports, a review from the University of Chester suggests just 6% of sports science research has focused specifically on female athletes.That figure is even more shocking when you consider just how popular women’s sport is.49% of athletes at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo were female, while 50 million people around the world tuned in to watch the England women’s football team win the Euros in 2022.All of this makes it even more important to grow the body of research so that the increasing number of women in sport are not under-served by it.So, what exactly is the role of nutrition in women’s sports? How does it differ to men’s sport. And how can we encourage more studies in this area?Guests:Mhairi Keil, Senior Performance Nutritionist, The UK Sports InstituteRenee McGregor, Sports Dietitian, Author and Co-founder of TRAINBRAVE

The measuring and reporting of carbon emissions by companies in the food industry is not uncommon. It helps businesses understand where their environmental impacts lie, where they need to reduce emissions most, and helps track their progress towards sustainability. The problem is, they do not all measure their carbon footprint in the same way.   That leads to inconsistencies and can make it difficult to compare one company’s emissions with another. But, we have news of progress - among some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets at least. WWF and the charity WRAP have joined forces to create the Retailer Net Zero Collaboration Action Programme, which aims to remove the barriers posed by a lack of standardised reporting methods. And eight supermarkets have signed up. Listen to the full episode to find out more. Guest: Kate Norgrove, Executive Director Advocacy and Campaigns, WWF-UK

“I’m putting on weight because my metabolism is slowing down.”It is something many of us hear, or maybe even say ourselves, fairly regularly.Or the contrary: “So-and-so can eat what they like because they have a fast metabolism.”The truth is, for many, we might have a vague idea of what our metabolism is, but do we really understand it?Beyond these casual remarks, do we truly grasp the intricacies of what our metabolism is and does? Do we genuinely comprehend the profound impact our lifestyles can have on this vital bodily process?In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of metabolism, delving deep into its inner workings. We explore the mechanisms that define metabolism, shed light on how the foods we consume can influence its functioning, and uncover the key steps we can all take to promote and maintain a well-functioning metabolism.Guests:Professor Alexandra Johnstone, Nutrition Scientist, The Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of AberdeenDylan Thompson, Professor of Human Physiology, the Department for Health, the University of Bath

The link between nutrition and our skin is complex.Various claims have been made and new products are constantly being developed.Yet a review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that the data on the link is not well supported and that this often leaves medical professionals and patients confused and uncertain.Recognising that diet and skin could be better understood, Dr Thivi Maruthappu pioneered the field of Nutritional Dermatology.As the UK’s first dual-qualified dermatologist and nutritionist, she views the skin as being connected to our internal health, in which diet plays a huge role.So exactly how are skin and nutrition related? How does nutritional dermatology differ from conventional medicine? And how could this help improve the treatment of skin conditions?Guest:Dr Thivi Maruthappu, Consultant Dermatologist, Nutritionist and Researcher

Six new Diet and Health Innovation Hubs are starting work in the UK to overcome the challenges of producing and getting us all to consume healthier, more nutritious food.They form part of a group called the Diet and Health Open Innovation Club.£15m worth of funding has been made available by three public bodies and a Government department.It is a big project, with big challenges to overcome.Various reports suggest poor nutrition costs our health services around £20bn per year.A key part of the project is encouraging collaboration between researchers and industry.So, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we find out more about the types of research being undertaken, what it could mean for the food industry, and how the research might translate into improvements in nutrition.Guests:Philip Calder, Professor of Nutritional Immunology, Medicine at the University of SouthamptonGemma Walton, Associate Professor, University of ReadingProfessor Martin Warren – Chief Scientific Officer and Group Leader at the Quadram Institute

Pushing for better diversity and inclusion is important in every industry. A 2018 report from the charity Stonewall found that, due to their sexuality, 18% of the UK’s LGBTQ+ workers had been negatively targeted by colleagues. And the agricultural industry is no different. In fact, it can come with a whole lot of its own specific challenges. Farming can be a lonely, high-pressure business. The UK Office for National Statistics says suicide rates in farmers are among the highest in any occupational group. Every year, 50 gay farmers take their own lives, with the fear of coming out as one of the main reasons. This simply cannot continue. And there are great potential benefits to making our agricultural sector more diverse. So, through the lens of LGBTQ+ farmers, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we explore diversity in agriculture. Relevant resources: The Samaritans The Gay Farmer Helpline Agrespect - the rural LGBTQ+ network Guest: Amie Burke, Inclusivity Programme Manager, IGD