Nutrition
Food, alcohol and the honest, updated evidence. 14 evidence-based guides, each written in plain English with UK context and real citations.
Agave syrup: is it actually a healthy sugar?
Agave syrup is up to 90% fructose, more than table sugar or even HFCS. Why its low glycaemic index misleads, and what high fructose does to your liver.
Read guide → NutritionAlcohol and your health: the honest, updated evidence
Honest, updated evidence on alcohol and health: why the heart-benefit claim collapsed, the real dose-response risks, and practical UK ways to cut down safely.
Read guide → NutritionApple cider vinegar: what it actually does (and what it doesn't)
Apple cider vinegar modestly blunts post-meal blood sugar, but weight-loss evidence is weak and detox claims are unfounded. A calm UK look at what works.
Read guide → NutritionArtificial food colourings: do they affect children?
Artificial food colourings can nudge activity and attention in some children. The Southampton study, the EU warning label, the cancer question and what to do.
Read guide → NutritionAspartame: is it safe? A calm look at the 2023 evidence
In 2023 the WHO called aspartame a possible carcinogen, then said keep drinking. We unpack hazard versus risk, the daily limit in cans, and who must avoid it.
Read guide → NutritionCoconut oil: superfood, or just saturated fat?
Coconut oil is 80 to 90 percent saturated fat. What the trials show on LDL and HDL, the MCT and lauric acid myths, the AHA 2017 advice, and when it is fine.
Read guide → NutritionErythritol and the heart: what the 2023 studies really showed
Erythritol, the near-zero-calorie sweetener: what the 2023 Cleveland Clinic heart study found, why reverse causation matters, and the EFSA and UK view.
Read guide → NutritionExtra-virgin olive oil: what the evidence actually supports
What extra-virgin olive oil really does for your heart: the PREDIMED trial, the cohorts, polyphenols, and why you can cook with it. A calm UK evidence guide.
Read guide → NutritionHigh-fructose corn syrup: is it worse than sugar?
High-fructose corn syrup has a fearsome reputation, but at equal doses it is barely different from table sugar. What HFCS is, the real risks, and a UK view.
Read guide → NutritionMonosodium glutamate (MSG): the myth versus the evidence
MSG is the sodium salt of glutamate, the same amino acid in tomatoes, parmesan and breast milk. Why the Chinese restaurant syndrome myth never held up.
Read guide → NutritionSeed oils: are they really inflammatory and harmful?
Seed oils are blamed for inflammation and heart disease. We weigh the viral claims against the randomised trial and meta-analysis evidence, with UK context.
Read guide → NutritionStevia and monk fruit: the natural zero-calorie sweeteners, honestly assessed
What the evidence really says about stevia and monk fruit: EFSA approval and ADI, effects on blood sugar and insulin, the gut, and the 2023 WHO guidance.
Read guide → NutritionSucralose (Splenda): what the evidence actually says
Sucralose (Splenda) is chlorinated sugar, mostly unabsorbed. The evidence on gut bacteria, blood sugar, the 2023 genotoxicity finding and EFSA safety, weighed.
Read guide → NutritionUltra-processed foods: what they are and what the evidence really shows
Ultra-processed foods explained: the NOVA definition, Kevin Hall's NIH calorie trial, the observational links to disease, and an honest UK bottom line.
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