Welcome to What About Porridge

The podcast where we get stuck into the world of health and nutrition, one fascinating topic at a time.

Hosted by Ed, the (slightly) above average “layman” who’s trying to make sense of it all, and Ben, our resident nutritional therapist.

Episode 5: The case against vegetable oils & our vegetarian 1-day meal plan

In this episode we dive into the murky world of vegetable oils, aka seed oils, or “industrial seed oils”, and we show why the oils most commonly used in cooking and industrial food production, such as canola, corn, cottonseed, soybean, and sunflower, might not be “heart healthy”, and might not be healthy at all.

We talk about the crucial role that dietary fat plays in our health, especially the health of our cells and cell membranes. We cover the biochemistry of fats, and frame the discussion by noting that the national dietary guidelines in the US and UK advise us to eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

The case against vegetable oils covers: concerns about cancers, oxidation and inflammation, toxic and volatile compounds, the impact of high omega-6 fats in the modern diet, and their poor nutritional profile.

We make the case that we should be limiting the consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially those found in processed foods, and we make the case that the safest oils to cook with are those that are fully saturated (and therefore cannot oxidise), i.e., goose fat, beef dripping and coconut oil (see product recommendation below).

Here’s the infographic showing different types of cooking fats mentioned in the episode. This shows the breakdown of various fats in terms of their SFA, MUFA, PUFA content, and guidance on how best to use them.

And here’s the paper mentioned, that examines the impact of our unprecedented fatty acid ratios on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases: The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Also in this episode, we compare our vegetarian one-day meal plans to see what challenges there are when you try to meet all of your nutrient needs on a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Here’s Ben’s and here’s Ed's.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash.

Episode 4: Listener Mail, covering nettles, perimenopause, dark chocolate, RCTs and the 12 areas to focus on for maximum healthspan and lifespan

In this episode we open up the mailbag and tackle the backlog of questions from our listeners.

We do our best to explain what it means to be “chronically healthy” and resilient, or anti-fragile. We discuss randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and how to use the strongest evidence to navigate the field of nutrition.

We also explain why nettles are NOT a “highly bioavailable source of iron”, but that dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content IS sufficient to reap the health benefits, and here both Chococo and Cocoa Runners get praised for their high quality chocolate.

Then we cover how to eat healthily if you’re time poor or budget restrained, the benefits of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and NAD+ supplements, and we give some advice for women approaching perimenopause - mentioning Dr Sara Gottfried and Lara Briden [article: The Power of Magnesium in Perimenopause] who are experts in this area.

And finally we lay out the 12 areas to focus on if you want to be healthy and live a long time, which are:

  1. Diet

  2. Sleep

  3. Exercise (resistance training and cardiovascular fitness)

  4. Movement (the need to limit sedentary behaviour)

  5. Stress management

  6. Toxic exposure (the need to avoid toxins or food components that are actively harmful)

  7. Sunlight exposure (the right dose to get the benefits but not the harms)

  8. Social support

  9. Factors that influence the gut microbiome

  10. Play

  11. Time spent in nature

  12. And your system of thoughts and beliefs

The book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, also gets mentioned and is highly recommended for those pursuing greater healthspan and lifespan.

Photo by Elena Leya on Unsplash.

Episode 3: What should we eat?

In this episode we attempt to answer the question "what should we eat?” and lay out of set of principles for an optimum diet (see abridged list below).

We also walk listeners through a 1-day optimum meal plan that meets all nutrient targets, apart from vitamin D.

We also dive into the real life case of Jemima, a 37 year old with gut problems and low energy, and discuss how we identified and resolved the root causes of her problems.

Principles for an optimum diet

  1. Base your diet around the most nutrient-dense foods.

  2. Eat, whole, minimally processed foods.

  3. Eat wild-caught fish, and meat from grass-fed animals.

  4. Eat “nose-to-tail” and include organ meat, because it's by far the most nutrient-dense class of food.

  5. Prioritise freshness and eat organic vegetables to increase antioxidant intake and minimise toxins like pesticide residues.

  6. Eat and cook with healthy fats.

  7. Eat foods that are in season.

  8. Get regular doses of sunshine to get vitamin D (but supplement with it wisely).

  9. Include full-fat dairy products (if you tolerate them).

  10. Avoid grains, or at least don’t make grains a staple food.

  11. Support gut health by eating fermented foods (if you tolerate them).

  12. Hydrate as needed with clean water.

  13. And don’t take it for granted that the best way to eat is to have 3 meals a day + snacks.

  14. Experiment to find what works for you, listening to your body for clues.

Photo by Lily Banse on Unsplash.

Episode 2: Should You Eat Porridge?

In this episode we discuss porridge and whether you should eat it as a regular part of a healthy diet.

We analyse the nutrient content of porridge, discuss the metabolic effects of a diet high in carbohydrates, and we dive into the case of 35 year old Robert whose symptoms include low energy and weight gain.

Photo by Melissa Belanger on Unsplash.

Episode 1: Why We Eat

In this episode we discuss why we eat and what happens if we get it wrong!

We cover everything from macro and micro nutrients, to common signs and symptoms of nutrient deficiencies, and we dive into the case of 46 year old Diana whose symptoms include chronic acne rosacea, brain fog, and low energy.

Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash.

Products mentioned on the podcast

Photo by Francesca Grima on Unsplash.