Thinking Nutrition is all about presenting the latest nutrition research in plain language and then translating this into what it means for your health. Dr Tim Crowe is a career nutrition research scientist and an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian. Tim has over 30 years of research and teaching experience in the university and public health sectors, covering areas of basic laboratory research, clinical nutrition trials and public health nutrition. He now works chiefly as a freelance…
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Tea, L‑theanine and a calmer mind
After water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. We turn to it for comfort, for a break in the day, and increasingly, for its claimed mood‑calming powers. Scroll through social media and you’ll find no shortage of claims that tea, or more so one of its bioactive compounds called L‑theanine, are a natural answer to stress and anxiety. In this podcast episode, I take a closer look at those…
One of the best guides to food variety is colour. And for colour, there’s a group of natural plant chemicals called anthocyanins that are getting a lot of attention for their potential benefits on the brain. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich colouring – they literally put the ‘blue’ into blueberries. A few years back on this podcast, I took you through…
Pickle juice for muscle cramps: effective remedy or sports myth?
If you’ve ever been stopped dead in your tracks during exercise by a muscle cramp, you know you’ll try almost anything to make it stop. There have been countless theories and remedies put forward to explain and treat a dreaded muscle cramp, but science still has a bit of catching up to do. But there is one particular treatment that has been gaining traction by athletes as a secret weapon to treat…
Athletes are always on the lookout for a new sports supplement that could give them an edge. And there certainly are some sports supplements that deliver on their promises: creatine and caffeine are two clear examples. But a new supplement is starting to gain traction for its performance benefits: and that’s the humble mushroom. There's now emerging science suggesting that certain functional…
Beet that: why athletes are turning to beetroot juice
If hearing that athletes are downing shots of beetroot juice to improve their performance makes you exclaim: “What sorcery is this?”, you’re not alone. But this isn’t just another passing fad - there’s some solid science showing that the nitrates found in beetroot juice can boost sports performance. From improving blood flow to enhancing muscle efficiency, beetroot juice has gained traction among…
Spice science: exploring cinnamon’s role in blood sugar control
Cinnamon is a spice that has been used around the world for thousands of years. In addition to its use as a culinary ingredient, cinnamon contains bioactive compounds that have attracted attention for their potential health effects. One of these effects is how it can influence blood sugar levels which could have relevance for people with diabetes. In this podcast episode, I’ll look at what the…
Powering cellular energy and healthy ageing: behind the hype of NAD, NMN and NR supplements
Have you heard any of the buzz about NAD supplements? NAD is a molecule found in nearly every cell and sits at the heart of energy production and DNA repair. Our levels of NAD though can decline with age which has led to the idea that this could be one cause of many age-related diseases, chronic inflammation and cognitive decline. Enter the idea of boosting NAD levels by supplementing with NAD…
Beyond exercise: creatine’s growing role in brain, bone and women’s health
Creatine is one of the most well-researched and effective sports nutrition supplements for improving exercise performance. But that isn’t what I’m going to talk about in this podcast episode. Instead, I want to give the spotlight to creatine’s new moment in the sun thanks to evolving research linking it to improving brain and bone health. And then tying all this together, I’ll profile why it may…
Plant-based protein: can it match animal protein for athletic performance?
Adopting a plant-based diet is a trend that continues to grow in popularity. However, for people focused on muscle growth and strength due to their athletic pursuits, there may be concerns about whether their muscle development and sports performance are being compromised by eating predominantly protein from plant foods. In this podcast episode, I’ll explore the fundamental differences between…
From gut to glucose: the potential of probiotics in diabetes care
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar levels due to insulin resistance or insufficient insulin production. It's a growing global health concern. While diet, exercise and medication form the cornerstone of diabetes management, researchers are continually exploring new avenues to improve blood sugar control. One such area gaining traction is the use of probiotics…