Nutrition Diva

Nutrition Diva

Every week, Monica Reinagel peels back the layers of nutrition news and research, answers listener questions, and helps you feel more confident about your food and nutrition choices.

Episodes

December 10, 2025 10 mins
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There’s definitely a lot of individual variation. But knowing the half-life of caffeine is useful…especially if you actually understand what the half-life of a substance actually means.

Related episodes:

#620: Is coffee good or bad for you?

#414 What is brewed cacao?

#361: How to find coffee that won’t bother your stomach

Find a transcript here

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November 19, 2025 10 mins

840. Eating healthy is usually understood to mean eating less. So, what happens when you actually need to eat more—and everything you’ve learned about ‘good choices’ suddenly works against you?

Related episodes:

702, Nutrient dense vs energy dense

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on s...

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839. Lots of us rely on powders and shakes to meet our protein goals. A new report suggests that this could be exposing us to “concerning” levels of lead.

Resources:

Protein intake calculator

FDA Resource on Lead in Food

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics inclu...

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838. Are manufacturers using a regulatory loophole to sneak untested chemicals into our food? In this episode, we break down what GRAS really means, why it exists, and how the process works. 

Resources:

GRAS database

Database of substances added to foods

Find a full transcript here

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've als...

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837. Regenerative farming focuses on improving the health of the soil. How does this translate into improved human health? It’s a bit more complex than you might think.

Resources:

Soil Health Academy 

Regenerative Farmers of America

Find regenerative farms near you

References:

Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999 - PubMed

Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence? -  HortSc...

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673. Can daily blueberry consumption actually improve your brain health? A 2022 study finds that daily blueberry consumption may help improve your cognitive abilities. But the researchers left one important question unanswered.

Find a transcript here. 

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlist...

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October 15, 2025 11 mins

836. Fast-food chains are frying their French fries in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil. Is this actually a healthier choice—or just clever marketing? 

Episodes mentioned in this episode: 

185: Does the Ratio of Omega 6 Really Matter?

763: What’s the problem with seed oils

Find a transcript here

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herse...

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October 1, 2025 11 mins

834. Is stress really to blame for stubborn belly fat—or is this just the latest internet hype? Let’s look at the science behind cortisol, belly fat, and what truly works.

References 

Effects of Withania somnifera on Cortisol Levels in Stressed Human Subjects: A Systematic Review - PubMed

A soy-based phosphatidylserine/ phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) normalizes the stress reactivity of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis in chronical...

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833. From broccoli to red wine, certain foods are promoted as natural estrogen blockers. Is there any science to support the claims?

References 

Aromatase Inhibitors Plus Weight Loss Improves the Hormonal Profile of Obese Hypogonadal Men Without Causing Major Side Effects - PMC

A traditional Mediterranean diet decreases endogenous estrogens in healthy postmenopausal women - PubMed

Find a full transcript here.

New to Nutrition Diva? Che...

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831. Food emulsifiers are everywhere—from ice cream to peanut butter to bread. How do they affect gut health, inflammation, and chronic disease risk? 

Find a full transcript here.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes...

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In this episode, we separate fact from fiction, explain who might truly be sensitive to nightshades, and why most of us shouldn’t avoid these nutritious foods.

Find a full transcript here.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age,...

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Answers to listener questions about coffee and cholesterol, “natural” nitrites from celery powder, hazards of home-frying, and whether ketone energy drinks are a smart choice for athletes.

Find a full transcript here.

Additional episodes mentioned in this episode:

029 ND Looking for Mr. Goodbar

096 Nutrition Month: Fuel for Young Athletes

139 ND Do B Vitamins Give You Energy?

343 ND Fat or Carbs: Which Is the Body's Preferred Fuel Source

...

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August 20, 2025 15 mins

The pasta aisle has become increasingly crowded with new, protein-enhanced options. Are they worth the premium price? 

Find a full transcript here.

Additional episodes mentioned in this episode:

Resistant starch: Your questions answered

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! 

We've also curated some great playlists on specific epis...

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August 13, 2025 13 mins

Once again, the internet is warning us that a healthy habit might actually be harming us. The latest scare is about tea. Are you actually brewing up a cup of microplastics, heavy metals, and chemical additives? 

Find a full transcript here.

Additional episodes mentioned in this episode:

What's the difference between hazard and risk?

Research mentioned in this episode: 

2013 analysis of commercial teas

Additional resources from this episo...

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August 6, 2025 15 mins

How to find out what’s in your water and find the best water filter for your situation.

Find a full transcript here. 

Other Nutrition Diva episodes mentioned in this episode: 

Dirty Dozen - Much Ado About Nothing?

Research mentioned in this episode: 

EPA’s CCR Finder 

NSF’s website

Tap Water Database

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself!&...

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A shockingly high percentage of fish oil supplements are actually rancid–which means they may be doing more harm than good.

Additional episodes mentioned in this episode:

Fish oil and omega 3 fats

Fish oil and prostate cancer risk

Is it time to stop taking fish oil?

Could fish oil actually increase your risk of cardiovascular events?

Are omega-3 eggs as good as eating fish?

Research mentioned in this episode: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.g...

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