Nutrition Diva

874. Some wellness articles promise that certain foods can flush plastics and forever chemicals out of your body. In this episode, Monica tracked down the actual studies behind those claims, looking at what the research on fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants really shows about clearing PFAS. She also unpacks why PFAS and microplastics keep getting lumped together even though they behave nothing alike, and covers the practical steps...

On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in August 2024.

Examining whether vitamins and nutrients can really be absorbed through the skin using products like patches and creams. 

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special S...

873. Colonoscopy prep flushes everything out of your large intestine, including the trillions of bacteria that make up your gut microbiome. So once it's over, is that a chance to rebuild your intestinal flora better than before? A listener named Fred wondered the same thing, and when he asked his gastroenterologist, the idea got pooh-poohed. 

In this episode, Monica digs into what colonoscopy prep actually does to your gut bact...

On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in September 2023.

Traveling doesn't mean your healthy eating habits have to take a vacation too. Nutrition Diva shares practical, no-hype strategies for finding good options in convenience st...

787. How do we balance the need to protect our skin from UV rays with our body’s need for vitamin D?

Mentioned in this episode:

DMinder (iOS/Android) - http://dminder.ontometrics.com/

Vitamin D and UV Tracker (Android) - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uv.vitamindtracker

SunDay Vitamin D and UV Tracker (iOS) - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sunday-vitamin-d-uv-tracker/id1133953409

Nutrition ...

Summer Saturdays: Best of QDT

Encore Episode: This episode originally aired May 2024.

706. Bloggers recommend everything from bleach to baking soda. Food safety experts insist that tap water is all you need. What’s the best way to kill germs on fresh produce?

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

Research refer...

872. Social media is full of alarming food lists: staples a cancer survivor swore off, ingredients a nutritionist says to toss immediately. In this episode, Monica works through three listener questions that share a common thread -- microwave popcorn and PFAS, microplastics in chewing gum, and whether mold makes oatmeal a risk. She sorts the legitimate concerns from the inflated ones, and explains why cooking your oats for 10 minut...

871. Your doctor says your LDL is too high and you'd rather change your diet than take a pill. The Portfolio Diet promises results that rival statin drugs -- but wait until you hear what it actually takes to follow it. Nutrition Diva breaks down the science, the evidence, and the real-world catch. 

References:

• Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods vs Lovastatin on Serum Lipids and C-Reactive Protei...

870. Parasite cleanses are all over social media right now -- promising to explain your bloating, brain fog, and fatigue. But do they actually work? Monica digs into the science behind these trending protocols, what parasites really look like (spoiler: not what the influencers are showing you), and when you might actually need to worry. 

References:

• Effective Laboratory Diagnosis of Parasitic Infections of the Gastrointe...

869. Beans are gut health gold -- but the same compounds that feed your microbiome are also what cause the gas. So when you take an enzyme supplement like Beano to tame the bloat, are you undermining the benefit? Monica has a more reassuring answer than you might expect. 

References:

• A randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled crossover pilot study: Acute effects of the enzyme α‐galactosidase on gastrointestinal symptom...

School's out, the days are long, and summer should be the healthiest time of year for kids — more time outside, more fresh produce, more freedom to move. So why do so many children actually gain excess weight during summer vacation?

In this episode, Monica breaks down a counterintuitive but increasingly well-documented trend: for many kids, especially those who are already overweight, summer is actually the riskiest season...

868. Aluminum foil is a kitchen staple most of us reach for without a second thought — but should we be more careful about how we use it? This week, Monica breaks down what actually happens when aluminum foil comes into contact with your food, which cooking conditions increase leaching, and whether the aluminum-Alzheimer's connection holds up under scientific scrutiny. Plus, find out whether the shiny side vs. dull side of fo...

In light of Summer BBQ season, let’s take a look at the latest formulations and how they compare to each other and to real beef. Since their wildly successful introduction in 2019, plant-based burgers like Beyond and Impossible have continued to evolve.

Encore Episode: This episode originally aired on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Mentioned in this episode:

Nutritional Comparison of Plant-Based Burgers (Nutrition Over Easy b...

867. Information about food and nutrition has never been easier to come by. But as more and more people turn to TikTok, YouTube, or ChatGPT for health advice, it's important to consider whether you're looking for inspiration or authority. Monica breaks down how to tell the difference between a good lunch idea and a real health claim, when AI tools can genuinely help, and when you need a qualified professional instead. 

Expe...

866. The market is suddenly full of products claiming to prevent or even reverse gray hair — not by dyeing it, but by actually changing what's happening inside the hair follicle. Some of these serums, supplements, and "anti-gray systems" are backed by genuinely interesting science. Others are getting way ahead of the evidence. Today, Monica breaks down the biology of why hair goes gray, what ingredients show the most promise ...

865. The USDA unveiled the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the "Inverted Pyramid" has been sparking a lot of discussion. After a decade of MyPlate, why is the government returning to a pyramid visual—and why is it upside down?

In this episode, Monica breaks down the major shifts in the new US guidance, including:

• The protein pivot: Why protein is taking center stage and what it means for your healt...

864.Does putting spinach in your smoothie cancel out the calcium? Will your morning cup of tea prevent you from absorbing iron? In this episode, Monica looks into the science of mineral absorption and explores the truth behind "anti-nutrients" like oxalates, tannins, and fiber.

While certain compounds in food can bind to minerals—like the oxalates in spinach or tannins in tea—the body has built-in buffers to keep you...

In this episode, Monica breaks down the latest research on resveratrol and bone loss prevention. While the 2020 RESHAW study in Australia showed promising results for postmenopausal women, a more recent meta-analysis tells a different story. We separate the supplement hype from the evidence-based nutrition strategies that actually protect your skeleton as you age.

Key Takeaways:

• The RESHAW Breakdown: Why 150 mg of resveratrol...

862. Can you actually "reset" your taste buds by cutting out sugar? You’ve heard that a 30-day sugar detox will make your cravings disappear, but a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests our preference for sweetness is more permanent than we thought. This week, Monica debunks the "palate reset" myth and explores a more effective way to manage a sweet tooth.

Key Takeaways:

• The myth of the palate...