Lecturer in Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hertfordshire
I am a strong advocate of the Mediterranean diet and how to make it more relevant to the UK population. My current research is examining how dietary phytochemicals influence glucose absorption and hence the glycaemic load of a meal. I also write articles and books, lobby politicians and decision makers to promote a Med diet as the gold standard of healthy eating, and run short courses giving practical advice to dietitians, nutritionists and the general public on how to switch to a Med diet.
I lead the Nutrition and Health Research Group advocating the Mediterranean diet to be the "gold standard" of healthy diets, adopting a multi-disciplinary approach including analysing phytochemicals found in food plants that are consumed as part of the Mediterranean diet and determining factors that affect their bioavailability.
I also write articles and books and runs short courses giving practical advice to dietitians, nutritionists and the general public on how the Mediterranean diet can be adapted for the UK consumer.
Vegan cheese: what you should know
Jun 23, 2022 16:17 pm UTC| Health
For many people who go vegan, one of the hardest things to give up is cheese. Fortunately, thanks to the increasing popularity of veganism, food manufacturers have begun producing a greater variety of vegan cheeses with...
Why nitrates and nitrites in processed meats are harmful – but those in vegetables aren’t
Nov 13, 2021 07:49 am UTC| Health
Many of us know that we should steer away from processed meats and eat more vegetables if we want to be healthier and lower our chances of developing certain types of cancers. While there are many reasons processed meats...
Red meat study caused a stir – here's what wasn't discussed
Oct 09, 2019 13:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health
Accurate, consistent dietary advice seems increasingly hard to find. For instance, a widely reported study recently claimed that people dont need to reduce their consumption of red and processed meat for health reasons....
Is alcohol bad for you? It depends on the drink and how you drink it
Nov 26, 2018 16:21 pm UTC| Health
Recent headlines claim that a glass of wine or a pint of beer a day shortens your life. Its enough to dampen any thoughts of a celebratory drink or two at Christmas. But those conclusions are based on a partial view of the...
Are you getting enough vitamin B1 to help fend off Alzheimer's?
Jan 27, 2017 11:23 am UTC| Health
A feeling of apathy or being a little forgetful from time to time is nothing unusual. But for some, this could be an early sign of not getting enough thiamine (also known as vitamin B1). Long term, this can have serious...
Drilling down on treatment-resistant fungi with molecular machines