Health & Nutrition

Plain-English articles on diet, processing, and health, written for UK shoppers and grounded in current evidence. Each piece sets out what the research actually says, where the certainty is high, and where it is still developing.

The articles in this section sit alongside the food encyclopedia (per-food nutrition data) and the Food Insight scanner (barcode-level processing and additive flags). They are the longer-form pieces. The arguments, the mechanisms, the practical guidance, the studies behind the headlines.

New articles get added as we research them. If a topic is missing that you would like covered, that is useful feedback.

Whole Foods: What They Are and Why They Are Good for YouWhat whole foods are, why every healthy diet is built around them, and the evidence linking them to longer life.
Ultra-Processed Foods: What They Are and Why They MatterWhat ultra-processed foods are, how they make up over half of UK calories, and what the research links them to.
Sugar and Free Sugars: What They Are and How Much Is Too MuchUK adults eat roughly twice the recommended limit of free sugars every day. What free sugars are, where they hide, and how to cut back.
Dietary Fibre: What It Is, Why You Need It, and How to Get MoreOnly 4% of UK adults meet the 30g daily fibre target. What fibre does, what the evidence says, and practical ways to close the gap.
How to Read Food Labels in the UK: A Complete Plain-English GuideTraffic lights, reference intakes, ingredient lists, NOVA groups, allergens and health claims. Everything on a UK food label decoded in plain English.
Gut Health and the Microbiome: What the Science Actually SaysTrillions of microbes in your gut influence digestion, immunity, weight, mood, and chronic disease risk. What the evidence says, and what to actually do about it.
Salt and Sodium: How Much Is Too Much and Where It HidesUK adults eat around 8.4g of salt a day, 40% above the 6g limit, and 75% of it is hidden in processed food. What it does and how to cut back.
Protein: How Much You Actually Need and the Best Food SourcesMost UK adults already meet the protein RNI, but needs differ by age, activity, and life stage. What the evidence says and where to get it.
Food and Mental Health: What the Evidence Actually SaysA growing body of research links diet quality to depression and anxiety risk. What nutritional psychiatry has found, the SMILES trial, the gut-brain axis, and what it means in practice.
Omega-3 and Omega-6: What They Are and How to Get the Balance RightMost UK adults eat far too little omega-3 and far too much omega-6. What these fats do, the best UK food sources, and what the evidence really says about seed oils.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet: What It Is and What the Evidence SaysChronic low-grade inflammation underlies most major chronic diseases. What it is, the foods that reduce it, and what the evidence really shows about anti-inflammatory eating.
The Eatwell Guide Explained: What It Is, What It Means, and How to Use ItThe UK government's official healthy eating model. The five food groups, the right proportions, the 8 tips for eating well, and where the guide's limits are.
Plant-Based Eating: Health Benefits, Nutrient Gaps, and What You Need to KnowA well-planned plant-based diet is associated with better heart health and lower diabetes risk. But some nutrients need careful attention. The complete UK guide.
Children's Nutrition UK: What Kids Need at Every AgeTwo thirds of UK teenagers get their calories from ultra-processed food. Practical, evidence-based guidance on what children need at each age, the nutrients to prioritise, and the NHS recommendations.
Organic Food: Is It Worth It? What the Evidence Actually SaysA clear-eyed look at what organic food actually delivers (and does not) on health, pesticides, animal welfare, and the environment. With UK-specific guidance and a practical priority list.