NutritionFacts.org Video Podcast
Episodes
Friday Favorites: Are Menopausal Hot Flashes Inevitable? How Can Soy Foods Help?
01 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do 85% of menopausal women suffer hot flashes in some countries but only 15% in others? Soy can be considered a first-line treatment for menopausa...
How Ultra-Processed Foods Could Cause Disease: Loss of Phytonutrients
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The 150 key nutritional components that are tracked in nutritional databases are only a tiny fraction of the more than 26,000 compounds present in our...
How Ultra-Processed Foods Could Cause Disease: Packaging Chemicals
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What are the human health effects of the mineral oils, phthalates, and bisphenols leaching from packaging materials into processed foods?
Friday Favorites: Improving VO2 Max: A Look at Vegetarian and Vegan Athletes
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Plant-based diets improve the performance of athletes and nonathletes alike
How Ultra-Processed Foods Could Cause Disease: Industrial Contaminants
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There are contaminants of processed foods that don’t show up on the ingredients label.
Friday Favorites: How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Sleeping Pills
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Taking even less than 18 Ambien-class sleeping pills in an entire year may triple the risk of dying prematurely.
Cold Water Immersion for Gout Flares
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cold water immersion is put to the test for burns, priapism, gout, and muscle aches.
Is Shrimp Good for You? Antibiotic Resistance
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The FDA finds 1 in 10 imports of shrimp have unsafe levels of drug residues yet only tests about 1 in 1,000 shipments.
Friday Favorites: The Best Diet for COVID and Long-COVID
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Healthy plant-based diets appear to help reduce the risks of severe COVID-19 and getting infected in the first place, even independent of comorbiditie...
Is Shrimp Good for You? Pollutants and Food Safety
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Eating just a single shrimp could exceed the safety limit for banned pesticides and chemicals.
Use Fiber to Burn Calories in Your Sleep with an Intestinal Workout
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our gut can be sedentary too—unless we feed it fiber.
Friday Favorites: The Effect of Sleep on Weight Loss
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Those randomized to 8.5 hours of sleep a night lost significantly more body fat than those who got 5.5 hours. Getting even one more hour of sleep a ni...
Flushing Calories with Fiber for Weight Loss
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Could eating more fiber mean absorbing fewer calories from everything else we eat?
Mercury Exposure from Tuna vs. Thimerosal in Vaccines
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A single can of tuna causes as much mercury exposure as how many mercury-containing vaccines?
Friday Favorites: Why Vegans Should Eat More Plant-Based
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
One cannot assume that simply avoiding animal foods will necessarily produce a healthy diet.
Can Cold Showers Improve Immune Function?
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Does cold stress impair or boost our immunity?
What Is Titanium Dioxide, and Is It Safe?
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Banned in Europe for concerns regarding DNA damage, titanium dioxide remains legal in U.S. foods.
Friday Favorites: Fecal Transplants for Aging and Weight Loss
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Does poop from centenarians have anti-aging properties?
Iron-Deficiency Anemia: The Best Treatment and Are Vegetarians at Higher Risk?
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What is the optimal dosing regiment for iron supplements?
How to Get the Ideal Ferritin Level and Avoid Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donating blood can bring down iron levels down to the sweet spot between 15 to 50.
Friday Favorites: The Benefits of Fenugreek for Preventing and Treating Diabetes
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The spice fenugreek contains 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a peculiar amino acid that may explain its benefits for controlling blood sugar.
Are the Lower Iron Stores in Vegetarians a Risk or a Benefit?
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Having high iron stores can increase cancer risk such that those randomized to donate blood experience a dramatic reduction in cancer death rates.
The Best Milk Alternative: Oat vs. Soy Milk
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can oat milk’s nutritional profile compete with soy milk’s?
Friday Favorites: Do Garlic, Beer, Bananas, and B Vitamins Really Repel Mosquitoes?
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Garlic, beer, bananas, and B vitamins are put to the test as repellents for mosquitoes and ticks.
The Best Source and Dose of Plant Sterols for Lowering Cholesterol
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lower LDL cholesterol with 2 to 3 grams a day of phytosterols taken with meals from healthy, fortified foods or safe supplements.
Are Plant Sterols Safe for Lowering Cholesterol?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Safety concerns regarding phytosterolemia, red blood cell fragility, oxysterols, and the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients are addressed.
Friday Favorites: Dietary Approach to Naturally Treating Menopause Symptoms
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Specific foods have been shown in randomized controlled trials to improve symptoms like hot flashes.
Are Plant Sterols Effective for Lowering Cholesterol?
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Even if we eat little or no cholesterol, phytosterols can block the reabsorption of the excess cholesterol our liver dumps into our intestines.
How to Lower Cholesterol with the Portfolio Diet
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can a plant-based Portfolio Diet lower LDL cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs?
Friday Favorites: The Role of Endotoxins in Alzheimer’s and Dementia
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why can a single meal high in saturated fat impair cognition?
How Not to Die Documentary
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the publication of How Not to Die, a documentary about my life and work.
The Benefits of Turmeric Curcumin for Arthritis, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, and Body Weight
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dozens of human trials reveal where turmeric delivers—and where it doesn’t.
Friday Favorites: The Harms Associated with Eating More Southern-Style Food
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Diet appears to mediate the majority of the racial health gap.
The Role of Accountability in Weight Loss
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most effective weight-loss programs ever was free. Why was it so powerful?
The Best Diet for Optimal Thyroid Function (webinar recording)
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are there natural treatments for hypothyroidism?
Friday Favorites: What Is Creatine? Its Sarcopenia Benefits and Potential Side Effects?
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When accompanied by a progressive strength-training regimen, 3 grams of creatine a day may improve muscle performance in older adults. A misinterpreta...
Do the Health Impacts of Ultra-Processed Foods Apply to Plant-Based Meat Alternatives?
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If the only ultra-processed food that appears to be killing people is meat, then plant-based meats may be the solution to the ultra-processed foods pr...
Which Ultra-Processed Foods Are the Worst in Driving the Association with Death and Disease?
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Only two categories of ultra-processed foods have been associated with premature death.
Friday Favorites: The Benefits of Gum Chewing for Halitosis (Bad Breath)
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are any gum flavors better than others?
How Bad Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are there aspects of ultra-processed foods beyond their nutrient profile that contribute to their deleterious effects?
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How exactly is “ultra-processed” defined?
Friday Favorites: Do Alkaline Diets Help Athletic Performance?
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can reducing acid-forming foods and boosting alkaline-forming foods replicate the performance-enhancing effects of sodium bicarbonate without the adve...
Is Shrimp Bad for Cholesterol and Heart Disease?
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Might asymptomatic food sensitivities to gluten, milk, peanuts, eggs, or shrimp increase the risk of premature death for those who eat these foods?
One of the Most Effective Single Pieces of Advice for Weight Loss
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Complicated weight-loss programs can work, but what if we only had to focus on a single dietary change to get the same benefits?
Friday Favorites: The Best Time to Exercise for Weight Loss
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Burn off significantly more body fat exercising before meals, rather than after them.
How to Boost Fat Burning by 25%
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A single dietary change can increase our resting metabolic rate.
How to Suppress Your Appetite and Naturally Boost GLP-1
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can eating more fiber result in eating fewer calories?
Friday Favorites: Caffeine Shampoo and Rosemary Oil for Hair Growth
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I cover natural topical treatments for hair growth, including pumpkin seed oil, caffeine, green tea, pyrithione zinc, ginger, Chinese knotweed, and ro...
Plant-Based Diets Could Save Millions of Lives and Trillions of Dollars a Year
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How many lives would be saved if everyone ate vegetarian or vegan?
The Negative Effects of Cold Plunges for Building Muscle
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cold plunges following strength training are discouraged since they substantially attenuate long-term gains in muscle mass.
Friday Favorites: Repelling Mosquitoes – Is DEET the Best? What About Natural Alternatives?
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What are the pros and cons of DEET mosquito repellent? Also, picaridin, citronella, and lemon eucalyptus are put to the test.
Are Potassium Chloride Salt Substitutes Safe and Effective?
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Swapping even half your salt for potassium chloride may make you more than a decade younger when it comes to premature death
Are the Benefits of Cold Plunges and Cryotherapy Just a Placebo Effect?
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There have been five placebo-controlled studies on cold water immersion. What did they find?
Friday Favorites: Is Six Hours of Sleep Enough?
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just because we don’t have evidence that there is a growing epidemic of sleep deprivation doesn’t necessarily mean we are getting enough sleep.
Healthy, Easy Recipes: Black Bean Stew, Kale Salad, and Molasses Cookies
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recipes from my new How Not to Age cookbook
Best Temperature, Timing, and Duration for Cold Plunges for Athletic Performance Recovery
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the effects of cold water immersion on the recovery of physical performance compared to active recovery and doing nothing?
Friday Favorites: The Side Effects of Burning Incense
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Burning incense has been found to generate about four times the particulate matter as burning cigarettes.
Can You Reverse Type 2 Diabetes with a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet?
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Weight loss isn’t necessarily required for type 2 diabetes remission, but what is?
What Is the Best Statin Cholesterol-Lowering Drug?
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Which is the safest and most effective statin?
Friday Favorites: Soul Food That’s Good for the Soul
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The best of soul food’s origins are tied to the plant-centric West African diet.
The Side Effects of Statins: Are They Worth It?
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When statin-“intolerant” patients are challenged blindly, how many are really suffering muscle side effects?
How Effective Are Statins?
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How many people would die if we were told the truth about statins?
Friday Favorites: Can Velvet Beans or Fava Beans Help Treat Parkinson’s Disease?
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since Parkinson’s is caused by a dopamine deficiency in the brain, what if we ate foods rich in the dopamine precursor levodopa?
Why Isn’t Everyone on Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs?
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since there is benefit to getting our LDL cholesterol as low as possible, why aren’t statins prescribed for everyone even if we start out with optim...
Are the Pollutant Levels in Fish High Enough to Be Harmful?
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The tolerable daily toxin safety limits are based on single chemicals. What if “safe” levels of chemicals in seafood are combined and tested toget...
Friday Favorites: Is Soy Milk the Most Nutritious Non-Dairy Milk?
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Soy milk is compared to other plant-based milks, as well as dairy milk.
Are Large Weekly Doses of Vitamin B12 Safe?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Should we be concerned about getting too much B12?
How Much Vitamin B12 Do We Need Each Day?
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How are the recommended daily and weekly doses of vitamin B12 derived?
Friday Favorites: Low-Protein Diets for Parkinson’s Disease
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How might we maximize the therapeutic efficiency of levodopa?
The Best Source of Vitamin B12: Supplements, Shots, or Fortified Foods?
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it true we can actually absorb some B12 from our own microbiome?
The Best Way to Test for Vitamin B12 Deficiency
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A diagnosis of B12 deficiency should not be dismissed based solely on a single measurement of B12 levels in the blood.
Friday Favorites: Fat-Blocking Benefits of Hibiscus Tea
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What did a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of hibiscus tea for weight loss find?
How Long Does It Take to Become Vitamin B12-Deficient and What Are the Symptoms?
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For those eating plant-based diets, encouragement of vitamin B12 supplementation cannot be overemphasized.
Ultra-Processed Foods: Concerns, Controversies, and Exceptions
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the role of ultra-processed plant-based products in the diet?
Friday Favorites: Bone Density, Fracture Rates, and Vitamin D in Vegans
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the bone fracture rates of omnivores vs. vegetarians vs. vegans? Low calcium intake plus low vitamin D exposure may explain higher bone fract...
Like Beet Juice, Taurine Supplementation May Only Be Safe in the Context of a Plant-Based Diet
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The adverse effects of taurine on our microbiome and hydrogen sulfide production may be ameliorated by diets high in fiber and low in saturated fats.
Where to Find Taurine and the Best Source
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I compare the cost, convenience, and safety of various plant, animal, and supplement sources of taurine.
Friday Favorites: How to Naturally Reduce Wrinkles with Food
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Almonds are put to the test in a randomized controlled trial for facial wrinkles.
The Best Daily Dose of Taurine
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even researchers from the pro-taurine anti-aging study recommend against experimenting with taurine, but if you want to give it a try, what daily dose...
Caveats and Side Effects of Taurine Supplements
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the downsides of taurine supplementation?
Friday Favorites: Can Stress Cause Halitosis (Bad Breath)?
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can stress and menstrual cycles affect the smell of our breath?
Randomized Controlled Trials of Taurine Supplementation in Humans
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cautionary tales from carnitine and arginine complicate the taurine supplementation question.
Taurine Supplementation Increases Lifespan and Healthspan in Animals
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The level of taurine in our bodies declines with age, dropping by nearly 80 percent. Would consuming extra improve lifespan or healthspan?
Friday Favorites: How to Treat Body Odor with Diet
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deodorize from the inside out with food.
What Is Taurine in Energy Drinks? Does It Benefit Cognitive or Athletic Performance?
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have at least pathways to make taurine in our body from scratch, but does taking more offer a benefit?
Can Goitrogens in Soy and Cruciferous Vegetables Interfere with Thyroid Function?
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the controversy over soy food consumption in those with subclinical hypothyroidism?
Friday Favorites: Is Swimming Good for Weight Loss?
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Exercising in cool water or under cool conditions on land can lead to an increase in post-workout calorie intake.
The Safety and Efficacy of Ketogenic, Low-Carb Diets for Diabetes Remission
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A meta-analysis of low-carb diets for diabetes remission found little to no effect at 12 months, clinically important harms to quality of life, and th...
The Benefits of Black and Green Teas for Brain Waves
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Of all the plants in the world, why has the tea plant become the most popular beverage in the world?
Friday Favorites: Does the Sweetener Allulose Have Side Effects? Is It a Healthy Sweetener?
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How safe are fourth-generation sweeteners, such as the rare sugar allulose? Are they healthy alternatives to traditional sweeteners?
Don’t Eat Raw Alfalfa Sprouts
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Broccoli sprouts don’t have the food safety risks of alfalfa sprouts.
What Are Hot Dogs and Burgers Made Of?
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How much of hot dogs and burgers is actual muscle meat?
Friday Favorites: Natural Dietary Remedy for Insomnia
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lactucin, the hypnotic component of lettuce, is put to the test in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of lettuce seeds.
Yerba Mate and Cancer: Do Its Benefits Outweigh Its Risks?
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Carcinogens like benzopyrene in cigarette smoke, grilled chicken, and yerba mate tea may explain higher rates of certain cancers in consumers.
The Side Effects of the Hormones in Milk
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Within an hour of drinking dairy milk, blood levels of the estrogen estrone in men go up and testosterone goes down.
Friday Favorites: Fenugreek Benefits for Sexual Function, Painful Periods, and Milk Production
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The hormonal benefits of fenugreek extend beyond the muscle-bulking testosterone boost.
The Best Way to Cook Vegetables
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Which method of cooking vegetables preserves the most antioxidants?
Carbadox, the Carcinogenic Drug Fed to U.S. Pigs but Banned in Other Countries
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Carbadox, with its 97.9 percent likelihood of causing cancer in humans, is still being fed to pigs bound for the supermarket in the United States.
Friday Favorites: Fasting to Reverse Diabetes
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By losing 15 percent of their body weight, nearly 90 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes for less than four years may achieve remission.
How to Prevent and Treat Age-Related Hearing Loss
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The diet and supplements that have been put to the test to prevent and even reverse hearing loss.