Challenging the Hype About Gut Health and Ultra-Processed Foods with Laura Thomas

Mar 25, 2024

Registered nutritionist Laura Thomas challenges the hype around consuming large amounts of plants for gut health. She discusses distinguishing good science from hype, the demonization of ultra-processed foods, and anti-fat bias in gut health discourse. Laura also emphasizes healing relationships with food and body through intuitive eating.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Discussing Nutrition, Disorder Eating, and Preventing Body Shame

03:02 • 2min

Exploring the Complexities of Gut Health Research

05:24 • 25min

Exploring the Nova Classification System and the Ambiguity of Ultra Processed Foods

30:32 • 6min

Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Ultra Processed Foods and Gut Health

36:24 • 2min

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit rethinkingwellness.substack.com

Registered nutritionist, author, and friend of the pod Laura Thomas joins us to unpack the problematic notion that you need to eat a ridiculously large number of plants per week for gut health, and what we actually know about how plant foods affect the gut microbiome. We also get into how to distinguish good science from hype, how ultra-processed foods have become so demonized despite a lack of strong evidence, how anti-fat bias is baked into the discourse about both gut health and ultra-processed foods, and lots more.

Paid subscribers can hear the full interview, and the first part is available to all listeners. To upgrade to paid, go to rethinkingwellness.substack.com.

Laura is a Registered Nutritionist who helps people feel less afraid of the food they eat and more comfortable in their bodies. Through her work with individuals and families, as well as in her writing, she challenges dominant ideals about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods and ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bodies. She holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University, and worked as a post-doctoral research associate at Cornell University before starting her private practice. More recently she received a diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Eating Disorders from UCL. She has published two books: Just Eat It and How To Just Eat It, both of which focus on healing our relationship with food and our body through Intuitive Eating. Her clinical work is focussed on supporting families to end the intergenerational transmission of body shame and disordered eating. She writes the newsletter Can I Have Another Snack?

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Christy's second book, The Wellness Trap, is available wherever books are sold! Order it here, or ask for it in your favorite local bookstore.

If you're looking to make peace with food and break free from diet and wellness culture, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.