The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

Next time you look at the calories on the back of a packet or the nutritional breakdown of a recipe, remember that number doesn't tell you the whole story.

It says nothing about the nutrients, the quality of the food, how satisfying it'll be, or even how many calories your body will actually absorb.

To unpack it all, I'm joined by Professor Giles Yeo, Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, MBE, and author of the brilliant book Why Calories Don't Count.
We cover:

5 reasons calorie counting matters less than we think
Why "low-cal" doesn't always mean healthy
Why we don't absorb every calorie we eat
Why the calories in nuts, avocados and seeds aren't the same as the calories in a ultra-processed foods, even when the numbers match
Is fruit juice really healthy?
3 strategies to maintain a healthy weight

I hope this changes the way you think about calories and gives you a few practical ideas you can start using straight away. If you know someone who's always checking the calorie label before anything else, send this episode their way.

As always, thanks for listening!

Dr Rupy x

More from Professor Giles Yeo
https://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/people/giles-yeo
https://x.com/GilesYeo
https://www.instagram.com/gilesyeo/?hl=en

More from us

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here
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🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website

☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here
🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan
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How do you become happier?

Professor Arthur Brooks describes 3 “macronutrients” for a happier life: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. Rather than chasing positive feelings, the idea is to build more of each into our everyday lives.

We get into some really practical ways to do this, including:
• Why being bored is good for your brain
• The three times to put your phone away each day
• How to make your downtime more meaningful
• How to find more meaning through love, awe and spirituality

👤 About today’s guest: Arthur Brooks is a professor at Vanderbilt University, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School, a New York Times bestselling author and a leading researcher on happiness and meaning.
His latest book, The Meaning of Your Life, is out now. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, it's an account of how the modern world sets us up to fail at finding meaning, and a plan for finding what you seek.

More from us

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here
📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app
🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website

☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here
🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan
📷 Follow on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been talking a lot about eating healthy high protein. And sometimes it feels like you have to choose a side. High protein or plant-focused.
But both play really important roles for energy, appetite, muscle health, gut health and healthy ageing.
My guest today actually describes them as a dynamic duo 🤝 They work best together. You want both on your plate, not one crowding out the other.
Dominique Ludwig is an accredited nutritionist and registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with more than 30 years of clinical experience helping people improve their health, energy and relationship with food.
She’s also the author of the brilliant new book ‘No-Nonsense Nutrition’, which is filled with practical, realistic advice and beautiful recipes that make healthy eating feel really achievable.

We cover:

Protein recommendations for every meal
Why protein becomes more important after 30
The benefits of prioritising protein during menopause
Top protein foods and easy 10g protein top-ups
How to upgrade breakfasts, salads and pasta
Whole carbs vs refined carbs
How to lose weight without counting calories
Building balanced plates that keep you full

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here
📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app
🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website

☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here
🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan
📷 Follow on Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if I told you that two people could eat the exact same meal, with the exact same calories, and have completely different hormonal responses because of what they believed about what they were eating?
These aren't fringe findings.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the way we think about our health can meaningfully impact our biology.
In this episode, I'm joined by nutritionist and Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Ann Macklin to unpack four ways our thoughts can either help or hinder our health.
We explore:
• How your beliefs about food can influence hormones, appetite and metabolism
• Why the way you think about exercise may affect the health benefits you experience
• Whether your genes are really your destiny
• Why self-compassion could be one of the most powerful tools for lasting health
This is a fascinating conversation about the hidden connection between mind and body, and how changing the way we think could help shape our health for the better.
Hope you enjoy this one and find something practical you can apply to your own life.
Dr Rupy

Learn more about Sarah's work
Sarah's latest book 'Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard' is out now
Instagram: @sarahannmacklin
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
Substack:https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Website: www.sarahannmacklin.com

Join the Doctor’s Kitchen

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here
📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app
🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website

☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here
🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan
📷 Follow on Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been talking a lot about healthy protein and sometimes it can feel like you have to pick a side. Protein or fibre. But for long-term health, you want both on your plate.
The problem is, 96% of people still don’t hit the recommended daily fibre target. Even if you eat vegetables at every meal.
A salad is brilliant for micronutrients and polyphenols, but alone it’s usually not enough to reach the 30g of fibre a day linked to better gut health, satiety, cholesterol and a lower risk of disease.
But for a lot of people, trying to eat more fibre comes with one big problem… bloating.
So today I’m joined by Dr Emily Leeming, former chef, registered dietitian, scientist at King’s College London and author of the new book ‘Fibre Power’, to break down how to increase fibre in a way that works for your gut.
She brings a rare combination of ongoing research, clinical practice and love for food.

We cover:
Key signs you may not be eating enough fibre
How to eat 30g of fibre a day without bloating
High-fibre foods people often overlook
The difference between high and low FODMAP foods
Whether fibre supplements are worth it
One fibre habit to start today

It’s a really practical episode and I hope it leaves you inspired to make a few tweaks to gently increase your fibre intake.

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