Good Food
type: channel
link: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com
date: 2025-10-20T14:00:37.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Do you have bad gut health? This tell-tale symptom will show you
items: Living with ADHD: The truth behind diagnosis
items: The filthiest appliances in your kitchen
items: Why is gut health so important? And how to improve yours…
items: What to do now to help prevent SAD this winter
items: Should you be using a nutrition app?
items: 15 foods to boost your brain health, memory and focus
items: 8 ways poor sleep wrecks your healthy eating intentions
items: What is intuitive eating?
items: What has working from home done to our diets?

Do you have bad gut health? This tell-tale symptom will show you
type: item
date: 2025-10-20T14:00:37.000Z
creator: Jo Travers
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: bloating
subject: constipation
subject: Digestion
subject: foods for gut health
subject: goodhealth
subject: gut health
description: Did you know your gut health can affect your immunity, digestion, energy levels, mood and overall well-being? No surprise then that many of us are increasingly fascinated by what makes a ‘healthy’ gut. But how can you tell if yours is ‘healthy’ or not? Could one tell-tale symptom hold the answer…
encoded: A growing body of evidence supports the importance of gut health to our overall wellbeing. This is because what goes on in the gut is linked to many other organs and systems in the body. For example, the gut is in direct contact with the brain (known as the gut-brain axis) and is also an integral part of our immune system. This means our gut is not only responsible for digesting food and absorbing nutrients, it can lead to a host of other symptoms too, from altering our mood to influencing how many colds we get. If you’re feeling bloated, most of the time, then listen up, because your body could be telling you that your gut is not as ‘healthy’ as it could be. This is because regular abdominal bloating can be a sign of too much gas in your system. If you experience regular bloating, say it happens every day from lots of different foods and drinks, it suggests the food you eat isn’t being digested properly, and instead is fermenting in the gut and producing lots of gas. One reason for this is that the balance of bacteria that are known to live in the gut may be less favourable. Remember not all bloating is caused by an unhealthy gut, for example, drinking lots of fizzy drinks can cause bloating, occasionally, as can gulping your food too quickly so it may be helpful to keep a food diary to see how relevant this is for you. Discover more about gut health with the Good Food guide to digestive health, or try some of our gut-friendly recipes and the best probiotic foods. Here's some other ways to tell if your gut might not be as healthy as it could be… 1. You’re suffering excessive wind Everyone passes wind (the average is around 25 times a day), but if you’re finding you have a lot of wind, it’s another sign that excess gas is being produced in the gut. As humans we can’t digest fibre, so we rely on good gut bacteria to digest it for us. If we don’t have the right balance of bacteria in the gut – a condition called dysbiosis – the breakdown of certain foods can be affect…

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Living with ADHD: The truth behind diagnosis
type: item
date: 2025-10-16T10:25:01.000Z
creator: Charlotte Hardie
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: goodhealth
description: Find out what happens when you and your loved ones are diagnosed with ADHD, tips to help with daily life, plus some 'superpowers' we should be celebrating
encoded: ‘ADHD. Moderately severe’. When I first read the psychiatrist report confirming my son’s diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder three years ago, my stomach lurched. The letters stared aggressively back at me from my screen. I became fixated on the ‘D’ for disorder. No one wants to read that their child has a ‘disorder’ even if you’ve suspected it for years. If I’d known then what I know now, I would have taken the diagnosis in my stride. Since then, two more ‘ADHDers’ have entered my life, along with all the chaotic brilliance these ‘disordered’ beings bring to the party. One is my stepson. The other is me. We need to work out if this is an IQ issue For years, we were called into my son’s primary school to discuss his constant mild disruption in class. By year six, his teacher was fed up with him, but she also lacked any affection towards this kind, charismatic little boy. When she announced he would ‘really struggle at secondary school’, I cried. When she followed it with ‘We need to work out if this is an IQ issue,’ I was speechless. I followed the suggestion to get his IQ assessed but it was a waste of money. I knew there was nothing wrong with his intelligence. Instead, ADHD was flagged. More private assessments ensued. ADHD was confirmed. From there, I witnessed ADHD dominoes. Reading my son’s psychiatry report was like looking at myself. I understood where his brain had come from. Not long after, my teenage stepson met my son. They were matched on energy, social skills, charisma, enthusiastic interrupting, as well as the leftfield thought patterns that lead to an entrepreneurial way of thinking. ADHD has hit the mainstream To anyone concerned about diagnosis for themselves or their children – you are not alone. Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 million people in the UK have it. The surge in diagnoses and prescriptions has been rapid. One BMJ study found that the number on medication has increased hugely in the last five years. Greater awareness has le…

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The filthiest appliances in your kitchen
type: item
date: 2025-09-11T11:49:38.000Z
creator: Pete Wise
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: goodhealth
description: Here’s where dirt and germs hide in the kitchen – and an appliance expert’s tips on how to tackle each grimy situation.
encoded: We don’t mean this personally, but your kitchen is filthy! Even well-kept households often have build ups of dirt, grease and bacteria – especially in hard-to-reach parts of kitchen appliances and tools you might not think to clean so regularly. Researchers have found that kitchens are among the places in the home which are the most heavily colonised by bacteria, and where we’re likely to be exposed to the broadest diversity of microbes. Despite the presence of these unwelcome guests, only 17 per cent of households polled in one survey claimed to clean their fridge monthly or more often – and the same problem of under-cleaning extends to other appliances. Below are some of the most popular kitchen appliances and their specific vulnerabilities to dirt and germ buildup. We’re here to help, not worry you, so we’ve included expert cleaning tips for each type. What are the worst offenders? The fridge From a microbe’s perspective, your fridge is a vast and varied habitat. From door seals and shelf corners to neglected containers and the food itself, there are all sorts of places for microbial life to flourish. The mix of cool, freezing cold and hot (at the rear) areas throughout these appliances provide ideal living conditions for an assortment of germs. In one study, illness-causing bacteria from the listeria family were found in 15 per cent of homes, and their favourite spot turned out to be the refrigerator meat drawer. If you’re going to prioritise cleaning one part of the fridge, make it this drawer (and remember you must never store other foods in the same compartment). “Mix vinegar and water into a solution and wipe this onto your fridge’s shelves and drawers – this will kill any germs and neutralise any lingering odours,” suggests Isabella Forgione, a small appliances expert at AO. “Wipe this solution onto the door seals too, as dirt and crumbs love to get right into the hidden nooks.” The oven According to research from Beko, cleaning the oven is Britain’s most d…

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Why is gut health so important? And how to improve yours…
type: item
date: 2025-09-07T23:00:11.000Z
creator: Tracey Randell
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: goodhealth
subject: gut
subject: gut flora
subject: gut friendly
subject: gut health
subject: gut healthy
subject: gut microbes
subject: probiotic
subject: probiotics
description: Registered nutritionist and gut health expert Tracey Randell explains what it really means to have a healthy gut and suggests ten ways to improve yours
encoded: Scientists have discovered that the trillions of bacteria that live in our gastrointestinal tract don’t just process the food we eat. These bacteria help our body to stay healthy and well. But what does it mean to have ‘good gut health’, what does it feel like and what can you do to improve the health of your gut? Read on to learn more. Discover our top tips for digestive health. Also, check out some of our delicious gut-friendly recipes, from satisfying soups and salads to kimchi and kefir, including a whole range of delicious plant-based options. What is the gut microbiome? Your gut is the home to trillions of bacteria, viruses, yeasts and other microorganisms, these are known as your gut microbiota. Emerging research suggests the microbiota, along with its collection of genomes (set of genetic material), together referred to as the microbiome, may well be as influential to your health as your inherited genes. Each of us has a unique microbiome, with the diversity and abundance of the flora influencing our general health. Often, a reduced diversity in gut flora is seen in people with certain conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as metabolic disorders like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Everything we eat and drink influences our delicate internal gut ecosystem. How we manage stress, how much or little we exercise, the environment we live in, the medications we take and even our genetics may all have an impact. In turn our gut health influences the following: Immunity – the gut microbiome plays a role in regulating our immune system. Alterations in gut bacteria may lead to autoimmune disorders and raised levels of inflammation. Brain health – the gut microbiome may affect how our brain works. Gut cells and the microbiome produce brain chemicals called neurotransmitters such as serotonin and GABA which may influence your mood. Nutrient absorption – the gut microbiome is crucial for the digestion and utilisation of nutrients. Macronutrients and micr…

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What to do now to help prevent SAD this winter
type: item
date: 2025-09-05T12:29:42.000Z
creator: Vicky Chandler
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: goodhealth
description: A fifth of us suffer seasonal low mood, and early autumn is the best time to put in place counter measures. Here’s how…
encoded: As the nights draw in and summer begins to feel like a distant memory, it’s common for many of us to feel our mood slightly dip. But for some, this seasonal slump is more than just ‘winter blues’ from saying goodbye to sun-dappled days and long, light evenings. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a predictable yearly pattern, appearing as daylight hours shorten in autumn and winter. Around 1 in 20 people in the UK experience SAD, according to the NHS, with symptoms including persistent low mood, fatigue, oversleeping, cravings for carbohydrates, and a loss of interest in things you normally enjoy. While it can peak in December and January, doctors say the smartest approach is to act now – in early autumn – to help build resilience before symptoms actually appear. “Prevention is always better than cure,” says psychiatrist Ioana Rotaru. “Being prepared as early as possible helps offset some SAD symptoms. Plus, the nature of depression means that we often lose motivation to make changes, and our mind can lead us into a spiral of ‘what’s the point’. Taking preventative action before the symptoms set in can reduce the intensity.” So, what can you do now to support your mood through the darker months? We asked three experts – a psychiatrist, a GP and a nutritionist – to share their best advice. What causes SAD? Scientist don’t yet know the exact cause, but current research highlights a strong link to a lack of sunlight. After all, light is our body’s strongest circadian cue, influencing sleep-wake cycles and hormone production. Less light exposure means more melatonin (the sleep hormone) and less serotonin (the ‘happy hormone’). “Sunlight exposure directly impacts serotonin levels,” adds Rotaru. “Studies show we tend to have higher serotonin on bright, sunny days, regardless of temperature.” There are also behavioural factors at play. “In colder, darker months, people tend to go out less, exercise less and socialise less. That withdrawal…

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Should you be using a nutrition app?
type: item
date: 2025-08-08T09:54:01.000Z
creator: Jo Williams – Registered nutritionist
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: goodhealth
subject: health apps
subject: no additives
subject: Nutrition
subject: technology
description: How useful are scanners that rate your food according to its ingredients? Are they the secret to healthy eating, or leading you down the wrong path?
encoded: The popularisation of apps that scan ingredient lists of foods and warn you of potentially problematic additives are swaying our food choices and changing the way we shop and eat. Apps such as Yuka, EWG’s Healthy Living and PureCheck scan the barcodes of food and cosmetics, and rate them based on health impact. They are regarded as an impartial, transparent voice in an otherwise noisy, confusing area of reading product labels and making purchasing decisions. About 14 million US users check Yuka every day, scanning up to five million products. From this, 85 per cent alter their purchasing habits based on the app’s ratings. This indicates a significant change in purchase decisions. These apps are generally viewed as positive, empowering the shopper and pushing big companies to change their formulations. Across Europe, consumers’ demand for transparency has led to industry changes, with companies streamlining their products in accordance with Yuka’s criteria. However, are these apps accurate in what they tell you? Let’s take a closer look. What the apps tell you Typically, these apps use the camera on your phone to scan the barcode on a product. The product is then identified from a database and given a rating. If using Yuka, the nutritional information, ingredients list and any additives contribute to the overall score between zero and 100 (100 being the best). Artificial and less favourable ingredients are highlighted (such as too much salt or high saturates) and if the product has scored poorly, the app will recommend a healthier alternative with a better score. You can also use Yuka to scan cosmetics – it works in the same way. EWGs Healthy Living app is focused on reducing chemical exposure and includes around 120,000 food, cosmetic and cleaning items. Identifying products via their barcodes, it awards a one to 10 health score based on ingredient hazards. You can browse categories and ingredients. PureCheck is another barcode scanning app for food and cosmetics. I…

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15 foods to boost your brain health, memory and focus
type: item
date: 2025-07-30T13:05:21.000Z
creator: Jo Williams – Registered nutritionist
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: How to
subject: better memory
subject: brain food
subject: eating for exams
subject: foods to make you clever
subject: goodhealth
subject: improve memory
description: Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. But which foods are important to keep your brain happy, healthy and sharp?
encoded: Interested in trying our FREE 7-day healthy diet plan? Click here and choose between our meat eaters, vegetarian or vegan meal plans. Whether you want to boost memory or focus, making changes to your diet can help. Although there's no single 'brain food' to protect against age-related disorders like Alzheimer's or dementia, paying attention to what you eat may give you the best chance of optimising your brain health and maintaining a positive outlook. Discover how these everyday foods may help: Optimise brain function and sharpen performance Improve concentration and focus Boost memory Support healthy brain ageing Reduce anxiety and stress Enhance mood Next, find out more about the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet, why Mediterranean diets are so healthy and see our top mood-boosting recipes. 15 foods to support brain health If you want to keep your memory, concentration and focus sharp, it’s best to eat a varied, balanced diet that includes brain-supportive foods. 1. Wholegrains May help improve concentration and focus Like everything else in the body, the brain can’t work without sufficient fuel and its preferred form is glucose. To maintain concentration and focus, you need to ensure a steady supply of glucose from carbohydrates. The best way to do this is eating more wholegrains, as these have a low glycemic index (GI). This means they release a steady supply of energy, helping keep you mentally alert throughout the day. Not eating enough carbohydrates or opting for fast-releasing ones like processed (white) grains and sugary foods may leave you feeling irritable or experiencing brain fog. Choose wholegrain breads, rice and pasta instead of the white, refined versions. 2. Oily fish May promote healthy brain structure and function Essential fatty acids are just that – essential – because they can't be made by the body and we have to get them from the food we eat. The type in found in oily fish are important for a healthy brain, as well as for your heart. Al…

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8 ways poor sleep wrecks your healthy eating intentions
type: item
date: 2025-07-11T13:02:08.000Z
creator: Vicky Chandler
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: get better sleep
subject: goodhealth
subject: how to sleep better
subject: sleep tips
description: Struggling to keep up your motivation? Disturbed nights could be to blame…
encoded: We’ve all been there. One bad night’s sleep and suddenly all we can think about is a chocolate croissant on the way to the office as opposed to those overnight oats you lovingly meal-prepped yesterday. You tell yourself you’ll make a healthy dinner, but by 6pm you’re too knackered to cook and instead find yourself scrolling through your takeaway app. It's not just a lack of willpower or laziness; sleep – or more specifically, not getting enough of it – plays a powerful role in the way we eat. From how hungry we feel, to the foods we crave, our sleeping habits shape our daily eating decisions more than we might realise. According to The Sleep Foundation, sleep and appetite are actually quite closely connected, and a good night’s rest can help promote healthy appetite hormones, impact how your body reacts to insulin and affect your digestion and metabolism, too. So, if you’ve ever felt like your healthy eating plans unravel when you haven’t caught enough Zs, science says you’re probably right. Here’s how poor sleep quality sabotages your food choices – and why prioritising rest could be the best healthy eating hack you’ve ever tried. 1. Tired brains crave high-calorie foods Ever noticed that after a rough night, your first instinct is to reach for a pastry? That’s not usually a lack of self-control – it’s your brain crying out for a quick energy release. Research shows that sleep deprivation enhances activity in the brain’s reward centres in response to junk food, meaning you’re more likely to crave high-fat, high-sugar options. “Higher calorie foods, especially sugary, fatty and salty foods, can provide quick energy releases that our body craves when it’s tired,” explains registered nutritionist Jemma Joel. “However, that dopamine hit is often short-lived and can end up having a reverse effect, making us feel more tired and groggy.” 2. Your hunger hormones go haywire Two hormones – ghrelin and leptin – control hunger and fullness. Ghrelin tells your body when it’s hu…

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What is intuitive eating?
type: item
date: 2025-07-01T16:11:31.000Z
creator: Nicola Shubrook – Registered nutritionist
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: eating plan
subject: goodhealth
subject: Healthy eating
subject: what is intuitive eating
description: This so-called 'no diet' way of eating is all about listening to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Read on to learn how you might ditch restrictive diet rules and enjoy food with more freedom and empathy for what your body really needs.
encoded: Developed in the US as a way to create a healthier attitude towards body image, intuitive eating is a framework rather than a diet. There are no set rules and it encourages the rejection of the notion that some foods are inherently ‘good’ and some ‘bad’. History of intuitive eating Although the name was coined in 1995 as the title of a book by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, the concept of intuitive eating pre-dates this. Earlier pioneers include Susie Orbach, who in 1978 published the ground-breaking book, Fat is a Feminist Issue, and Geenen Roth, who has written about emotional eating since 1982. Discover our full range of health guides, whether it's how to talk to your teenager about food or pregnancy, food and body image. What is intuitive eating? The concept of intuitive eating is about making the best choice for you – this means eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Advocates of intuitive eating insist that hunger should be the cue to eat, although they draw a line of distinction between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Physical hunger is experienced by a growling stomach, tiredness, or irritability. These pass when food is consumed. Emotional hunger is described as being influenced by negative emotions that create cravings for food or are soothed by food, such as sadness, loneliness, boredom and stress. Advocates of the concept argue that by eating intuitively, you learn to trust your body, and identify when it is a physical hunger rather than an emotional one. As a result you’re likely to make better choices about what, when and how often to eat. How to practise intuitive eating? According to American dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, there are 10 guiding principles: 1. Reject diet mentality Forget the idea that dieting or restricting the foods you eat will result in quick, easy or permanent weight loss. Intuitive eating is the opposite of restriction – it is about learning to trust that your body knows best. 2. …

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What has working from home done to our diets?
type: item
date: 2025-06-13T09:31:11.000Z
creator: Katy Bradbury
subject: Health
subject: Wellness
subject: Covid
subject: covid-19
subject: goodhealth
subject: working
description: Our nutritionist takes a deep-dive into the research to find out whether we’re healthier pre- or post-pandemic
encoded: Before 2020, lunch often meant queueing at a cafe or eating a soggy sandwich 'al desko'. But in the post-pandemic world, with more of us working from home (WFH) than ever before, have our food habits shifted dramatically? In the UK, around 40 per cent of working adults reported WFH at least once a week in 2023 (ONS), and in the US, 35 per cent of full-time employees are still remote all or some of the time. But what’s that done to our diets? Is it helping us to eat better, or are we just snacking more? Office lunches: the bad old days? Before the pandemic, office life left many of us at the mercy of overpriced meal deals, vending machines, and a rushed lunch break. Research shows only 37 per cent of European workers took a full lunch break when working on-site, while 10 per cent of UK workers skip their lunch breaks altogether. Data suggests that office lunches can lean heavily on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – quick and convenient, but low in nutritional value. One survey found that as many as 17 per cent of workers in the UK consider themselves addicted to UPFs at work, largely because of stress and convenience, with these options being widely available in the workplace. However, the data is mixed, and it’s up in the air whether the move toward WFH has enabled us to improve our health in the lunch hour or whether new problems have arisen. In the US, a 2023 survey suggests that workers are 40 per cent more likely to skip lunch than they were a year prior, with almost half reporting that they skip lunch at least once a week. Having back-to-back remote meetings was one of the reasons reported for not having lunch. The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has highlighted challenges associated with home working, noting that it's easy to lose track of time and skip lunch when lacking the visual prompts from colleagues. The shift to home cooking Working from home has undoubtedly shifted the dynamic at lunchtime. In many cases, people now have access to their own kitchen, t…

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