Laura Lane - Nutrition

21/11/2025

Take a look at the latest article from my colleagues in the Centre for Food Policy:
"Making household food waste reduction easier"

https://lnkd.in/enhydYHx

Households waste huge amounts of food, which leads to considerable financial costs for individuals and substantial contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. But this is a complex problem to address. Here, they discuss how behavioural and systems science can help to provide solutions.

Households waste huge amounts of food, which leads to considerable financial costs for individuals and substantial contributions to CO2 emissions. But this is a complex problem to address. In this Comment, Tapper and colleagues discuss how behavioural and systems science can help to provide solution...

05/11/2025

The big bean boost!

05/11/2025

🫛 Bang in some beans! 🫘

Today is the launch of a new UK-wide programme by The Food Foundation and VegPower to double our consumption of beans, peas & pulses. Why? They’re a triple win for
❤️ Health
🌍 The environment
💶 Affordability

All you need to know:
🫘 Beanfacts - link in comments

I’m on the advisory board and will be supporting the programme over the next three years. I’m off to the launch this morning to talk to the supermarkets again.

If you start seeing lots in the press about beans, this is why!

21/10/2025

It’s that time of year again…

Do consider supplementing with Vitamin D if you’re not already doing so.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

13/10/2025

Ranking Climate-Friendly Choices:
Why what you eat can make a big difference

I have long advocated for dietary shifts to achieve better health and environmental outcomes. What we eat can make a significant difference. But how does changing your food choices stack up against other climate-friendly behaviours? This report from the World Resources Institute provides helpful insights:

“Governments and big businesses hold the most power to halt climate change. They have the ability to reshape global systems — like how we generate energy, produce food and design cities — that are at the root of the crisis…. But there's a lot we can do in our daily lives, too. WRI research shows that shifting a few key behaviors can significantly reduce emissions and climate impacts. And the more people who act, the bigger the collective change. The trick is knowing where to prioritize our efforts.”
(WRI, 2025)

Top of the list? Rethinking car use. Cutting down on air travel. Changing your energy supply. Installing solar panels and considering the switch to an electric vehicle. But what if you’re not in a position to make these changes (or you already have?)

Adopting a vegetarian, vegan or more plant-based diet packs a significant climate punch, but not everyone can or wants to make this shift. Cutting down on animal products - beef and cheese are the big hitters - still goes a very long way. Switching up your choices to include lots more plants - veg, fruit, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds (even if you’re still eating meat, fish and dairy) can provide such a massive boost to your health too. Cutting down on food waste just makes sense from every perspective.

Whatever change you make, it helps! It’s one of the main reasons I retrained in nutrition and the focus of my PhD research.

Questions? Fire away.

https://www.wri.org/insights/climate-friendly-choices-ranked?utm_campaign=socialmedia&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=wri-digest

02/10/2025

This is a lovely summary of the research programme I’m involved in, the Transforming UK Food Systems programme. It’s a huge programme, but I’m delighted to see the press increasingly picking up on the opportunities offered by increasing the consumption of beans and other pulses, which is the focus of my PhD research.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/ukri-britain-food-system-diets-b2828882.html #

A total of 15% of deaths are associated with diet in Britain

04/07/2025

Lunch in the garden

I have nothing against sandwiches, but this is the kind of lunch I love best. Pulled together quickly (because I should be writing a research paper, but clearly I’d rather be writing meal ideas).

The chickens have been keeping me company this morning. Actually, they wouldn’t leave me alone. I think I’m going to work outside more often.

Leftover roast sweet potatoes (always cook extra), rocket, tomato, pumpkin seeds, hummus. Topped with Bold Bean Co Queen Butter beans, straight from the jar with a bit of the tasty stock, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and some seeds from the chive plants that I don’t want to take over the garden.

Happy weekend all. And remember, good food doesn’t have to be complicated. 🫘

01/07/2025

🍋 Heatwave hydration & keeping cool🚰

Anyone else finding that ice cubes are permanently in short supply? (Everyone with teenagers raises their hands…)

I’ve chopped up a stack of past-their-best lemons and limes to freeze, so they double up as ice cubes, flavour, and a bit of extra vitamin C too. As well as avoiding food waste.

Freeze on a sheet so they don’t all stick together, then you can bag them up to save space. This method also works if you want to freeze slices for adding to drinks, again making a single lemon or lime go further and avoiding any waste.

🍋‍🟩Stay hydrated, stay cool 🕶️

29/06/2025

Satay chickpea and quinoa salad

Just in case anyone wondered whether I’d stopped being obsessed with beans and pulses: No.

This packs a whopping 31g protein per serving, is totally delicious, and significantly more filling than a sandwich… From the brilliant new book by Sophie Watlington.

Lunch in the garden and extra prepped for the week ahead.

26/03/2025

💧 Hydration

Here’s my contribution to Women’s Running magazine, supporting writer and fellow St Albans Strider Lucy Waterlow. Hydration is one of first places I start with my clients, and especially the athletes.

⚡️Improved hydration can help with overall energy levels, whether you’re a runner or not!

🟧🟨⬜️ One of the best ways to check your hydration status is to check the colour of your urine. You’re aiming for a pale straw yellow. See the chart in the comments for more details.

🥤🥛☕️ 🍉 It doesn’t have to be water! All fluids (with the exception of alcoholic drinks) can help you to keep hydrated. High water-content foods (fruit and soups are good examples) can also help.

💦 But nearly everyone can benefit from drinking more water.

🙌 Set yourself up for the day by leaving a glass of water by your bed, and drink it before you get up in the morning. Hydrate before you caffeinate 😉

24/01/2025

👀

14/11/2024

Today’s announcement regarding the fortification of white flour. Folic acid is important for everyone, but vital during pregnancy. If you or anyone you know is planning to have a baby, supplementation with folic acid pre- and during pregnancy will continue to be essential; this comes into force in 2026. More details in comments - or feel free to get in touch if you have questions.

New legislation being introduced today will require millers and flour producers to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid from the end of 2026.