Cancer is on everyone's mind right now, and the research has finally caught up. In this episode, Leanne and Susie unpack the largest ever study on diet and cancer risk, published just weeks ago in the British Journal of Cancer. With data from 1.8 million people tracked over 16 years, the findings are genuinely surprising, and not always in the direction you'd expect.

In this episode:

The big cancer and diet study (1.8 million people, 17 cancers, 16 years)

A landmark new study compared cancer risk across meat eaters, poultry eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans. The results are more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Pescatarians showed lower rates of colorectal, breast, and kidney cancers. Vegetarians had lower rates of pancreatic, breast, prostate, kidney cancers, and multiple myeloma. But here's what almost nobody is reporting: vegans showed a statistically higher risk of colorectal cancer, and vegetarians had a significantly elevated risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Leanne and Susie break down what this actually means in real life, including how much red meat is too much, why processed meat is a completely different conversation to lean red meat, and whether most of us really need to go vegetarian to meaningfully reduce our cancer risk.

Easter hot cross buns: what the nutrition actually looks like

They're in supermarkets from Boxing Day and some of this year's flavours are genuinely surprising (yes, there's a Dorito one). Susie and Leanne rank the best and worst options, break down the calorie difference between mini, standard, and indulgent varieties, and explain when a hot cross bun can actually be the right pre or post workout nutrition choice.

Product review: Noon protein milk drink

A new breakfast-on-the-go drink has landed in Woolworths and the nutrition panel is genuinely impressive. 18 grams of protein, 6.3 grams of fibre, 580 milligrams of calcium, and a clean, milk-first ingredient list. Leanne breaks down whether it stacks up against Up and Go and who it is and isn't suitable for.

Listener question: the best vegetarian meat replacements

If you are vegetarian or cooking for one, this segment is worth listening to twice. Leanne and Susie name the specific products and brands they actually recommend in clinic, explain why Quorn mince beats most of the plant-based aisle on protein and fat, and cover the marinated tofu options that even tofu-sceptics tend to enjoy.

Whether you eat meat every day, are trying to eat less of it, or are navigating a vegetarian household, this episode gives you real, evidence-based clarity without the extremism that tends to surround this topic.

Cancer is on everyone's mind right now, and the research has finally caught up. In this episode, Leanne and Susie unpack the largest ever study on diet and cancer risk, published just weeks ago in the British Journal of Cancer. With data from 1.8 million people tracked over 16 years, the findings are genuinely surprising, and not always in the direction you'd expect.
In this episode:
The big cancer and diet study (1.8 million people, 17 cancers, 16 years)
A landmark new study compared cancer risk across meat eaters, poultry eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans. The results are more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Pescatarians showed lower rates of colorectal, breast, and kidney cancers. Vegetarians had lower rates of pancreatic, breast, prostate, kidney cancers, and multiple myeloma. But here's what almost nobody is reporting: vegans showed a statistically higher risk of colorectal cancer, and vegetarians had a significantly elevated risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Leanne and Susie break down what this actually means in real life, including how much red meat is too much, why processed meat is a completely different conversation to lean red meat, and whether most of us really need to go vegetarian to meaningfully reduce our cancer risk.
Easter hot cross buns: what the nutrition actually looks like
They're in supermarkets from Boxing Day and some of this year's flavours are genuinely surprising (yes, there's a Dorito one). Susie and Leanne rank the best and worst options, break down the calorie difference between mini, standard, and indulgent varieties, and explain when a hot cross bun can actually be the right pre or post workout nutrition choice.
Product review: Noon protein milk drink
A new breakfast-on-the-go drink has landed in Woolworths and the nutrition panel is genuinely impressive. 18 grams of protein, 6.3 grams of fibre, 580 milligrams of calcium, and a clean, milk-first ingredient list. Leanne breaks down whether it stacks up against Up and Go and who it is and isn't suitable for.
Listener question: the best vegetarian meat replacements
If you are vegetarian or cooking for one, this segment is worth listening to twice. Leanne and Susie name the specific products and brands they actually recommend in clinic, explain why Quorn mince beats most of the plant-based aisle on protein and fat, and cover the marinated tofu options that even tofu-sceptics tend to enjoy.
Whether you eat meat every day, are trying to eat less of it, or are navigating a vegetarian household, this episode gives you real, evidence-based clarity without the extremism that tends to surround this topic.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.

Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.
Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

The Nutrition Couch

Welcome to The Nutrition Couch, a weekly podcast from two of Australia’s leading dietitians & nutritionists, Susie Burrell & Leanne Ward. This is the first nutrition podcast that looks at weekly food & health trends. Every Sunday at 7am AEST, we will be uploading an episode that covers nutrition news, trending food products, case studies and we will also be answering our listener questions. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and follow us on social media @the_nutrition_couch_podcast to ask us questions & see our food product reviews.

New research from 1.8 million people links diet to cancer risk, and the findings are more nuanced than headlines suggest. Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell break down what vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian diets actually mean for your cancer risk, plus Easter hot cross bun nutrition, a high-protein Woolworths drink review, and the best vegetarian meat swaps dietitians actually recommend in clinic.

Does Eating Meat Raise Your Cancer Risk? The Biggest Study Ever (Plus Easter Hot Cross Buns & the Best Vegetarian Protein Swaps)

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