This week we’re tackling the big one for party season: alcohol. Leanne and Susie break down how much is too much, why “just one glass” is rarely one glass, and the simple rules that prevent Christmas weight gain.

Inside the episode:
The truth about alcohol, hormones and cancer risk
Why you might be drinking more than you think
Party-season rules to protect sleep, energy and metabolism
The canapé traps that lead to hidden weight gain
Susie’s new favourite Woolies protein find
Listener question: Is swimming actually good exercise for fat loss?

Perfect if you want to enjoy December without the blowout.

This week we&rsquo;re tackling the big one for party season: alcohol. Leanne and Susie break down how much is too much, why &ldquo;just one glass&rdquo; is rarely one glass, and the simple rules that prevent Christmas weight gain.
Inside the episode:
<ul>
<li>The truth about alcohol, hormones and cancer risk</li>
<li>Why you might be drinking more than you think</li>
<li>Party-season rules to protect sleep, energy and metabolism</li>
<li>The canap&eacute; traps that lead to hidden weight gain</li>
<li>Susie&rsquo;s&nbsp;new favourite Woolies protein find</li>
<li>Listener question: Is swimming actually good exercise for fat loss?</li>
</ul>
Perfect if you want to enjoy December without the blowout.

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.

Leanne and Susie unpack the real risks of party-season drinking – from cancer and dementia risk to Christmas weight gain – plus smart strategies for handling canapés, a Woolies BBQ chicken product review and whether swimming is “enough” exercise for health and fat loss.

Party-Season Drinking: How Much Is Too Much? Plus Canapé Traps, A Woolies Chicken Win & Swimming as Exercise

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/ea4dabdb-3551-4cad-b5da-b3a700d918dd/transcript

Are the foods in your trolley really Australian owned, and should you be worried about MSG or that 2-kilo overnight weight jump after a salty meal?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack how to support Aussie-owned brands, the real story on MSG, and why salt can make the scales jump without you gaining body fat.

In this episode, we cover:

The Aussie-owned supermarket brands worth supporting


Why there are so few 100% Australian-owned and operated food companies on our shelves


The big-name Aussie brands Leanne and Susie actually buy, including cereals, dairy, oils, snacks and condiments


How Australian ownership, local jobs and higher ingredient standards often translate to better nutritional quality


Fun facts about Sanitarium’s not-for-profit structure and SPC as the last remaining Australian-owned fruit and veg processor


Smaller state-based dairies and boutique brands to look out for in your local supermarket

MSG: what the science says vs what social media says


What MSG actually is, how it’s made, and why glutamate naturally occurs in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese


How to spot MSG and other flavour enhancers on labels (621, 635 and friends)


Why major health bodies consider MSG safe at normal intakes, and why “Chinese restaurant syndrome” hasn’t held up in blinded trials


The real issue: ultra-processed, highly flavoured snacks that drive overeating, especially in kids


Common supermarket foods that still contain flavour enhancers, and how to choose plainer, less “more-ish” options instead

Product Spotlight: the Moroccan tomato dip Leanne and Susie love


A deep dive on Tahini Miri Moroccan Matbucha, a chunky tomato-based dip with 87% tomatoes


Why the ingredient list is so impressive compared to most dips in the fridge section


How to use it: on veggie sticks, crackers, omelettes, eggs, sourdough or as a salsa-style base for quick meals


Why cooked tomato products are a great way to boost lycopene and plant intake, especially during party season

Salt, fluid retention and “overnight” weight gain


The recommended daily sodium and salt limits for healthy adults, and how much Australians are actually having


Why your weight can jump 1–2 kilos after a salty meal or takeaway, even if you’ve been eating well


Who genuinely needs to watch salt more closely (e.g. high blood pressure, kidney or fluid issues) and who doesn’t need to stress over a pinch in home cooking


Simple label-reading rules: what counts as low, moderate and high sodium per serve


Practical ways to cut back on salt without eating bland food, using herbs, spices and smarter product choices


How to keep party-season canapés, chips and takeaway in check without feeling deprived

Plus


How Leanne and Susie think about “supporting local” in a realistic, supermarket-based way


Why choosing more minimally processed options automatically helps with both salt and additive intake


Reassurance that balance matters more than perfection when it comes to salt, MSG and processed foods

If your goal is to shop more consciously, support local brands, and stop panicking about every ingredient on the label, this episode will give you a clear, calm roadmap.

Are the foods in your trolley really Australian owned, and should you be worried about MSG or that 2-kilo overnight weight jump after a salty meal?
In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack how to support Aussie-owned brands, the real story on MSG, and why salt can make the scales jump without you gaining body fat.
In this episode, we cover:
The Aussie-owned supermarket brands worth supporting
<ul>
<li>
Why there are so few 100% Australian-owned and operated food companies on our shelves
</li>
<li>
The big-name Aussie brands Leanne and Susie actually buy, including cereals, dairy, oils, snacks and condiments
</li>
<li>
How Australian ownership, local jobs and higher ingredient standards often translate to better nutritional quality
</li>
<li>
Fun facts about Sanitarium&rsquo;s not-for-profit structure and SPC as the last remaining Australian-owned fruit and veg processor
</li>
<li>
Smaller state-based dairies and boutique brands to look out for in your local supermarket
</li>
</ul>
MSG: what the science says vs what social media says
<ul>
<li>
What MSG actually is, how it&rsquo;s made, and why glutamate naturally occurs in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese
</li>
<li>
How to spot MSG and other flavour enhancers on labels (621, 635 and friends)
</li>
<li>
Why major health bodies consider MSG safe at normal intakes, and why &ldquo;Chinese restaurant syndrome&rdquo; hasn&rsquo;t held up in blinded trials
</li>
<li>
The real issue: ultra-processed, highly flavoured snacks that drive overeating, especially in kids
</li>
<li>
Common supermarket foods that still contain flavour enhancers, and how to choose plainer, less &ldquo;more-ish&rdquo; options instead
</li>
</ul>
Product Spotlight: the Moroccan tomato dip Leanne and Susie love
<ul>
<li>
A deep dive on Tahini Miri Moroccan Matbucha, a chunky tomato-based dip with 87% tomatoes
</li>
<li>
Why the ingredient list is so impressive compared to most dips in the fridge section
</li>
<li>
How to use it: on veggie sticks, crackers, omelettes, eggs, sourdough or as a salsa-style base for quick meals
</li>
<li>
Why cooked tomato products are a great way to boost lycopene and plant intake, especially during party season
</li>
</ul>
Salt, fluid retention and &ldquo;overnight&rdquo; weight gain
<ul>
<li>
The recommended daily sodium and salt limits for healthy adults, and how much Australians are actually having
</li>
<li>
Why your weight can jump 1&ndash;2 kilos after a salty meal or takeaway, even if you&rsquo;ve been eating well
</li>
<li>
Who genuinely needs to watch salt more closely (e.g. high blood pressure, kidney or fluid issues) and who doesn&rsquo;t need to stress over a pinch in home cooking
</li>
<li>
Simple label-reading rules: what counts as low, moderate and high sodium per serve
</li>
<li>
Practical ways to cut back on salt without eating bland food, using herbs, spices and smarter product choices
</li>
<li>
How to keep party-season canap&eacute;s, chips and takeaway in check without feeling deprived
</li>
</ul>
Plus
<ul>
<li>
How Leanne and Susie think about &ldquo;supporting local&rdquo; in a realistic, supermarket-based way
</li>
<li>
Why choosing more minimally processed options automatically helps with both salt and additive intake
</li>
<li>
Reassurance that balance matters more than perfection when it comes to salt, MSG and processed foods
</li>
</ul>
If your goal is to shop more consciously, support local brands, and stop panicking about every ingredient on the label, this episode will give you a clear, calm roadmap.

Leanne and Susie unpack the Aussie-owned supermarket brands they actually buy, bust common myths about MSG and flavour enhancers, and explain how salt and sodium can cause “overnight” weight and fluid jumps without real fat gain. Perfect if you want to support local brands, choose better processed foods, and stop stressing about every ingredient on the label.

Aussie-Owned Supermarket Brands, MSG Myths & Overnight Salt Bloat

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/0a70ea2e-ff9a-454c-9ed4-b3a0002d7647/transcript

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack three huge topics women are constantly asking about: fasting, constipation, and whether “natural Ozempic” supplements like berberine are worth the hype.

First up, they dive into intermittent fasting and why it often backfires for women, especially if you’re training hard, in your perimenopausal years, or constantly battling cravings and afternoon blow-outs. They talk through what the research actually says, how female hormones and muscle mass change the picture, and why a simple 12-hour overnight break from food may be the sweet spot for most women rather than extreme fasting windows.

Next, they break down the brand-new constipation guidelines from the British Dietetic Association, including the now-famous kiwi fruit recommendation, mineral-rich water, magnesium and that slightly outrageous “six to eight slices of rye bread a day” advice. You’ll hear what’s genuinely useful, what’s unrealistic in real life, and how to build a gut-friendly routine that goes beyond just “eat more fibre”.

In product spotlight, the ladies share their new favourite dip for summer entertaining, Yumi’s Capsicum & Roasted Cashew, and explain why it beats many cream-cheese-based dips nutritionally. They also give practical platter strategies to keep portions, costs and calories in check without feeling like you’re on a diet at the party.

Finally, they tackle a listener question about berberine, the supplement being pushed online as “nature’s Ozempic”. Leanne and Susie explain what the science really shows for blood sugar and weight, the doses used in research, why side effects are more common at effective doses, and why it is absolutely not equivalent to GLP-1 medications. They share the simple, proven strategies that do more for metabolic health than chasing a miracle capsule.

In this episode:
Fasting and female physiology: why skipping breakfast can tank performance, worsen cravings and backfire for many active women, and when a gentle overnight fast may still have benefits.
New constipation guidelines: the role of kiwi fruit, mineral-rich water and magnesium, why “more and more fibre” isn’t always the answer, and realistic ways to get things moving again.
Summer platter upgrade: a healthier capsicum and cashew dip, smart portion tricks, and how to build a party platter that tastes amazing without blowing your goals or your budget.
Berberine under the microscope: why calling it “natural Ozempic” is misleading, what it can and can’t do for blood glucose, and when you’re better off with lifestyle changes or prescribed medication.

If this episode helps you rethink fasting or finally sort your gut and “magic pill” confusion, please follow the show, tap 5⭐, and share it with a friend who’s always starting a new diet on Monday.

To explore our evidence-based supplement range, including our new Hydrate mix for summer, head to Designed by Dietitians.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack three huge topics women are constantly asking about: fasting, constipation, and whether &ldquo;natural Ozempic&rdquo; supplements like berberine are worth the hype.
First up, they dive into intermittent fasting and why it often backfires for women, especially if you&rsquo;re training hard, in your perimenopausal years, or constantly battling cravings and afternoon blow-outs. They talk through what the research actually says, how female hormones and muscle mass change the picture, and why a simple 12-hour overnight break from food may be the sweet spot for most women rather than extreme fasting windows.
Next, they break down the brand-new constipation guidelines from the British Dietetic Association, including the now-famous kiwi fruit recommendation, mineral-rich water, magnesium and that slightly outrageous &ldquo;six to eight slices of rye bread a day&rdquo; advice. You&rsquo;ll hear what&rsquo;s genuinely useful, what&rsquo;s unrealistic in real life, and how to build a gut-friendly routine that goes beyond just &ldquo;eat more fibre&rdquo;.
In product spotlight, the ladies share their new favourite dip for summer entertaining, Yumi&rsquo;s Capsicum &amp; Roasted Cashew, and explain why it beats many cream-cheese-based dips nutritionally. They also give practical platter strategies to keep portions, costs and calories in check without feeling like you&rsquo;re on a diet at the party.
Finally, they tackle a listener question about berberine, the supplement being pushed online as &ldquo;nature&rsquo;s Ozempic&rdquo;. Leanne and Susie explain what the science really shows for blood sugar and weight, the doses used in research, why side effects are more common at effective doses, and why it is absolutely not equivalent to GLP-1 medications. They share the simple, proven strategies that do more for metabolic health than chasing a miracle capsule.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li>Fasting and female physiology: why skipping breakfast can tank performance, worsen cravings and backfire for many active women, and when a gentle overnight fast may still have benefits.</li>
<li>New constipation guidelines: the role of kiwi fruit, mineral-rich water and magnesium, why &ldquo;more and more fibre&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t always the answer, and realistic ways to get things moving again.</li>
<li>Summer platter upgrade: a healthier capsicum and cashew dip, smart portion tricks, and how to build a party platter that tastes amazing without blowing your goals or your budget.</li>
<li>Berberine under the microscope: why calling it &ldquo;natural Ozempic&rdquo; is misleading, what it can and can&rsquo;t do for blood glucose, and when you&rsquo;re better off with lifestyle changes or prescribed medication.</li>
</ul>
If this episode helps you rethink fasting or finally sort your gut and &ldquo;magic pill&rdquo; confusion, please follow the show, tap 5⭐, and share it with a friend who&rsquo;s always starting a new diet on Monday.
To explore our evidence-based supplement range, including our new Hydrate mix for summer, head to <a href="https://designedbydietitians.com">Designed by Dietitians</a>.

Leanne and Susie unpack why fasting so often fails women, what the new constipation guidelines get right (and wrong) about kiwi fruit, rye bread and magnesium, and whether berberine really deserves its “natural Ozempic” hype.

Why Fasting Fails (Most) Women + Kiwi Constipation Fixes & Berberine Myths

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/b3e1b810-6b83-4d94-a050-b39900d0fce8/transcript

Most people wait for January to “start fresh” — but the research shows 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. So in this bonus episode, Leanne and Susie flip the script and show you why starting small now is the real secret to lasting results.

You’ll learn how to use December to build momentum, not lose it, and how a few simple habits can make 2026 feel completely different from every other “new year, new me” attempt.

In this episode, we cover:
The real reasons resolutions fail — and why January is actually the hardest time to overhaul your habits
Why waiting for motivation never works (and what to focus on instead)
How to set SMART goals that fit your real life, not your perfect-life fantasy
The one small daily “anchor point” that keeps your goals front-of-mind
Simple progress tracking that works even for the busiest women
Holiday “healthy hacks” to help you stay balanced without feeling restricted
How to avoid your personal “Achilles heel” habits that derail you every year
Our own 2026 health and lifestyle goals and how we’re starting early

If you’re tired of restarting every January, this is the episode that finally shows you how to start small, stay consistent and build habits that last.

Press play — and start now, not later.

Most people wait for January to &ldquo;start fresh&rdquo; &mdash; but the research shows 80% of New Year&rsquo;s resolutions fail by February. So in this bonus episode, Leanne and Susie flip the script and show you why starting small now is the real secret to lasting results.
You&rsquo;ll learn how to use December to build momentum, not lose it, and how a few simple habits can make 2026 feel completely different from every other &ldquo;new year, new me&rdquo; attempt.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li>The real reasons resolutions fail &mdash; and why January is actually the hardest time to overhaul your habits</li>
<li>Why waiting for motivation never works (and what to focus on instead)</li>
<li>How to set SMART goals that fit your real life, not your perfect-life fantasy</li>
<li>The one small daily &ldquo;anchor point&rdquo; that keeps your goals front-of-mind</li>
<li>Simple progress tracking that works even for the busiest women</li>
<li>Holiday &ldquo;healthy hacks&rdquo; to help you stay balanced without feeling restricted</li>
<li>How to avoid your personal &ldquo;Achilles heel&rdquo; habits that derail you every year</li>
<li>Our own 2026 health and lifestyle goals and how we&rsquo;re starting early</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re tired of restarting every January, this is the episode that finally shows you how to start small, stay consistent and build habits that last.
Press play &mdash; and start now, not later.

Forget January. This episode shows you how to build momentum now with small, achievable habits, SMART goals and simple daily tracking so your 2026 health goals actually last.

Stop Waiting for January: The Goal-Setting Episode You Actually Need.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/e611ac91-cc69-47c9-bd35-b39400a352d4/transcript

Party-Season Drinking: How Much Is Too Much? Plus Canapé Traps, A Woolies Chicken Win & Swimming as Exercise

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