Consensus & Confusion While the '25–'30 Dietary Guidelines repeat familiar messages like eat more veggies & fruits, they also overemphasize protein, downplay fiber, muddy guidance on processed foods, and send mixed messages on saturated fat. My take: med.stanford.edu/nutrition/ne...

AHA Levy Lecture Honored to deliver the '25 @American_Heart Robert Levy Memorial Lecture @ #AHA25 Scientific Sessions in NOLA. I spoke about how science communication can inspire trust, reduce polarization & empower healthier choices. Thanks to Dr. Chiadi Ndumele for presenting me w/the award

Stanford Food Summit Two weeks ago, nearly 300 researchers & change makers came together for the '25 @Stanford Food Summit. It was a day of connection, inspiring keynotes, and action-driven discussions on building healthier, more sustainable food systems. Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

2025 Stanford Food Summit - YouTube

Hosted by Stanford Medicine’s Plant-Based Diet Initiative, this daylong conference brought together Stanford researchers, faculty, staff, and community partn...

youtube.com

UPFs in Schools Join me + other school food experts on Sept 17 @ 1 pm ET for “Reducing Ultra-Processed Meals: The Next Chapter in School Food” - the second webinar in the three-part Healthy School Food for Thought series hosted by Chef Ann Foundation Register: bit.ly/4c3dOTY

MAHA Report The new report gets some things right - better diets, more activity, less exposure to chemicals. But ignoring solid science in favor of “whim & whimsy” (like deep-frying in beef tallow) won’t improve children’s health. Evidence-based nutrition will. www.cnn.com/2025/09/10/h...

MAHA’s ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again’ guidance ignores real causes of poor childhood health, experts say | CNN

Experts say the latest MAHA report, which focused on children’s health, didn’t include science-backed ways or funding to improve their well-being.

cnn.com

#SchoolFoodReimagined We’ve got something exciting cooking with Eat Real Certified…and it’s about the future of school meals. Stay tuned for the big reveal this Thursday!

Just published! Congrats to lead authors, Dalia Perelman & Elisa Caffrey, on publishing "Unpacking Food Fermentation" in Advances in Nutrition. They explore what we know (and don’t) about fermented foods & why clearer definitions & research matter. 🔗 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Unpacking Food Fermentation: Clinically Relevant Tools for Fermented Food Identification and Consumption

Fermented foods have been consumed for millennia, valued for their extended shelf life, distinctive sensory properties, and potential health benefits. Emerging research suggests that fermented food co...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Beans, Peas and Lentils Good for your health, your budget, and the environment, as engagingly revealed by Anahad O'Connor www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202...

Want to eat healthier? Add half a cup of this food to your daily diet.

Beans are packed with nutrients, and experts suggest adding half a cup to your favorite meals for an easy health boost.

washingtonpost.com

🎉Emmy-Nominated! “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” — the @netflix docuseries featuring our @stanford Twins Study — is up for an Emmy in the Outstanding Lifestyle Program category! What a powerful nod to science communication and good research.

🌱🍓Farm to Table Camp For the 14th year, we're partnering w/ @SantaClaraUSD on their 11-acre farm in Sunnyvale, CA. Kids garden, cook, & learn where food comes from. We're thrilled to support the district's new greenhouse w/ help from @ardmore_health. www.svvoice.com/new-greenhou...

New Greenhouse At SCUSD Farm Offers Unique Learning Opportunities - The Silicon Valley Voice

The Santa Clara Unified School District cut the ribbon on its new greenhouse on April 26, giving students a new educational tool.

svvoice.com

IGNITE Firefighters' Health Study We’re fired up to partner with @SFFDPIO + sffcpf.org on a groundbreaking study asking: Can a whole-food, plant-based diet help reduce cancer risk in firefighters? Big questions, bold science, and more exciting updates to come soon!

Huberman Lab podcast Had a great time chatting with Andrew Huberman on his podcast about all things food & health - popular diets, protein myths, gut health, food allergies & more. Grateful to have had the opportunity to share evidence-based nutrition insights. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQZ...

New Publication: FeFiFo-MOMS Methods Our latest publication outlines our FeFiFo-MOMS study design, paving the way for future research on how diet during pregnancy impacts the microbiomes of mom & baby—an area still not well understood. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Unapologetic Deliciousness Talk This is my 2nd attempt to give this talk in Vallejo, CA @ Touro University. The first attempt on Dec 5, 2024 coincided w/ a California earthquake & automatic tsunami warning that led to evacuating campus, including me. 😱🌊 (there was no tsunami)

Excited to Present at #CIAHKHL For 20+ years, the Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference has united healthcare and culinary arts to improve access to healthy, affordable food. See you there? Learn more at www.healthykitchens.org/schedule

Anti-transgender executive order @melissamichelson.bsky.social comments on the Executive Order and cites her scholarly work for the past decade on why this can lead to real harm for transgender people blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Trump’s anti-transgender executive order claims to protect women, but will lead to real harms for transgender people, women and men

Donald Trump’s executive order which insists that gender is equivalent to sex follows the president’s repeated attacks on transgender people and their rights during the 2024 election campaign, writ…

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Believe Science, Not Hype RFK Jr. & influencers call seed oils "poison," but research shows they can be part of a healthy diet. The real issue? Misinformation. As @neiltyson says, “Science is true, whether or not you believe in it.” My @MSNBC op-ed: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | RFK Jr.’s fight against seed oils raises two key questions

I agree with Trump's HHS nominee on the dangers of ultraprocessed foods, but please don’t replace all your seed oils with tallow — no matter what you hear at a congressional hearing.

msnbc.com

Nutrition Consensus over Controversy Nutrition topics can feel like a battleground in the media, but with the right context, there’s actually more consensus than controversy. I unpack this and clear up confusion during a recent Mayo Clinic podcast. 🎤: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU_3...

Current Nutritional Controversies- What is the Science Behind the Current Trends in Mainstream Media

YouTube video by Mayo Clinic

youtube.com

Healthy New Year Webinar Excited to join Wellness Wednesday on Jan 15 at 11 AM PT. I’ll share insights on what to eat (and avoid) for better health, plus tackle nutrition misinformation and how diet info can get 'ultra-processed.' Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Dietary Guidelines After 2 years, 421 pages, and countless hours, the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee submitted its recommendations. I spoke with @StanfordMedicine “Scope" about the science, politics, and equity shaping what’s on our plates. scopeblog.stanford.edu/2024/12/19/d...

More beans, peas, lentils: A nutrition expert's take on new guidelines

Americans are not eating well, Stanford Medicine's Christopher Gardner says, but he is hopeful that encouraging patterns of eating — such as the Mediterranean diet — will help us improve our habits.

scopeblog.stanford.edu

US News & World Report - Best Diets @usnews has just released the #BestDiets ratings for 2025. I am honored to be on the panel reviewing these diets. I offered my expertise in evaluating each of the rated diets in different categories. health.usnews.com/best-diet

Big news for beans🌱 As part of the '25 US Dietary Advisory Committee, we recommended putting beans, peas, & lentils at the top of MyPlate's protein section instead of meat. Why? They have protein, fiber, and no saturated fat. Small swap, big impact! www.cnn.com/2024/12/12/h...

A lowly vegetable rises to stardom in newly released dietary advisory report | CNN

Beans and legumes now hold a prize spot in a new dietary advisory report, which fails to act on ultraprocessed foods.

cnn.com

🎥 Does science stream better on Netflix? Last week I had the honor of presenting at Stanford Medicine's Grand Rounds, where I shared lessons on blending science with pop culture. Curious about the power of science communication? This talk is for you! 🎤 youtu.be/1IfpZhM_o4o?...

"Communicating What to Eat – To Netflix or Not" | 11 December 2024

YouTube video by Stanford Department of Medicine

youtu.be

How Diet-Health Misinformation Gets Ultraprocessed: Exposing Hidden Agendas and Distorted Narratives Honored to be part of this discussion. Wednesday Dec 11, noon PST My talk will be: Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Industry Influence? Spoiler alert: I'm very IMPRESSED with DGAC process!

Stanford Medical Grand Rounds This was fun! Weds Dec 11th I got to present at MGR. 8-9 am "Communicating What to Eat: To Netflix of Not" It will be recorded and available later for those who couldn't be there in person.

Dr Professor Dean Ms Marathon My AMAZING wife, @melissamichelson.bsky.social , just finished her 18th marathon this morning….in Honolulu. Awesome finishing time. Looks fresh as a daisy?! How does she do it! 🤷 Crazy! 🏃🏻‍♀️🏅

Plant-Protein & Heart Health New research: Eating more plant protein may cut heart disease risk. The key isn't just protein—it's the fiber & lower saturated fat in plant-based options vs. animal proteins. Prioritize fiber & cut sat fat for heart health. www.healthline.com/health-news/...

Heart Disease: Eating More Plant Than Animal Protein May Reduce Risk

Regularly eating more plant-based than animal protein may significantly lower your cardiovascular and coronary heart disease risk.

healthline.com

Fighting Nutrition Misinformation Join me at @TrueHealthINIT’s online symposium, "How Diet-Health Misinformation Gets Ultraprocessed" on 12/11. Let’s tackle nutrition misinformation & share solutions for a healthier future. 🔗 Agenda + Registration: thi.today/11dec

Giving Thanks Great day of family, friends, and delicious food yesterday. All four of our boys are home this weekend. So much to be thankful for…. ….including leftovers! 😋

Stanford Food Summit 2024 Pictures and videos are available from our Nov 1st event. Keynote by Doerr School of Sustainability Dean Arun Majumdar, and expert panels on Food and Sustainability and Food is Medicine. Brief write up on the event 👇 med.stanford.edu/foodsummit/n...