Why am I tired all the time?

“Fibre isn’t sexy. But the science of fibre truly is.” Fibre has an image problem. Say the word out loud and most people think poo, farts, bloating — maybe your grandmother’s cereal box. Hardly the stuff of food joy. Delicious Science with Dr Joanna McMillan is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Delicious Science with Dr Joanna McMillan is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Delicious Science with Dr Joanna McMillan is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode of Delicious Science, I’m diving into one of nutrition’s most heated debates: plants versus animals. Should we all be eating more plants? Are animal foods unfairly maligned? And can a diet include meat, fish, eggs and dairy while still supporting health and sustainability? My answer is a resounding yes — but with nuance. I explore why humans evolved as omnivores, why whole plant foods are essential for fibre, phytonutrients, gut health and long-term disease prevention, and why animal foods bring important nutrients that are harder to replace, including high-quality protein, haem iron, vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, omega-3s and lesser-known “zoonutrients” such as creatine, choline, taurine and carnosine. We also tackle sustainability, where the story is far more complex than “plants good, animals bad”. How food is produced, how much we waste, and how much ultra-processed food we eat all matter enormously. This episode introduces my Plant-Rich Omnivore approach — or PRO diet — a way of eating built on diversity, balance and joy: plenty of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and olive oil, with quality animal foods included thoughtfully. Because nutrition should not make us more anxious. It should help us eat better, feel better, and enjoy food more. Listen in if you’re tired of the diet wars and ready for a more delicious, science-backed middle ground.

Dr. Joanna McMillan critically examines the limitations of the Health Star Rating system, especially its application to cooking oils like extra virgin olive oil, and advocates for a more nuanced approach to food labeling that reflects food complexity and dietary patterns. keywords Health Star rating, food labeling, extra virgin olive oil, nutrition science, food complexity, dietary patterns, public health, food policy