Dr Joanna McMillan

Dr Joanna McMillan Nutrition scientist, speaker, author, TV presenter & food futurist Nutrition Scientist, TV Host, Speaker, Author & Food Futurist

19/06/2026

Dates are having a wellness moment.

They’re in “healthy” desserts, smoothies, protein balls, caramel slices and anything labelled refined sugar-free.

And yes — dates are absolutely more interesting than white sugar.

They’re a whole fruit.
They contain fibre, potassium, magnesium and polyphenols.
They bring that gorgeous caramel sweetness.

But they’re not magic.

Dates are still concentrated in natural sugars — and “natural sugar” is still sugar.

That doesn’t make them bad. It just means context matters.

One or two dates with nuts or yoghurt? Lovely.
A whole tray of date-sweetened brownies eaten as if they don’t count? That’s the wellness halo talking.

Dates can be a beautiful whole-food sweetener.

Just enjoy them for what they are: a delicious fruit — not a loophole.

When I was in Paris for a nutrition conference last year, the nearby cafe where we had lunch every day always had a gale...
18/06/2026

When I was in Paris for a nutrition conference last year, the nearby cafe where we had lunch every day always had a galette of the day on the menu. I think I had one pretty much every day I was there, so when I came home, I had to try to recreate it. You can use so many different flavours. I've gone with a fairly traditional breakfast idea, but you can do them with smoked salmon and goat's cheese, shaved ham with Gruyère or come up with your own fabulous fillings. What is key is to get that egg right in the middle and then fold in the sides so you get this cute little buckwheat pocket. Have a shot and share your favourite fillings below 👇

Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
½ cup buckwheat flour
1 egg
¾ cup water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt

Filling
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 button mushrooms, sliced
1 small handful baby spinach
2 eggs
2 tbsp grated Gruyère cheese (or you can use cheddar or parmesan)
Chives, finely chopped
Black pepper

Optional: chilli flakes and/or fresh herbs to finish

METHOD
Whisk buckwheat flour, egg, water (or milk), EVOO and salt. Rest the batter for 5–10 minutes.
Place the mushrooms in a pan and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until all the water evaporates. Add 1 tsp EVOO and sauté until golden.
Add spinach and wilt for 30 seconds. Season with pepper; set aside.
Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a thin film of EVOO. Pour in a ladle of batter and swirl to thinly coat the base. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the underside is golden.
Scatter half the mushrooms and spinach over the centre. Crack 1 egg onto the filling and sprinkle cheese around the egg.
Fold the 4 edges of the galette inward to form a square, leaving the yolk visible. Cover with a lid and cook 2–3 minutes until the egg white sets but yolk stays runny.
Repeat for the second galette.
Top with chives, black pepper, and optional chilli flakes. Serve immediately.

17/06/2026

Extra virgin olive oil brings so much more to the table than just “fat”.

A good EVOO brings:

healthy monounsaturated fats
plant bioactives including biophenols, squalene
& vitamin E compounds
Plus flavour, satisfaction and that gorgeous peppery, grassy, buttery character that makes vegetables, salads, soups and simple meals sing.

This is why I don’t love reducing foods to just calories or macros.

Because food is chemistry, biology, culture and pleasure all at once.

EVOO is a beautiful example of this: yes, it’s a fat — but it’s also a source of flavour and protective plant compounds that are one reason it sits at the heart of the Mediterranean diet.

So drizzle it.
Dip with it.
Cook with it.
Enjoy it.

16/06/2026

Bowel cancer is not just an “older person’s disease”.

We’re seeing more cases in people under 50 — and while cancer is complex, this is a reminder to take bowel health seriously.

This is not about blame. It’s about risk, patterns and paying attention.

There’s strong evidence that wholegrains and dietary fibre help protect against colorectal cancer, while processed meat, alcohol and higher body fat increase risk. Physical activity also helps protect against colon cancer.

So the basics matter:

More legumes.
More wholegrains.
More vegetables and fruit.
More nuts and seeds.
Less processed meat.
Go easy on alcohol.
Move your body.
Feed your gut microbes.

Not glamorous. But powerful.

And please don’t ignore symptoms because you’re young.

Blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, ongoing abdominal pain, unexplained iron deficiency or fatigue — speak to your GP.

It probably won’t be bowel cancer.

But it should not be dismissed.

Know your normal. Notice changes. Look after your gut.

13/06/2026

Same calories ≠ same effect in your body.

Ultra-processed foods aren’t just “foods in packets”. Many are built to be eaten quickly, are often low in fibre, and can crowd out the whole and minimally processed foods that support our gut, metabolism and overall health.

But this is not about panicking over every packaged food.

Frozen veg? Useful.
Plain yoghurt? Useful.
Some ready-made options? Absolutely useful.

The question I want you to ask is this:

Is this food helping me build a nourishing diet — or is it crowding out the foods my body and gut microbes need most?

12/06/2026

Your leftovers might be doing more for your gut than you realise.

When you cook and cool starchy foods — think potatoes, rice, pasta, oats or legumes — some of that starch changes structure and becomes resistant starch.

That means it resists digestion in the small intestine and travels further down into the large intestine, where your gut microbes can ferment it and produce beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids.

In plain English? Cooked and cooled carbs = fabulous food for your gut bugs.

Think:
🥔 potato salad
🍚 leftover rice or other grain bowls
🥣 overnight oats
🍝 pasta salad
🫘 beans and lentils in meal prep

And no, this doesn’t mean you need to fear carbs. It means the type of carbohydrate, the food it comes in, and how you prepare it all matter. And if you reheat your leftovers that's great too - you'll still get the resistant starch.

So yes — meal prep can absolutely be a gut-friendly move.

Save this for your next lunch prep.

12/06/2026

Healthy eating does not need to be perfect.

In fact, trying to make it perfect is often the very thing that makes it fall apart.

No snacks.
No sugar.
No 'insert whatever baddie is the trend today'.
No eating out.
No flexibility.

And then life happens — a busy day, dinner with friends, a slice of cake, a meal that wasn’t “on plan” — and suddenly the whole thing collapses.

That’s not a healthy eating pattern.
That’s all-or-nothing eating.

A genuinely healthy way of eating needs room for regular meals, nourishing foods, flexibility, satisfaction and joy.

It should support your life, not make you feel like you’ve failed every time you eat something imperfect.

Because the best eating pattern is not the strictest one.

It’s the one you can actually live with.

Consistency beats perfection.

11/06/2026

Can food naturally boost GLP-1?

Yes.

Is it the same as Ozempic?

No.

And that distinction matters.

GLP-1 is not something invented by a pharmaceutical company. Your body already makes it — in your gut — after you eat.

It helps regulate blood glucose, slows stomach emptying and sends fullness signals to the brain.

Food can influence your natural GLP-1 response, especially meals that contain protein, fibre, healthy fats and minimally processed whole foods.

Think:

Greek yoghurt, berries and nuts.
Eggs with wholegrain toast and avocado.
Lentil soup with veg and olive oil.
Fish or tofu with brown rice and colourful vegetables.

But no, sprinkling chia seeds on breakfast is not the same as taking a prescription GLP-1 medication.

These medications can be game changers for metabolic disease. But I hasten to add that nutrition still matters!

Food may not have the potency of a drug, but it can work with your biology gently and consistently.. without the side effects.

Build meals with protein, fibre and healthy fats to naturally support your appetite and nourish your body.

10/06/2026

Cinnamon for blood sugar?

Maybe a little.

Magic fairy dust?

Absolutely not.

There is some research suggesting cinnamon may have a modest effect on blood glucose, especially in people with insulin resistance, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

But most studies use cinnamon daily for weeks — not one tiny sprinkle on breakfast.

And the effect, when it happens, is modest.

Cinnamon will not cancel out a sugary dessert, replace medication, or do the job of fibre-rich foods, movement and overall diet quality.

The other issue? Coumarin.

Cassia cinnamon — often sold as “Dutch cinnamon” in Australia — is much higher in coumarin, which can be a liver concern in larger daily amounts.

So if you’re using cinnamon every day by the teaspoon, choose Ceylon cinnamon, also called true cinnamon.

Enjoy cinnamon because it’s delicious.

Just don’t treat it like blood sugar magic.

On set at the Today show talking stocks, broths and bone broths — and whether they really deserve all the wellness hype....
09/06/2026

On set at the Today show talking stocks, broths and bone broths — and whether they really deserve all the wellness hype.

My take? A good stock or broth can be a brilliant kitchen staple. It adds flavour, helps you cook more nourishing meals, and can be a lovely comforting base for soups, stews, risottos and veggie-packed bowls.

But it’s not a miracle cure in a mug.

When choosing a stock or broth, check the label:

✅ Low sodium
✅ Short ingredient list
✅ Real food ingredients
✅ No miracle claims

Much is made about protein in broth, but honestly we are talking grams... the real protein win comes from what you add. Think leftover meat, beans, lentils, seafood or tofu.

The real health win is using stocks and broths to help you eat more vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, seafood and other nutrient-rich foods. And not just in soup! They are also brilliant to add flavour to stews, casseroles, gravy and slow cooker dishes.

Flavour first. Food first. No wellness woo required.

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