Rob Hobson Nutritionist, Cardiff (2026)

13/03/2026

The US government is working on a formal definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) which is something that could influence nutrition policy, food labelling and public health messaging.

At the moment most research uses the NOVA classification system, which groups foods according to how processed they are rather than just their nutrient content. That framework has been hugely influential in research, but it was never really designed to function as a regulatory definition.

Turning a research concept into policy is where things get a little tricky.

Once you start drawing lines around what counts as an ultra-processed food, the grey areas appear quickly. Foods like baked beans, fortified breakfast cereals or fortified plant milks can technically fall into the ultra-processed category, but they may still provide fibre, protein or useful micronutrients.

So the real question is how that definition will be used.

Could it shape food labelling systems, school food standards or marketing restrictions? Probably, but policymakers also need to be careful that any definition doesn’t oversimplify the reality of how people eat.

Another interesting angle in this debate is that some researchers have suggested flipping the problem on its head so instead of defining ultra-processed foods, start by defining what counts as minimally processed foods, and work outward from there.

The wider conversation here isn’t just about processing. It’s about diet quality, food environments and how modern diets are structured.

For most people, improving health still comes down to pretty simple principles of eating more whole foods, cooking when possible and building meals around nutrient-dense ingredients.

As this debate evolves, it will be interesting to see whether ultra-processed foods become a formal part of nutrition policy.

Curious to hear your thoughts….should nutrition advice focus on avoiding ultra-processed foods, or is it more helpful to focus on overall diet quality and dietary patterns?

12/03/2026

Most of us were taught that the burning feeling during intense exercise is caused by lactic acid.

Exercise physiology now paints a slightly more nuanced picture.

During very intense efforts your body relies heavily on anaerobic glycolysis to rapidly break down carbohydrate for energy. As this process speeds up, hydrogen ions accumulate inside the muscle, which lowers muscle pH and increases acidity in the muscle cell. This change in the muscle environment can interfere with muscle contraction and energy production, which contributes to the burning sensation you feel during hard efforts.

Lactate itself isn’t really the villain it was once thought to be. In fact it can be recycled and used as a fuel source by muscles, the heart and other tissues during exercise something known as the lactate shuttle.

It’s also worth remembering that exercise fatigue is complex. The burning sensation during intense efforts is largely linked to increasing acidity in the muscle, but fatigue can also be influenced by factors such as glycogen availability, central nervous system fatigue, hydration status and overall training load.

The good news is your body adapts.

With consistent training especially high-intensity intervals the body improves its ability to tolerate and buffer this acidity. This is one reason hard training sessions become more manageable over time.

Some athletes also experiment with supplements that support buffering capacity during intense exercise, including beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate, although these tend to be most useful in specific high-intensity sports and events.

Simple ways to improve tolerance to the burn

• Include structured high-intensity intervals in training�• Build a strong aerobic base�• Make sure carbohydrate intake supports training demands�• Stay well hydrated during longer sessions�• Prioritise recovery between hard efforts

Understanding what’s actually happening in your muscles can help you train smarter and push through those tough moments when your legs start to burn.

Follow for more evidence-based sports nutrition and performance tips.

10/03/2026

I’m often asked how to support an older adult whose appetite has dramatically reduced. Sometimes it’s a parent, a partner or another family member and meals that were once routine suddenly become a challenge and people understandably worry that they’re doing something wrong.

In reality, low appetite in older adults is really common and It can happen for many reasons including illness, dementia, medications, fatigue, changes in taste and smell, dental issues or reduced mobility.

When appetite drops, the nutrition strategy often needs to change and instead of focusing on large balanced meals, the priority becomes maintaining weight, strength and energy which usually means thinking differently about food.

Smaller portions can work better, but they often need to be more nutrient-dense so that even a few bites provide meaningful nutrition. Foods rich in protein, healthy fats and easy-to-eat carbohydrates can help support muscle, energy levels and recovery.

Another approach that can help is “little and often” eating. Small meals, snacks and nourishing drinks spaced throughout the day can feel much more manageable than three large meals.

Texture can also matter as some people find softer foods easier to eat, particularly if chewing becomes difficult. If someone starts coughing or choking when eating or drinking, it’s important to speak to a healthcare professional because swallowing difficulties may need specialist advice.

This is a topic I worked on a lot earlier in my career, and it’s something families often struggle with because there isn’t always clear practical guidance.

Hopefully the ideas in this post give you some useful starting points if you’re supporting someone with low appetite, weight loss or dementia.

And if you know someone trying to help an older family member eat better, it may help them too.

👉 Save this post so you have the food ideas when you need them.

09/03/2026

Low appetite doesn’t mean eating well has to be expensive, but it can become that way if you’re not careful about food waste.

When people eat less, the biggest money drain often isn’t the food itself, it’s half-used packs, forgotten leftovers or buying convenience foods because you don’t feel like cooking.

In the reel I shared a few strategies that help:

• Batch cook where you can and freeze portions for low-energy days�• Use frozen vegetables, berries or fish so you only cook what you need�• Cook components rather than full meals so things like lentils, grains or chicken that can be mixed and matched through the week�• Store leftover beans or lentils from tins in containers so you can use a few spoonfuls at a time

A few other simple habits can help reduce waste and save money:

• Buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than large packs so you only buy what you’ll actually eat�• Don’t be afraid to halve recipes if your appetite is smaller than it used to be�• Use the freezer strategically so small portions of soup, bread, herbs or sauces can all be frozen and used later�• Choose multi-use ingredients like eggs, yoghurt, beans, grains or tinned fish that can work across several meals

When appetite is low, food also needs to work harder nutritionally. Smaller meals still need to deliver protein, fibre and key nutrients to support energy, muscle and overall health.

This is exactly the approach behind my book The Low Appetite Cookbook, which focuses on helping people make every bite count nutritionally when appetite is reduced.
Follow mefor more evidence-based nutrition advice.

The Low Appetite Cookbook – link in bio.

07/03/2026

This Herby Lentils with Whipped Feta is a great example of how to build a nutrient-dense meal when appetite is low.
When people are eating smaller portions every bite needs to work a bit harder nutritionally. This dish combines protein, fibre and healthy fats in a relatively light meal that still feels satisfying.

Lentils provide plant protein and fibre to support gut health, carrots add fibre and beta-carotene, while whipped feta and yoghurt boost the protein content. Extra virgin olive oil, herbs and toasted cumin bring flavour and beneficial plant compounds so the dish tastes vibrant without needing lots of ingredients.

If you want a larger serving size double mixture and you can serve with a slice of your favourite bread or wholegrain crackers.

Serves 2
Nutrition per serving: 370 kcal | 17g protein | 6.5g fibre

Ingredients�
100g feta cheese
100g skyr or Greek yoghurt
1 large carrot, peeled and halved lengthways
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Zest and juice of ¼ lemon
1 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
90g cooked puy lentils
1 heaped tbsp toasted flaked almonds
Sea salt

Method

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil.
2. Blend the feta and skyr using a stick blender until smooth or beat in a large bowl with a spatula. Season with a little salt then
set aside.
3. Simmer the carrot for 3 minutes in the pan of boiling water. Drain and leave to steam-dry before cutting into diagonal slices.
4. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds.
5. In a bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, toasted cumin seeds, parsley and carrots with a pinch of salt. Toss gently to coat.
6. Spread the whipped feta between 2 small plates then top with the lentils and the carrot salad. Finish with almonds and a small
drizzle of olive oil.

The Low Appetite Cookbook (link in bio)

Save this recipe and follow for more evidence-based nutrition advice and healthy recipes.

05/03/2026

Before asking “what supplement do I need?” it might be worth asking a different question.

Why am I not getting enough in the first place?

In my work as a nutritionist I often see people jump straight to supplements when they’re experiencing things like low energy, poor sleep, brain fog or low mood. The assumption is that the body must be missing a specific nutrient that can be fixed with a capsule.

But the bigger picture is often more complicated.

The UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) consistently shows patterns that tell a broader story about how we eat. Fibre intakes are low, oily fish intake is low, vitamin D intake is below recommendations for most people, and many teenage girls have low intakes of several micronutrients. That points less to a “supplement deficiency” and more to a dietary pattern issue.

Food delivers nutrients within a complex matrix of fibre, fats, protein, polyphenols and thousands of bioactive compounds interacting together. A supplement can be useful in the right context, but it can’t replicate that system.
And to be clear, I’m not anti-supplement.

In performance nutrition we use them strategically all the time: caffeine for performance, creatine for strength, protein powder for convenience, energy gels during endurance exercise, electrolytes during prolonged training. But these work best once diet and fuelling are already optimised… the nutrition fine print if you like.

One thing that often surprises me when working with people on lower incomes is how much of their food budget sometimes goes on supplements, when that money could often have a bigger impact spent on foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains or oily fish.

Where supplements become problematic is when they distract from the fundamentals of diet quality, energy intake, sleep, stress, training load and overall lifestyle patterns.

Supplements can play a useful role alongside a good diet, but they don’t replace the foundations.

03/03/2026

Most people in the UK aren’t hitting the recommended 30g of fibre a day and that matters for gut health, digestion, cholesterol and long-term metabolic health.

And while I love data… I also know most people don’t want to count grams.

So here’s my high-fibre cupboard hack which is a simple way to build a high fibre diet without tracking 👇

Stock your kitchen with fibre-rich staples:�
Oats�Brown rice�Wholemeal pasta�Tinned beans and lentils�Chickpeas�Nuts�Seeds�Ground flaxseed�Wholegrain wraps�High-fibre cereals

Then at every meal, choose two of them. Here’s what that looks like across a day:

Breakfast�Porridge (5g) topped with chia and pumpkin seeds (4g)�→ 9g fibre

Lunch�Brown rice (4g) + black beans (6g) in a stir fry�→ 10g fibre

Snack�Greek yoghurt with almonds (2g) and ground flaxseed (2g)�→ 4g fibre

Dinner�Salmon with a chickpea and tomato sauce (7g) + sprinkle of seeds (2g)�→ 9g fibre

That’s roughly 32g fibre before we’ve even added fruit and vegetables.
Add fruit, leafy greens, peppers, broccoli or salad and you’re comfortably over target, supporting your gut microbiome and overall digestive health.

Two high-fibre foods per meal.�Layer it in. Let it add up.
That’s how you make 30g fibre realistic.

28/02/2026

This Nordic Seed Loaf is one of the most saved recipes I’ve shared.

It’s flourless, high in fibre, rich in plant protein and packed with healthy fats from seeds and extra virgin olive oil. When appetite is low, or you want to boost the nutrient density of a meal without increasing volume, this works brilliantly.

Each slice provides 5.7g fibre and 8g protein, alongside magnesium, iron and zinc. Flax, chia and psyllium form a natural soluble fibre gel that gives structure without flour or yeast while supporting gut health, satiety and its also great for your heart health!

It keeps for days and turns a simple soup or salad into something far more substantial. Try it with smoked salmon, hummus or a boiled egg to increase protein further.

Serves 12�247 kcal | 8g protein | 5.7g fibre per slice

Ingredients
�100g sunflower seeds�100g pumpkin seeds�50g flaxseeds�50g sesame seeds�50g chia seeds�100g rolled oats�50g hazelnuts or almonds, chopped�2 tbsp psyllium husk�1 tsp sea salt�350ml water�1 tbsp maple syrup or honey�3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method
�1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix water, honey and olive oil separately, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir until thick.
2. Spoon into a lined 20 x 10cm loaf tin, press firmly and smooth the top. Rest for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
3. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25 minutes, remove from tin and bake directly on the rack for 20–25 minutes more until firm and golden.
4. Cool completely before slicing.

Save this recipe and follow me for more evidence nutrition advice and healthy recipes.

25/02/2026

Crispy Tempeh Nourish Bowl with Green Goddess Kimchi Dressing & Charred Broccoli

A high-protein, high-fibre dinner bowl built around fermented foods, whole grains and diverse plant fibres to support gut health and microbiome diversity.

Created for as part of their 30-Day Gut Reset.

Serves 2 | 550 calories | 22g protein | 12g fibre per serving
Ingredients

For the bowl�
200g tempeh, sliced�1 tbsp tamari�1 tbsp maple syrup�1 tsp rice vinegar�1 tbsp olive or sesame oil�200g cooked black or brown rice�¼ red cabbage, shredded�1 cucumber, ribboned�1 avocado, sliced�200g tenderstem broccoli�1 tsp olive oil�Fresh coriander or mint�Toasted sesame seeds

For the Green Goddess Kimchi Dressing�
2 heaped tbsp kimchi�3 tbsp yoghurt or kefir�Small handful herbs�1 tbsp lemon juice�1 tbsp olive oil�1 small garlic clove

Method

1. Marinate the tempeh in tamari, maple syrup and rice vinegar. Fry in oil until deep golden and crisp.
2. Toss broccoli in olive oil and cook in a hot pan, leaving undisturbed so it lightly chars before turning.
3. Build the bowl with rice, cabbage and cucumber. Add avocado and broccoli.
4. Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth.
5. Top with crispy tempeh, spoon over the dressing and finish with herbs and sesame seeds.

This bowl layers fermented tempeh, kimchi and kefir with wholegrain rice and high-fibre vegetables — exactly the kind of dietary diversity that helps support digestive health.

👉 Join Bio-Kult’s 30-Day Gut Reset

24/02/2026

Training hard but not progressing?
It might not be your programme. It might be a nutrient gap which I talk about in my latest feature in Womens Fitness this month.

Underfueling in women is rarely extreme dieting. It’s subtle, cumulative. and pretty common.

You can: ✔ Train 4–5 times a week ✔ Eat “clean” ✔ Hit your step count ✔ Prioritise protein at dinner

… and still have low energy availability across the day.

Here are 6 practical fixes I use in sports nutrition when performance stalls:

1️⃣ Stop back-loading protein If most of your protein intake lands in the evening, you’re missing opportunities earlier in the day. Aim for 20–30g at breakfast and lunch to support muscle repair and strength adaptation.
2️⃣ Shorten the gap between meals Long gaps blunt appetite and reduce total energy intake. A small post-workout meal (even if appetite is low) protects recovery.
3️⃣ Add energy without adding bulk If you struggle with appetite, increase calories via fats (olive oil, nut butter, seeds) rather than just volume. This improves nutrient density without feeling overwhelming.
4️⃣ Eat before you train, even something small. Training fasted when overall intake is low compounds the problem.
5️⃣ Reduce intensity slightly if needed Pulling back marginally on exercise intensity while fuelling better often leads to better strength gains not worse.
6️⃣ Watch the red flags Persistent fatigue, stalled progress, disrupted cycles, frequent illness, low mood these are not motivation problems. They’re often fuelling problems.

This isn’t about eating more for the sake of it, It’s about matching intake to training load.

Performance nutrition for women isn’t about extremes. It’s about structure.
If this resonates, tell me if you think you’re under-recovered… or under-fuelled?

22/02/2026

Most adults in the UK aren’t eating enough fibre.

We should be aiming for 30g per day, yet average intake sits closer to 17g and only around 5% of adults reach the target.
That gap matters. Fibre supports gut health, cholesterol balance, blood sugar control and long-term metabolic health.

This chocolate spread made from black beans and a simple way to increase fibre without overhauling your diet. It sounds weird, but it works.

Black beans provide fibre, plant protein and key minerals including magnesium, iron and calcium. Cocoa brings polyphenols. Extra virgin olive oil improves texture and adds a slightly peppery flavour.

It’s nutrient-dense, simple and genuinely satisfying.

Serve it on wholemeal or granary toast, spread onto high-fibre crackers, swirl through porridge or spoon into yoghurt with berries.
If you want it richer, blend try adding 1 tablespoon of peanut butter which add extra creaminess.

Think of this as a fibre booster across the day.

Black Bean Chocolate Spread
16 servings
45 kcal | 3g protein | 4g per serving

Ingredients�
400g cooked black beans (drained and rinsed)�2 tbsp cocoa powder�1–2 tbsp honey�1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil�4 tbsp plant milk�Pinch of sea salt�
Optional: 1 tbsp peanut butter

Method
�Add the black beans, cocoa powder, honey, olive oil and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add the plant milk gradually until you reach a silky, spreadable consistency.
Blend thoroughly so it becomes completely smooth. If using peanut butter, add and blend again.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm slightly before serving.

Small changes add up. This is how you build fibre in a practical way.
Follow me for evidence-based nutrition advice and simple, nutrient-dense recipes.

19/02/2026

School meals are back in the headlines and this one matters.

I worked in school food in the mid-2000s and saw first-hand the changes that followed the Jamie Oliver campaign. Nutrition standards improved. There was more cooking from scratch. Clear guidelines around fat, sugar and salt. And it genuinely raised the quality of UK school meals.

But the conversation has moved on.

Back then, the focus was nutrients. Today, we’re also talking about ultra-processed foods, food quality, and food education and that’s an important shift.
School meals aren’t just about meeting calorie targets. For many children, it’s the most nutritious meal of their day. It affects concentration, behaviour, long-term health and even how children understand what “healthy” looks like.

Yes, budgets are tight. Yes, food inflation and staffing pressures are real. But if we expect schools to deliver healthy, fresh meals, funding and policy need to reflect that.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about upgrading the system.

Because school food isn’t just catering, it’s a public health intervention.

If we want healthier adults in the future, we have to start with healthier school meals.

Let me know your thoughts…..

Rob Hobson Nutritionist

13/03/2026

12/03/2026

10/03/2026

09/03/2026

07/03/2026

05/03/2026

03/03/2026

28/02/2026

25/02/2026

24/02/2026

22/02/2026

19/02/2026

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