Iodine
Iodine is a trace mineral the body cannot make, yet it sits at the very heart of how we burn energy and grow. The thyroid gland
22 June 2026
Evidence-based nutrition, in plain English — every entry sourced from clinical research.
Every entry in this collection — sourced, checked and written to be read.
Iodine is a trace mineral the body cannot make, yet it sits at the very heart of how we burn energy and grow. The thyroid gland
EPA and DHA are the two long-chain omega-3 fats found in oily fish — the active forms the body uses most readily, unlike the plant omega-3
Dietary fibre is the part of plant foods your body cannot digest — and that is exactly the point. It slows the release of sugar into
Monounsaturated fat is the headline fat of the Mediterranean diet — the kind that dominates olive oil, avocados and most nuts. Where saturated fat tends to
Capsaicin is the fiery compound that gives chilli peppers their heat, a plant defence molecule that evolved to deter animals but which humans have embraced with
Chlorogenic acid is one of the most abundant polyphenols in the Western diet, and coffee is overwhelmingly its leading source. It is the antioxidant largely responsible
EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, is the signature catechin of green tea and the most studied of all the tea polyphenols. It is the compound behind much
The world’s most common stimulant, from coffee, tea and cocoa — sharpens alertness; effects and tolerance vary widely.
Coenzyme Q10, also called ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble compound found in nearly every cell, concentrated in the energy-hungry tissues of the heart, kidneys and liver. The
Taurine is a sulphur-containing amino acid that, unlike most others, is not built into proteins but floats freely inside cells, where it is abundant in the
Creatine is a nitrogen-rich compound your body part-makes in the liver and kidneys, with the remainder coming from the plate. It is stored chiefly in muscle,
Resveratrol is the celebrated polyphenol most associated with red wine and the so-called “French paradox”, though it is the grapes, rather than the alcohol, that supply