If you've ever felt the need to nod seriously when zoonoses are mentioned, but had the thought 'I'll look that up later', then this week's nugget could be for you. We're unpacking a little more about diseases that first infect animals and then pop up in humans. A bit of homework, if you like, before we get deeper into the issues in next week's full episode.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

⁠https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership⁠

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health; with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950248926000040

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp048039

Animals, viruses, and us. ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZq-OnumvtU⁠

In this episode, we are joined by registered dietitian and public health nutritionist Ginny Messina, MPH, RD, one of the most respected voices in plant-based nutrition.

We dive into the growing controversy surrounding plant-based meat alternatives and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Are plant-based burgers and sausages really as unhealthy as some headlines suggest? Does the UPF label tell us everything we need to know about a food's health effects? And how should we think about plant-based meat within the context of an overall healthy dietary pattern?

Ginny is the author and co-author of several influential books, including Vegan for Life, and Even Vegans Die. She has spent decades helping people adopt nutritionally adequate plant-based diets grounded in science In this episode she brings her trademark evidence-based and nuanced perspective to explore:

• What the science actually says about plant-based meat alternatives
• The strengths and limitations of the NOVA classification system
• Whether all ultra-processed foods should be viewed equally
• The role of plant-based meats in supporting dietary transitions
• Nutrient considerations for vegans and vegetarians
• How to separate nutrition science from social media sensationalism

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1641234/full

To connect with Ginny:

Website: The Vegan RD
https://www.theveganrd.com

Substack: Resistance Kitchen
https://theresistancekitchen.substack.com

Books:
https://www.theveganrd.com/mybooks/

Vegan Nutrition Resources:
https://www.theveganrd.com/vegan-nutrition-101/

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who may be interested in learning more too. If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health; with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

A study published at the end of May provides more evidence that adherence to lifestyle recommendations endorsed by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research reduces the risk of dying from any cause. This week's nugget explains more.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below: ⁠

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership⁠ You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health; with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Cancer-factsheet-03.02.25.pdf

https://www.winchester.ac.uk/study/Short-courses/Courses/Lifestyle-medicine-for-cancer-prevention-and-survivorship/

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70437

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40361185/