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Dr Emma Beckett

@dremmabeckett.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.3K following 159 posts

PhD, RNutr "The Ms Frizzle of #Food & #Nutrition #Science" Food: science, media, fashion & fun facts. Same handle all places. FOODiQ #NutritionNerd & academic.

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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
I've seen a whole lot of content lately about people realising they aren't actually fat, that diet culture has just been lying to them. That's great for you all, but please remember what these declarations say to people who are actually fat.
DIET CULTURE IMPACTS PEOPLE OF ALL SIZES.
BUT NOT IN THE SAME WAY DIET CULTURE & FATPHOBIA IMPACT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LARGER BODIES.
LEARNING THAT YOU AREN’T FAT IS GREAT FOR SOME.
BUT LEARNING THAT “BEING FAT” SHOULDN’T BE A THING YOU FEAR & INTEROGATING WHY YOU FEAR IT IS A STEP MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO BE SKIPPING, AND THAT COULD HELP EVERYONE. and me pointing at the text. I'm a chonky lady with pale skin and dark hair.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Medication is medication. But societal discourse and judgement is a hole other thing.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
The trolls love to say "Don't listen to her about nutrition - you might end up looking like her." But I'm not telling you to eat like me (that would be silly; you're not me & I don't know enough about you) But as instructional as I get is to say -- be wary of instructional one size fits all advice.
Me, pointing at the text, pulling kind of smug mmm hmm face. and the text says "I’M NOT ASKING OR TELLING YOU TO EAT LIKE ME. I’M SHARING INFORMATION YOU CAN CHOOSE TO USE (or not) TO EAT LIKE YOU.
Honestly, you should be very wary of anyone saying “eat like me” without caveats, particularly if it implies eating like them will lead to you therefore being like them."
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/c7tt9rf3176cgsda17p6e7sqd3fx7h
Photos of me eating a bunch of potatoes and the text - We don’t have good science on fad diets.
Often there’s no direct evidence to say if a fad diet is specifically good or bad.
This doesn’t mean we can’t make recommendations from the body of knowledge.
BUT
We can’t study everything, for reasons of time, cost & practicality.
It’s also unethical to put people on diets that we believe will cause harm"
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
Someone asked why melted cheese tastes so much better...I love these Qs, it's food science we take for granted! Melting breaks down fats and proteins to release umami + aroma/flavour compounds. The gooey texture spreads to the tastebuds better + the Maillard reaction creates that toasty flavour.
Me in a blue skirt and top combo with cheese print, cheese toasty earrings and specs with yellow frames and a cheese toasty being stretched apart behind me.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/using-t...
Using the word fat - thoughts on balancing the needs of multiple communities because people with EDs and people with larger bodies exist and both matter.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/being-a...
dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com
Being Anti-Diet Culture Doesn’t Mean I’m naïve about weight loss. — Dr Emma Beckett - Food & Nutrition Scientist
I am on a mission to destroy diet culture. I am body neutral to positive. I don’t believe that weight loss necessarily or automatically means you have improved your health. This leads some people ...
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
I often describe myself as 'fat' or 'chonky' - and people reply with "No you aren't, you're beautiful" or whatever else. I appreciate the attempted kindness, but it's not the compliment people think it is, it's actually an unkindness. www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/think-t...
dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com
Think Twice Before Saying ‘You’re Not Fat, You’re…’ — Dr Emma Beckett - Food & Nutrition Scientist
For a word that’s just a descriptor, ‘fat’ carries a lot of baggage. People dance around it, avoid it, and replace it with euphemisms—‘curvy,’ ‘plus-size,’ ‘fluffy.’ But ‘fat’ is not an insult, unless...
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
The more mainstream media I do, the more I get comments like this. Often it's trolls-But sometimes people have just been so conditioned by diet culture & emboldened by the internet that they don't even see the problem with their comments. www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/yes-im-...
Me in my bread dress blowing kissy face with the text "‘BUT YOU’RE FAT!
What do you know?’
I AM.
Thanks for noticing.
I’m also driven, educated, kind, qualified, smart, sassy and HUMAN.
Being smaller (or bigger) wouldn’t make me more or less of any of
those things."
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 30/03/2025
Are you coming to Diet Culture Be Gone at #NWF2025? We will now be in Nuspace X321 at 4.30pm - Saturday 5th of April. Tell your friends! It's free, no need to book, but I would love to see as many of your there as possible (I have actual fears of speaking to an empty room).
The promo for diet culture be gone at newcastle writers festival with an updated time and location bannerThe new time and location as in the caption. Nuspace X321 (level 3) with a new start time of 4.30pm Sat April 5th. Newcastle Writers festival logo - Discover the stories behind the stories.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
I was a guest on Weekend today on Ch9 this morning. I know people aren’t used to seeing anything other than stick thin on TV… but my body is my body, not my qualification or business card. Props to Today for knowing I’m fat & trusting me anyway. “Oscar” can get in the bin.
Me standing on the weekend today set. 
A message from a troll that’s says “Just saw your segment on tv
Very informative
Im not trying to be nasty but how can you call yourself a nutritionist by looking how you do
You obviously don't follow what you say
Shame to channel nine for not having a healthy nutritionist like they do on channel seven sunrise
She looks the part !”
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Too much of anything can be bad for you—that’s exactly what too much means...yet we constantly slide from "too much of something is a problem" right into "any of that is toxic!" Many things that are risky in excess are essential or safe in moderation. Nutrition isn’t black+white - neither is eating.
Me and the text
TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING CAN BE BAD FOR YOU.
That’s exactly what
‘too much’
BUT LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE RISKY AT TOO MUCH ARE ESSENTIAL OR PERFECTLY SAFE AT LOWER AMOUNTS.
Nutrition, diets and eating are not binary.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
New hair!
Photo of me, my hair is shorter than before, with fresh blue added to the natural dark and grey. I'm a chonky lady with pale skin, and green eyes. I'm wearing a banana print dress and banana-shaped earrings.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
We talk about what to eat, but less about how we think about it. The stress, judgement & fear around food choices aren’t just exhausting—they make eating decisions harder. We don't think as clearly. We default to habits & jump to conclusions... That’s probably not helping anyone eat better.
a series of pics of me pulling "hmmm" face and the text "Do we just need to calm down about nutrition? There's so much stress, so much judgement, so much fear and panic. Maybe if we just take a beat we can actually process the information and the nutrients a little bit better.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Can we talk about the shrinking bodies of celebrities and influencers? Yes, but - let's do it with kindness, focus on behaviours not bodies and be careful where we place the burden. Read more at www.dremmabeckett-foodnutritionscientist.com/blog/can-we-...
Text that says "Can we talk about the shrinking bodies of celebrities and influencers?Sure, but..." with me pulling a stern "hmmmmm" face (i'm a chonky lady with pale skin and dark hair wearing a vegemite print dress). For more impact we could... 
Focus on behaviors 
not bodies.
Weight loss isn’t inherently problematic or anti-body positivity.
Shrinking bodies can exist in an anti-diet cultre space as much as bodies that change in other ways.
But if celebs or influencers use shrinking bodies to judge others, encourage harmful behaviours or sell products, that’s problematic
Losing weight doesn’t ‘promote diet culture’ any more than being larger ‘promotes obesity.For less harm we could... 
consider where we place the burden.
Why aren’t we putting the same burden of body positive role modelling on the consistently thin celebs and influencers?
Weight loss convos are gendered - women cop more hate.
Celebs of colour seem to get more comments about how their weight loss impacts the body positivity and body diversity.
People in large bodies get a double burden. Judged for being in a bigger body, judged when those bodies shrink.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
I’ve seen a lot of commentary about “super skinny coming back into fashion”. It’s 2025 - can we please accept that bodies aren’t infinitely changeable, we can’t reconstruct them on a trend… it’s not fashion or a trend; it’s just bias.
me pulling a silly hmm face and pointing at text that says “apparently super skinny is coming back into fashion. But body types, sizes & shapes are not trends. Bodies aren’t not infinitely malleable. Being skinny, curvy or having a thigh gap can’t be a fashion or trend anymore than being tall or having detached earlobes can be.
IF IT’S NOT ATTAINABLE FOR EVERYONE IT’S NOT A TREND, ITS A BIAS.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
If you’re using the #CapCut chubby filter with unkindness, you can get in the bin
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
I am speaking at the #NewcastleWritersFestival #NWF2025. As a local author, non-fiction, with a smaller profile + a FREE event that doesn't require booking... I've got nerves that no one will show... So, if you're in Newy I invite you along + if you know anyone in the Newy area,I appreciate a share.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
‘It’s a sad fact women get successful CPR less often than men’, says the trainer.,. then directs us to our CPR dummies with no boobs called Kurt…
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
amp.abc.net.au/article/1049...
amp.abc.net.au
Why do some people say they feel better on extreme diets such as keto and carnivore? - ABC News
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
Lots of people and organisations celebrated a woman, or a group of women for #IWD2025. This is lovely, of course, but I think IWD is about women as a collective. Individuals will always have moments, but women as a collective, supporting each other, not leaving anyone behind, is where we can shine.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
I’m very lucky to have this dress pre-release because my talented little sis created the fabric! I feel like a princess wearing it! If you want one too they will be available for pre order for a limited time on Thursday 13th March from www.rattamatatt.com - hand made in Kiama in organic cotton.
Me in a light blue dress with pink love heart cakes.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The final Ep of Cooked for Science Friction is out now. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Photo of me in my vegemite dress, with the cooked for science friction logo and "vitamin B3... and the media".
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Let's do better on World Obesity Day. Instead of changing bodies, let's change the world & create programs that don't focus on shrinking people but support our health regardless of our sizes. Let's create systems, structures, medicines, etc. that don't discriminate, disadvantage & harm fat people.
Image:
New modelling predicts obesity rates will continue to increase in the next 25 years in young people.
But what can we do with this information that doesn’t further harm people?
IMO we can’t just look for strategies & programs to prevent or reduce obesity.
We also need to design & implement programs that support peoples health, regardless of size
AND
We need to design health systems, procedures & medications that don’t place larger people at a disadvantage.
AND
We need to keep working to challenge the weight stigma that causes harm and collect data on that harm along with the biological measures.
Any action to ‘combat obesity’ that perpetuates harms on people in larger bodies isn’t a solution it’s simply an attack.
With pics of me looking unimpressed.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
We love to give diets a name; people love to create communities around them. People form factions to advocate for and against them. Quite often, this does more to harm than help.
a photo of me and the text "A healthy balanced diet doesn’t need a name or a faction.
The specific names and the communities 
help us feel 
connected 
to diets.  

But there are so 
many different 
ways to eat well, 
and it might look
different person
to person
and day to day.

Keep an open mind."
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Reposted by Dr Emma Beckett
Colleen Derkatch @colleenderkatch.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
I recently chatted with @dremmabeckett.bsky.social on her ABC Australia show Cooked about the prevalence of electrolyte powders and the powerful sciencey-seeming rhetorics that motivate people to take them. I start at 18:11 but listen to the whole show. It's great! www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
abc.net.au
05 | Cooked: Electrolytes — who needs them? - ABC listen
Over the past few years, you might have heard advertisements in your podcast feed or on social media for electrolyte supplements. If you haven’t seen them, they’re basically these little sachets or t...
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
Have you seen ads & posts saying you need an #electrolyte supplement? Hydration culture is a whole thing these days, but in this weeks episode of #Cooked for #ScienceFriction we explore why you need to take this advice with a grain of salt.
me in a juice dress holding a water bottle pulling a "hmmm" face and the text Ep 5 of Cooked is out today - 11.30am on Radio National - then on the ABC Listen App or where you get podcasts.
Are we hydrating all wrong? with the cooked for science friction logo.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
On #Ep4 of #Cooked for #ScienceFriction we tackle the potato diet. Could you eat just/mainly spuds & thrive? It's also a story about how we do science & why. Thanks to Alistair Kitchen, reporter for this episode, and the rest of the Cooked team @jamesbullen.bsky.social & @carlsmithaus.bsky.social.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/healt...
bbcgoodfood.com
5 nutritionists share their healthy breakfast ideas
Find out how nutritionists approach ‘the most important meal of the day’, from nutrient intake to recipe ideas
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
I’m going to answer more from experience than data. Food noise is when it’s a distraction… intrusive thought, that doesn’t go away after you eat. Unfortunately diet culture tells us normal hunger is noise and noise tells us it’s normal hunger. But everyone’s experience is unique - makes it harder!
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
#Ep6 #applecidervinegar. I’m done. It didn’t hurt me as much as I thought it would. Ironically the made up parts were more believable than the real parts. Well cast and played but didn’t quite capture the weird aloof indignation Belle had when challenged.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
#Ep3 of #Cooked for #ScienceFriction is out today. You've probably heard of the Mediterranean diet, but you probably haven't heard this story about it! Looking forward to hearing what you think! #podcast #science #datadetective Feat. @gidmk.bsky.social & @emantzioris.bsky.social
Me in a veggie print dress with a bottle of olive oil pouring. And the text "Ep3 of Cooked is out today - 11.30am on Radio National - then on the ABC Listen App or where you get podcasts.
What’s the evidence behind the Mediterranean diet?"
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
#Ep5 #AppleCiderVinegar I understand the wellness influencer who actually has cancer and is based on a real person is a victim of the wellness culture as much as she is a perpetrator, but I'm struggling to reconcile the vibe that this excuses the harms.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
#Ep4 #AppleCiderVinegar I'm realising I care more about the made-up stories that amalgamate into the other influencer & the people harmed. These stories at least give some pause for reflection, whereas I'm finding the Belle Gibson part dull it adds nothing to what I already knew.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
#Ep3 of #AppleCiderVinegar 1. All this talk of no hidden nasties+curing cancer by avoiding toxins-but the alcohol is FLOWING! 2. The rhetoric on rejecting mainstream medicine science, but constantly telling people to look at the research, and using science language to promote non-science is galling.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
#Ep2 #AppleCiderVinegar down. The intergenerational trauma theme saddens me. Not just to explain Belle Gibsons behaviour but the relationship people have to cancer through experiencing it as a carer or even just someone who cares. We need to do better to support people who support people.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
I watched #Ep1 of #AppleCiderVinegar as a nutrition scientist & as someone who cared for their mum who died of glioblastoma. Early thoughts. 1. I'm glad they make it clear that Belle Gibson is not profiting. 2. I'm sad that this is framed like a blip one off unique unusual fraudster.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
I watched a little bit of MAFS (for the first time ever), and they keep calling it a "social experiment", and every time they say it, I think "This is why ethics boards exist"...
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
#Ep2 of our podcast #Cooked for #ScienceFriction on ABC Radio National is out today! At 11.30 or on ABC listen/where you get podcasts. It's on the carnivore diet-it's the only ep I don't have a proper matching outfit for, so I made this. If you have strong feelings, please listen before shouting.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
My mum died from brain cancer and I work in nutrition science, and I keep getting served ads for the Belle Gibson drama on Binge. Do I just watch it and get it over with?
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Everyone wants to know what's the best. The best way to lose weight, the best food, the best diet... But We don't all need to chase and promote one ultimate option. What we need is options... choices. They don't need to compete or be ranked, they can just be tools we use when we need them.
Me pointing at two blocks of text that say "STOP ASKING 'WHAT'S THE BEST?' and "START ASKING 'WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE?'
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
I did an interview with ABC Local Radio on the Central Coast this morning talking about our new Podcast on Radio National. ABC Central Coast gave me my first experience in radio years ago! It was nice to go back!
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
The producers mum said I did a good job and I got a bit teary because my mumma didn't get to see this happen.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
I was driving today and heard the promo for our podcast playing on ABC Radio National! It's weird hearing your own voice from the car radio, and I had absolutely no chill about it!
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
The First EP of Cooked for Science Friction is out now. Could ice cream actually be good for you? www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Me in my ice cream dress - with the text "Cooked" for Science Friction on ABC Radio National - ep 1 out now. 
Science Says ice cream could be good for you?!?
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Trailer here - have a listen - tell your friends! www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
abc.net.au
00 | Introducing ... Cooked - ABC listen
On Cooked, we tackle the nuance of nutrition with food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett.
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Big news! Tomorrow the first ep of ‘Cooked’ a special season of Science Friction launches on ABC RN with me as host! Each of the 6 episode is a different food and nutrition story that lets us take a deep dive into the nuance of nutrition. We want you to be entertained, empowered and enlightened.
Image from Science Friction and image of me with a + between then = cooked for science friction on radio national Science Friction has a new series: Cooked.
We dig into food science pickles. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet?
Nutrition and food scientist Dr Emma
Beckett takes us through what the evidence says about food categories and ingredients like meat, dairy and salt - and unpick why nutrition studies can be so conflicting and confusing.
Airs Wednesday 11:30am Sunday 2pm,
Monday 12:30am
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
No one needs you to approve of their body or diet. Are you just bored? Do you not have something better to do? Perhaps you should look into other hobbies?
me - eyes wide staring, with the text - "No one needs you to approve of their body or diet - maybe you just need a hobby"
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
🚨 It’s easy to grab attention by making food sound scary—whether it’s chemicals, processing, modern farming methods, sugars or whatever else. But fear-mongering isn’t advocacy. Advocacy empowers with knowledge, skills and options, not anxiety. It acknowledges nuance & contexts.
Me wagging my finger with other hand on hip, and the text "FEAR-MONGERING ISN’T ADVOCACY.
Advocacy empowers.
It supports informed choices & better situations.
It should give people knowledge, skills & options, not anxiety.
Let’s advocate for better food conversations and communication— based on evidence and context, not fear."
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Dr Emma Beckett @dremmabeckett.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Don't just read US reporting & assume it applies in Australia. Red #3 isn't in many foods here, ONLY preserved cherries. And the evidence and regulation that led to the FDA ban is very specific. Stay calm, read more than the headlines, don't just parrot.
Me in a candy print dress and the text. Aussies can calm down about Red #3

Reports that the FDA is banning red #3 food colour have people all in a flap.

But...



Then cards with the text

1. Red #3 is NOT widely used in Australia - it is only approved in Australia for one very specific use, preserved cherries, and no one eats lots of those! (and amount matters when worrying about this kind of thing)

2. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) monitors the evidence for risk

3.If you want to avoid food colours, no foods containing them are essential and the ingredient is always labelled.

4. Red #3 has been banned by the FDA because of research in male rodents showing increased thyroid cancers, but this hasn’t been shown in humans, and the hormonal situation that triggers it isn’t the same in humans. But they have a regulatory clause that if it shows cancer in animals it can be banned.

5. There’s no good evidence that food colouring is linked to hyperactivity and benefits and the intake levels of all food colours in Australia. Food colours are used in small and regulated amounts and safe maximum levels are calculated. Data says even the highest consumers are no where near that dose.
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