Carbohydrates have become one of the most misunderstood nutrients in nutrition.

In this episode, Dietitian Ann breaks down the science behind carbohydrates, without the fear tactics, and helps you understand how to include them in a way that supports your health.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why “carbs are bad” is the wrong question

• How carbohydrates affect blood sugar and insulin

• The truth about sugar and chronic disease

• What happens when you cut carbs

• The difference between whole carbs and refined carbs

• Why fiber is so important

• How to balance carbs without overthinking it

  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Carbs are your body’s preferred energy source

• Quality and context matter more than quantity

• Fiber-rich carbs support long-term health

• You don’t need to eliminate carbs to be healthy

  
  

Practical Tips:

• Pair carbs with protein, fat, or fiber

• Focus on whole, minimally processed foods most of the time

• Don’t stress about occasional sweets. Instead, look at overall patterns

  
  

Want help applying this to real life?

Every meal plan in the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app is planned for balanced nutrition - including sufficient protein, 45-60 grams per meal of high-quality carbs for energy, and healthy fats for your brain and heart.

You can adjust the meals to fit your preferences, and the app automatically creates your grocery list so shopping is faster and easier.Try it for free at https://peasandhoppiness.com/.

Read a summary of the episode, find additional resources, and see the sources used for this episode at https://app.peasandhoppiness.com/post/are-carbs-really-that-bad

In this episode, registered dietitian Ann Kent breaks down protein recommendations in a way that actually makes sense.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• How much protein do I really need?

• Am I eating too little… or too much?

• Do I need to track every gram?

This episode is for you.

What you’ll learn:

• The difference between minimum vs optimal protein intake

• Why most people don’t need extreme protein goals

• How much protein per meal actually matters

• The truth about plant vs animal protein

• When higher or lower protein intake is appropriate

• A simple, realistic way to meet your needs without tracking

  
  

Key takeaway: Most people do well with 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day, spread throughout the day - with 20-30 grams per meal and protein-rich snacks if needed.

Want help applying this to real life?

Every meal plan in the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app is planned for balanced nutrition - including 20-30 grams of protein, high-quality carbs for energy, and healthy fats for your brain and heart.

You can adjust the meals to fit your preferences, and the app automatically creates your grocery list so shopping is faster and easier.Try it for free at https://peasandhoppiness.com/.

Read a summary of the episode, find additional resources, and see the sources used for this episode at https://app.peasandhoppiness.com/post/how-much-protein-do-you-actually-need

If nutrition advice feels confusing, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of noise out there - and not all of it is helpful (or safe).

In this episode, Dietitian Ann breaks down how to confidently decide who’s worth listening to so you can stop second-guessing your choices.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why nutrition advice feels so overwhelming

• How to spot red flags in health and wellness content

• The difference between real expertise and online influence

• Why true experts sound more nuanced (and less extreme)

• The 5 Questions to Ask

  
  

Before you trust nutrition advice, ask:

• What is their expertise?

• Are they using emotion or extremes?

• Where is the bias?

• What information is missing?

• Are they overly confident or appropriately nuanced?

  
  

You don’t need to know everything about nutrition - you need a nutrition expert you can trust.

If you’d like a place to ask questions in a closed, moderated community, you can find that inside the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app.

Inside the members-only forum you’ll discover threads about nutrition, recipes, and resources.

The forum is available for all levels of membership, which starts at just $24.99/year. Learn more and try it for free at https://peasandhoppiness.com/.

Read a summary of the episode, find additional resources, and see the sources used for this episode at https://app.peasandhoppiness.com/post/how-do-you-know-who-to-trust-for-nutrition-advice