The Food Foundation Podcast

Can the mighty bean change the way we feel? Plant biologist Nadia Radzman, of Cambridge University, has found evidence showing the Fava bean contains chemicals linked to lasting improvements in the moods and emotions of those consuming them. So in the final episode of our Bang in Some Beans podcast series, presenter Melissa Hemsley quizzes a group of women about the impact soy beans have influenced their hormonal health with nutritional therapist and author of The Natural Menopause Method, Karen Newby. And as they report back on a month of upping their bean intake, food writer, Emiko Davies offers them a miso and walnut paste from her latest book, The Japanese Pantry to test. You can find the recipe for Emiko's Walnut Miso here, the recipe for Karen's White Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing here and more delicious bean recipes here.Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you get all our updates.

Dr Mhairi Brown, Head of Food Futures at the Food Farming and Countryside Commission, tells us about a Citizen Advisory Council's reports on regional food systems.The findings will feed into the development of Defra's new Food Strategy, offering new insights into how national government can help regional food systems thrive – and what they can learn from work already happening to transform food.Click here for more information on the Citizen Advisory Council reports, and here for the Food Foundation newsletter.

Holly Cooper, Research Lead at the Food Foundation, tells us about new figures from the charity this week showing food insecurity is increasing, and why that makes really strong case for the Good Food Bill to be introduced in the UK. Find out more on Round 18 of our tracking data here and read our latest Fixing Food For Good report hereSign up to our newsletter to get all our news and updates.

Did you know beans can boost athletic performance and recovery? England Rugby World Cup winner Sarah Bern explains why and shares insights on elite performance in our latest Bang in Some Beans podcast.We also hear from Jeffrey Boadi, a semi-professional footballer and tennis player who went plant-based eight years ago and author of Plant Fuel: 80 Easy and Energising Recipes Packed with Protein and Fibre, about how protein can power up our game.Presenter Chef Melissa Hemsley follows us to Hove Rugby Club to meet six players from one of the UK’s top under-14 girls’ teams to see what fuels their game, and surprises them with a visit from Sarah Bern herself. Food writer and cook Claire Thomson, aka 5 o'Clock Apron, shares her Black Bean Brownies recipe, which is taste-tested by the competitive athlete family, the Goldenbergs.You can find the recipe for Claire's Black Bean Brownies here and more delicious bean recipes here.Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you get all our updates.

Professor Aled Jones, director of the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, tells us how global conflicts can impact food prices and reveals concerns that disruption to food supplies could lead to social unrest in the UK.We believe a Good Food Bill is vital to protect citizens, farmers and food businesses from such shocks, read why here.Keep up to date with all our latest news by signing up to our newsletter.

What comes to mind when you think of the Great British Breakfast? Chef Melissa Hemsley delves into one of Britain's most iconic meals: the full English to explore its traditions for our latest Bang in Some Beans podcast.Food writer and Guardian columnist Felicity Cloake, author of Red Sauce, Brown Sauce: A British Breakfast Odyssey, reveals the surprisingly modern story of baked beans at breakfast - and how clever marketing helped cement them as a fry-up staple.We also hear from super-storyteller Hannah Wilding of Bold Bean co who shares ideas for reimagining beans beyond the classic sugary sauce and pop over to The Upper Dicker Village Shop in the heart of Sussex to chat with locals about what really belongs on a breakfast plate.Meanwhile, food writer and nutritionist Emma Bardwell, author of The Fibre Effect, The Surprising and Easy Way to Transform your Health makes the case for fibre-rich beans as the breakfast upgrade we didn’t know we needed - and Team Bean’s Dan Bradley puts her miso beans on toast to the test.You can find the recipe for Emma's Miso Beans on Toast here and more delicious bean recipes here.Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with all our latest news

Dr Hannah Brinsden, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Food Foundation, leads a panel of experts to talk about Early Years nutrition, drawing on some of the findings of the Food Foundation's recent Early Years report series.She is joined by Food Foundation Ambassador, Glory Omoaka, Corin Bell, the new CEO of Alexandra Rose, and Amy Brown, Professor of Public Health at Swansea University. Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with our latest news and events, and here for more information on our Early Years reports.

Once a staple in British kitchens for more than 2,000 years, the fava bean has been all but forgotten - until now! Known for its versatility and low-carbon footprint, this ancient legume is making a comeback on plates and in farms across the country.In episode two of our Bang in Some Beans podcast series, chef Melissa Hemsley hears from Josiah Meldrum of Hodmedod's and farmer Emma Loder-Symonds tells us why she mills her fava beans; and the University of Reading's Raising the Pulse project presents a vision of how fava bean flour could change the conversation around white sliced bread, while chef and author Tim Anderson gives us his recipe for miso twists.You can find the recipe for Tim Anderson's Miso Twists here and more delicious bean recipes here.Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with all our latest news.