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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD

@drsarahballantyne.bsky.social

1.8K followers 120 following 1.7K posts

Founder of Nutrivore 🍏 | PhD Scientist On a mission to make nutrient dense eating simple, joyful & sustainable. Start Nutrivore90 our free challenge ⬇️ https://nutrivore.com/links/

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · Sep 15

Nutrition is confusing, let’s fix that. I share how nutrients work, what foods they’re in & simple ways to eat for better health. No fad diets, just bite-size science backed info you can use. Say hi 👋🏻 I’d love to know where you’re from & drop a food and/or nutrient you’d love to know more about.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 1h

Shellfish are extremely rich sources of vitamin B12, zinc, copper and selenium while also providing impressive amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, copper, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iodine and selenium.

What’s your favorite shellfish?

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 7h

October 19th is National Seafood Bisque Day!

Bisque is a rich, creamy soup, usually made with seafood, typically shellfish.

Ingredient Nutrivore Scores
Crab 1077
Lobster 839
Scallop 645
Crayfish 616
Shrimp 535

No need to “yada yada” over this souper nutrient-dense food!

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 9h

What’s your go-to way to get protein when you’re trying to save money?

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 2d

Tomato Haiku

Nightshade family.
A vegetable or fruit?
Popular world-wide.

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 2d

Fish is a great source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12 and E, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium and selenium, with oily cold-water fish also providing substantial amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D.

Do you have a favorite fish, canned, frozen or fresh?

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 2d

October 17th is National Pasta Day!

Here are some tips to up the nutrient-density!

Swap wheat noodles with legume or veggie noodles
Add sauce
Add protein
Add sliced mushrooms
Add leafy greens
Load up on herbs and spices
Top with cheese

How do you like your pasta?

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 2d

Eating at least 3 servings of seafood per week, is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cognitive decline & type 2 diabetes.

Plus, most fish and shellfish are high-quality, complete protein sources that also deliver hard-to-get micronutrients like iodine, selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 2d

The most nutrient-dense starchy foods on average are pulse-type legumes. They are a good source of protein and provide a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and even polyphenols!

The best part? Legumes are a very accessible and affordable food.

What’s your favorite legume? Mine is lentils.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 3d

Fresh fruits and veggies are amazing , but for some, that isn’t an option.

Frozen and canned is a great choice! They are typically picked at peak ripeness & are frozen/canned quickly, which helps to preserve all of their vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 3d

Here is your reminder to clean out your pantry and make donations and/or make plans to volunteer at your local food bank or community garden this fall

If you are struggling with food insecurities or looking for a way to get involved @feedingamerica is a great place to start

Remember, fed is best.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 3d

What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to eating enough protein in a day?

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

And you do not lose any of the nutrients when you prepare it in a way you enjoy!

No more plain and unseasoned baked chicken! Okay??

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

We all think of protein when we think of the humble chicken breast, but it provides so much more than that!

Chicken breast is an excellent source of the following (% DV per 3.5 ounce serving)
60% of vitamin B3
48% of vitamin B6
41% of selenium
30% of vitamin B5

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

October 15th is National Chicken Cacciatore Day!

Ingredient Nutrivore Scores:
Garlic 5622
Parsley 5491
Mushrooms, white 1872
Thyme 1335
Tomatoes, canned 1312
Bell pepper, green 1094
Turmeric 637
Onion 380
Chicken 205
Olive oil 139
Parmesan cheese 138
Butter 66

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

And yes, it’s also smart to double-check your protein falls within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). No more than 35% of total calories.

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

Aim to distribute that protein across meals, about 25 to 40 grams per meal, rather than eating it all at once. This helps support digestion, muscle retention, and satiety throughout the day.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 4d

Do you know how much protein your body actually needs each day?

The optimal protein range for most people is 1.2 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. If you’re highly active or in a calorie deficit, you may benefit from even more, up to 2.4 g/kg.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

Allowing room for favorite foods helps avoid the restrictive “all-or-nothing” mentality that often leads to the restrict-binge cycle.

By viewing food as more than just fuel, you can create a healthier relationship, where you can savor your favorites without feeling like you’ve fallen “off-track.”

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

Quality-of-life foods can be viewed as invaluable tools to ensure you’re getting enough joy from your overall healthy diet that you can easily stick to it long term.

What are some of your go-to quality of life foods?

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

October 14th is National Dessert Day!

This is the perfect opportunity to remember that not every food we eat needs to be the pinnacle of nutrient density. Our diets can meet our nutritional needs while including some low nutrient-density, quality-of-life foods.

What’s your fave dessert?

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

… shown to dramatically reduce the risk of frailty.

In one long-term study, adults who consumed at least 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight retained up to 40% more muscle over three years compared to those consuming the minimum.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

And for women, the transition into menopause can accelerate that loss. Research shows an average of 10% of muscle mass is lost during perimenopause alone.

The best way to prevent or slow this process? Physical activity and protein. Just increasing your protein intake by 20% above the RDA has been…

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 5d

As we get older, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass and strength in a process called sarcopenia. It affects up to 13% of people in their 60s and up to half of those over 80. That can show up as slower movement, reduced balance, increased fatigue, and even a loss of independence.

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 6d

Kale 4233
Bok choy 3428
Collard greens 3323
Beet Greens 3259
Dandelion Greens 2815
Chinese broccoli 2431
Cabbage 2034
Arugula 2019

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 6d

Nutritionally, leafy greens all tend to be high in beneficial fiber types, folate, manganese, magnesium, carotenoids, polyphenols & vitamin K.

Nutrivore Scores:
Watercress 6929
Rainbow chard 6573
Turnip greens 6370
Swiss chard 6198
Mustard greens 5464
Spinach 4548

cheryl925.bsky.social @cheryl925.bsky.social · 6d

My faves are spinach and arugula

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