The Ty Beal Show

In this episode, nutrition researcher Flaminia Ortenzi—PhD candidate and longtime colleague at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)—joins the show to break down the Nutritional Value Score (NVS), a new food rating system we co-developed and recently published in the Journal of Nutrition that scores foods from 1 to 100 based on both nutrient density and protection from chronic diseases...

In this episode, Professor John Speakman—biologist at the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and one of the world's foremost experts on energy balance—joins the show to reveal what a 1,200-mouse feeding study and 30,000 human data points have uncovered about why we really gain weight. The answer isn't fat alone and it isn't carbs alone—it's a specific combination of the tw...

In this episode, Professor Tim Spector—epidemiologist at King's College London, co-founder of ZOE, and one of the world's most cited scientists—joins the show to share what 15 years of pioneering microbiome research has revealed about human health. We start with the finding that upended his career: identical twins, despite sharing 100% of their DNA and a childhood home, share only about 25% of the...

In this episode, evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Herman Pontzer—one of the world's leading researchers on human metabolism and energy expenditure at Duke University—joins the show to share what decades of fieldwork with the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania have revealed about how our bodies really work. We explore what hunter-gatherers actually eat (spoiler: it's not the all-meat paleo diet you'...

In this episode, NYT bestselling author and health journalist Max Lugavere joins the show in person in Phoenix for a wide-ranging conversation on brain health, dementia prevention, and the foods that protect your mind. After his mother was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition in her fifties, Max left his journalism career to investigate the science of brain health—a mission that produced t...

In this episode, nutrition scientist Dr. Chris Masterjohn—one of the original voices behind the vitamins A, D, and K balance framework—joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on bone health, mitochondrial function, and rethinking longevity. We start with a deep dive into why vitamins A, D, and K need to work together as equal partners, how the internet's growing hostility toward vitamin A h...

In this episode, Harvard professor and obesity researcher Dr. David Ludwig joins the show to discuss his new paper "Overcoming Impasse in Nutrition Science," published today in Cell Metabolism ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2026.01.013 ). Dr. Ludwig—author of the New York Times bestseller Always Hungry and one of the leading proponents of the carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity—uses the framew...

In this episode, preventive cardiologist Dr. Bret Scher—medical director of Metabolic Mind and the Coalition for Metabolic Health—joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on why mainstream cardiology has been getting heart disease prevention wrong. After years of practicing conventional medicine, Dr. Scher had his worldview upended when he discovered the power of low-carb and ketogenic diets...

In this episode, nutrition scientist Dr. Mario Kratz—creator of the popular YouTube channel Nourished by Science—joins the show for a deep dive into metabolic health and what you can actually do to prevent chronic disease. After 25 years in academic research conducting rigorous randomized controlled trials, Dr. Kratz left academia to bring unbiased, evidence-based nutrition science directly to the...

In this episode, Dr. Mark Hyman joins me to unpack his new book Food Fix Uncensored and the revolution in American food policy—chronic disease, ultra‑processed food, SNAP reform, new dietary guidelines, and more. With over three decades of experience in functional medicine and a track record of advising policymakers at the highest levels, Dr. Hyman offers an insider's perspective on what he calls...

In this episode, Dr. Michael Goran—one of the leading scientists behind the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans—joins the show to reveal what the evidence says about highly processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars. As the researcher who led three critical umbrella reviews that shaped these landmark guidelines, Dr. Goran walks us through the methodology behind the recommendations and sha...

In this episode, legendary food policy expert Dr. Marion Nestle joins the show to discuss her new book "What to Eat Now" and share her unfiltered take on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. At 89 years old, Dr. Nestle brings over five decades of experience to the conversation, including her role as editor of the 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health and as a member of the 19...

In this episode, board-certified psychiatrist and "Evolutionary Psychiatry" creator Dr. Emily Deans joins the show to explore the profound connection between what we eat and how we think and feel. We discuss the limitations of a purely pharmaceutical approach to mental health and examine how an evolutionary framework—looking at the mismatch between our hunter-gatherer biology and our modern indust...

In this special episode, I share a conversation hosted by Dr. Mario Kratz, former professor at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and founder of Nourished by Science, to unpack the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans. We discuss the focus on "real food" that prioritizes minimally processed nutrient-dense options, examining the move to center diets around quality protein sources and fiber-...

In this episode, rangeland ecologist Dr. Pablo Manzano of the Basque Centre for Climate Change joins the show to challenge the dominant narrative that livestock are inherently harmful to the climate and the planet. We examine the two most common critiques of animal agriculture—greenhouse gas emissions and land use—and unpack why these arguments often ignore how ecosystems actually function. Dr. Ma...

In this episode, Frédéric Leroy, PhD, a professor of food science and biotechnology at the Free University of Brussels, joins the show to dismantle the polarized debate surrounding animal-source foods. We explore the nutritional risks associated with restrictive vegan diets, particularly for vulnerable groups like infants and women of reproductive age, while examining the evolutionary and biologic...

What do we know about health, nutrition, and medicine — and how confident should we be? In this episode, Dr. Gordon Guyatt, the clinician-scientist who coined the term evidence-based medicine and co-created the GRADE framework, breaks down why so much health and nutrition guidance rests on weak foundations. We dig into the hierarchy of evidence, why observational studies so often mislead us, and w...

Why do ultra-processed foods make us eat more — even when calories, sugar, fat, and protein are matched? In this episode, Dr. Kevin Hall, author of Food Intelligence and one of the most influential scientists in metabolism and obesity research, breaks down the mechanisms driving overeating — and shares brand-new findings from his latest NIH study. We dig into energy density, hyper-palatability, do...

What is the definition of an ultra-processed food (UPF), and where did the concept originate? Why is the Nova classification system both a groundbreaking public health tool and a source of intense debate? And how can we use this framework to build healthier food systems around the world? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Dr. Carlos Monteiro, the Brazilian epidemiologist who coined the term "ult...

What are ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and why is the concept so controversial? How does a diet high in these foods affect our bodies, brains, and hormones? And how can we build effective policies to improve public health without shaming individuals or fueling disordered eating? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Chris van Tulleken, MD, PhD, a professor at University College London, BBC broadcas...

How do we turn cutting-edge nutrition research into policies that improve people's lives? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Purnima Menon, PhD, Senior Director of Food and Nutrition Policy at IFPRI, shares her journey from reading recipe books as a child to becoming a world leader in advancing global nutrition at the intersection of science and policy. Purnima explains why understanding people—...

How much protein do we really need? And is resistance training more important than we thought? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Stuart Phillips, PhD, renowned expert in muscle health and aging at McMaster University, breaks down the science of muscle preservation across the lifespan. Stuart shares his evolving perspective on protein's role in building and maintaining muscle, explaining why exe...

Can grazing livestock help restore soils, support biodiversity, and even mitigate climate change? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, rangeland ecologist at Colorado State University, Dr. Paige Stanley, shares her research on regenerative grazing systems and their potential to benefit both landscapes and livelihoods. Paige explains how well-managed grazing influences soil carbon dynamics, plant c...

What exactly is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—and how can evidence-based therapies help people reclaim their lives? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Dr. Sara Brungardt, licensed professional counselor and founder of CalmOCD, shares her expertise on diagnosing and treating OCD with proven methods like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Sara...

Why do so many U.S. nutrition and health policies seem to favor ultra-processed foods over real, nutrient-dense foods—and what can be done about it? In this episode of The Ty Beal Show, Calley Means—New York Times #1 best-selling author, co-founder of Truemed, and Senior Advisor to the White House on MAHA—unpacks the structural incentives driving chronic disease in America. Calley draws on his exp...