Louisa is the Senior Health Editor at The Beet. She’s a BANT Registered Nutritionist in the UK and writes for several leading online publications, including Medical News Today and Plant Based News. Louisa has been plant-based most of her life and has bought up her family this way. She’s a firm believer that diet and lifestyle predict our health outcomes and wellbeing and enjoys educating people about the benefits of eating plant-based food. Louisa loves to cook healthy recipes, grow plants, and be outdoors but also enjoys the occasional vegan cupcake and glass of wine because moderation is key!
Louisa Richards
I Tried the McPlant. Here’s How It Went
I have never eaten at McDonald's. This may sound strange, but having been plant-based my entire life, there was no reason to eat a McDonald's meal – until now. So I was delighted to try the new McPlant, the all-vegan burger made of Beyond meat, now available at McDonald's across the UK and coming soon to America. Here's how it went....
10 “Health Foods” to Avoid. Just Because It’s Vegan, Doesn’t Mean It’s Healthy
It's a common misconception that any food labeled "vegan" is automatically healthy. If you're going plant-based for your health or to help manage your weight and lower your risk of developing diseases, unless you're shopping at the farmer's market or in your produce section, finding products that are actually healthy can be a minefield...
Obsessed With Healthy Eating? Read This
When does healthy eating cross the line into behavior that is unhealthy? While eating a predominantly plant-based diet is considered healthy and promotes physical and mental wellbeing and longevity, some people develop such an extreme focus on clean eating, it can cause distress, affect their health, social life, and relationships. Bei...
What to Eat If You Lose Your Sense of Smell and Taste Due to COVID
Losing your sense of smell or taste after COVID is not only distressing, it could also lead to further health problems, especially if it causes you to alter your diet. Although there are no proven treatments to bring back your taste or smell, and research into this symptom of COVID is still in its early days, making some small changes to your diet may help reset your senses and keep you healthy wh
5 Reasons to Watch Fantastic Fungi and Add Mushrooms to Your Diet
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (like our fungi friends) you know that mushrooms are the latest plant-based food to enjoy a resurgence in cooking. The main reason is that these are the original "food as medicine" ingredient, but for anyone who has watched Fantastic Fungi or was lucky enough to attend the first Fantastic Fungi Global Summit, you won't be able to stop talking about
What to Eat to Prevent, Treat and Reduce Symptoms of UTIs
Everyone in America who thought urinary tract infections are a women's problem just learned a valuable lesson from former President Bill Clinton. Hospitalized with a serious UTI that had spread to his bloodstream, Clinton ended up in the University of California Irvine Medical Center, requiring a course of powerful antibiotics to be administered intravenously for days. It ...
How Much Iron Do You Need? Study Links Deficiency To Heart Disease
Getting enough iron isn't just a matter of boosting your energy reserves, it could save your life. According to a new study, 10 percent of new heart disease cases that show up in later middle age (as opposed to old age) could be prevented simply by correcting iron deficiency. But how ...
It’s Never Too Late to Get Active to Live Longer, Heart Study Finds
It's never too late to start exercising to reduce your risk of death from heart disease and other causes, according to a new study that shows that taking up activity – even in your 60s – reduces your risk of dying prematurely by 45 percent. Among more than...
Raw Food Cured His Acne, but Eating Whole Food Got Him In Shape
Russell James is known as 'The Raw Chef' in the UK, where he taught his many followers how to make delicious food that is healthy. Suffering from debilitating acne in his teens, he discovered raw food which not only reversed his acne but taught him the power of food as medicine, setting him off on a new career path.
James went on to bec...
Add Duckweed to Your Smoothies for Complete Plant-Based Protein
If you're looking for ways to hack your morning shake there's a new (or very old, depending on how you look at it) superfood that can boost your protein intake and add powerful nutrients to your diet, including the elusive B12 and iron. Whe...