Nic's Nutrition

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Nic's Nutrition

👩🏻‍⚕️ Specialist Dietitian BSc PGDip MSc
📗 How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed
📺 BBC ITV Ch4 Ch5
💁🏻‍♀️ Mum Hi! My name is Nic!

I’m a UK Specialist Registered Dietitian (RD) and I want to say welcome to my page! I have a passion for promoting easy to understand nutrition and diet tips and started blogging over at http://nicsnutrition.com in January 2012 as a way of promoting healthy eating messages in a readable and accessible manner. My aim is to motivate and inspire YOU to lead a healthier and subsequently happier life, one step at a time through my nutrition blogs, healthy lifestyle tips and recipes, and healthy product reviews. Welcome to this page, I really hope you find it useful!

31/10/2026

All it took was a few days in the October sunshine ✈️☀️💛

I honestly LOVE 🥹 We booked this little getaway just a couple of weeks ago, and it’s been exactly what we needed.

It’s our second stay at an Ikos resort and it certainly won’t be our last!

I’ll share a full review soon on , but for now I just want to say that, as an allergy mum, I’ve never felt so happy and reassured when eating out with my family 🥺❤️ The staff have been absolutely incredible, and that peace of mind means more than you know.

Have you ever stayed at an Ikos resort, or did you manage to get away this October half-term?! ☀️

18/10/2026

🍂 NOURISHING BITES | RECIPE 01 🥣✨

Welcome to my new monthly mini-series, sharing simple, delicious recipes to help you get MORE goodness into every bite! 💛

Because eating well isn’t about restriction or perfection. It’s about making small, nourishing additions that add up over time! 🌱

First up… AUTUMN SPICED GRANOLA! 🍁

Crunchy, warming and packed with fibre-rich oats, nuts, seeds and autumn spices. Perfect with yoghurt, kefir or milk!

🛒 INGREDIENTS:

🥣 200g rolled oats
🌻 50g mixed seeds
🌱 20g chia seeds
🌰 50g walnuts
💚 20g pistachios

🫒 50ml olive oil
🍁 50ml maple syrup
🥚 1 egg white
🤎 2 tsp ground ginger
🤎 2½ tsp cinnamon
🤎 1 tsp mixed spice
🤎 1 tsp vanilla extract

🍑 100g dried fruit (I used apricots!)

👩🏻‍🍳 METHOD:

1️⃣ Preheat oven to 160°C and line 2 baking trays.

2️⃣ Mix the oats, nuts and seeds in a bowl.

3️⃣ Stir in the oil, maple syrup, egg white, spices and vanilla.

4️⃣ Spread over the trays and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.

5️⃣ Cool completely, mix through dried fruit and store in an airtight container!

💛 WHY I LOVE IT AS A DIETITIAN:

✨ Oats provide beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that can help lower cholesterol when consumed regularly in sufficient amounts.

✨ Nuts and seeds provide unsaturated fats, plant protein and micronutrients including magnesium and vitamin E.

✨ Chia seeds add fibre and plant-based omega-3 fats.

✨ It’s a delicious way to add more plant diversity to your diet!

I love mine with live natural yoghurt or kefir and fresh figs for extra protein, fibre and flavour! 😋

📌 SAVE this recipe for your next breakfast prep!

And tell me below ⬇️ What nourishing recipe would you love to see next?

Here’s to nourishing ourselves, one delicious bite at a time! 🥰

AutumnRecipes

16/10/2026

💚 3 SMALL HABITS FOR A HAPPIER GUT! 🌱

Feeling bloated, sluggish or struggling to stay regular? Sometimes it’s the simplest daily habits that can make the biggest difference!

As a dietitian, I often talk about my FFM approach to supporting healthy digestion:

🌱 FIBRE – Aim for 30g a day from a variety of wholegrains, beans, lentils, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Fibre helps feed your beneficial gut bacteria and supports regular bowel movements.

💧 FLUIDS – Aim for around 6–8 glasses of fluid a day (yes, tea and coffee count too!). Staying hydrated helps keep stools soft, particularly when you’re increasing your fibre intake.

🚶🏻‍♀️ MOVEMENT – You don’t need an intense workout! A daily walk, some gentle stretching or simply moving more throughout the day can help support healthy gut function, as well as your mood and energy levels.

✨ Remember: Consistency matters more than perfection. Start small, build gradually and give your gut time to adjust.

And if you’re increasing your fibre intake, do it gradually to help minimise bloating and discomfort.

💬 Which of these three habits could you focus on this week?

SAVE this post as a little reminder that gut health doesn’t have to be complicated! 💚

NicsNutrition

03/10/2026

🪨 📄 ✂️ NUTRITION: ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS…

Except when it comes to nutrition, there doesn’t need to be a “winner” - and what works for somebody you follow online won’t necessarily be what works for YOU.

A few swaps I’d encourage as a Registered Dietitian👇🏼

❌ Copying exactly what your favourite influencer eats
👉🏼 Choose meals that meet YOUR individual nutritional needs.

❌ Trying to eliminate every single UPF
👉🏼 Think balance rather than perfection. I personally like an 80:20 approach - predominantly whole and minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods, while leaving room for convenience and enjoyment too. And remember, not all UPFs are nutritionally equal!

❌ Taking handfuls of supplements “just in case”
👉🏼 Food first, then supplement where there’s a genuine need. There are of course exceptions - vitamin D during autumn and winter being an important one here in the UK!

❌ Relying on AI for personalised weight-loss advice
👉🏼 AI can be a useful tool for information and ideas, but it can’t replace an individual assessment with a qualified healthcare professional. A Registered Dietitian can take into account your health, medical history, medications, lifestyle, preferences and nutritional needs.

❌ Jumping on every new wellness trend
👉🏼 Ask: “What does the evidence actually say?” 🔎

Nutrition doesn’t need to be perfect, extreme or dictated by what’s trending on your feed.

✨ Personalised > popular
✨ Evidence > trends
✨ Consistency > perfection

Which one would you add?! 👇🏼

Nutritionist Dietitian

02/10/2026

5 things that could be sabotaging your FOCUS & ENERGY! 🧠⚡️ ad

Struggling to concentrate or finding your energy levels dipping halfway through the day? You’re not alone!

As a Dietitian, I’m a big believer that feeling our best isn’t about one quick fix, but rather the small things we do consistently.

Here are FIVE everyday habits that could be getting in the way 👇🏼

1️⃣ NOT PRIORITISING SLEEP 💤

Even the best morning routine can’t fully compensate for consistently poor sleep! Aim for 7 to 9 hours a night and try to maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time (yes, even at weekends!).

2️⃣ RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON CAFFEINE ☕️

I love my morning coffee, but relying on caffeine to push through tiredness, particularly later in the day, can interfere with sleep and leave you feeling tired again tomorrow. Consider switching to decaf after lunch!

3️⃣ OVERLOOKING POTENTIAL NUTRITIONAL GAPS 💊

Vitamins and minerals play important roles in how our bodies release energy from food, so meeting our nutritional needs matters. I’ve been incorporating Focus & Energy into my morning routine when I need it most. It combines a blend of 7 botanicals with 15 vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12. Remember though, supplements should always COMPLEMENT a varied and balanced diet, not replace one - and check that your supplement contains vitamin D now Autumn and Winter are here!

4️⃣ SKIPPING CARBS (OR EATING THEM ON THEIR OWN!) 🥑

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy, so don’t fear them! Instead, try pairing higher-fibre carbohydrates (such as oats or breads) with protein (like yoghurt or eggs) and healthy fats (such as avocados or nuts and seeds) for a more balanced, satisfying meal. Think wholegrain toast with eggs and avocado, or oats with Greek yoghurt, berries and seeds. And don’t forget to stay hydrated too!

5️⃣ SITTING STILL FOR TOO LONG 🚶🏼‍♀️

Back-to-back meetings or hours at your laptop? Even a short walk, stretch or movement break can help you feel more alert and provide a much-needed mental reset. I love getting outside for some fresh air between work tasks!

✨ TAKEAWAYS BELOW ⤵️

01/10/2026

It’s been a busy month 👀 👉🏼

QUOTED - Nichola Ludlam-Raine is a Specialist Registered Dietitian and author at Nic’s Nutrition, and she welcomes the fact that fibre has finally captured public attention.

Most UK adults, she notes, do not meet the recommended amount of 30g a day.

However, she warns against turning fibre into another obsession.

Speaking to FOODbible, she says: “I’m pleased fibre is finally having its moment,” she says. “However, we don’t need to ‘max out’ on fibre: the aim should be a varied, balanced and sustainable diet rather than treating it as another nutrient to obsessively track.”

For anyone wanting to increase their intake, Ludlam-Raine recommends starting slowly.

Simple swaps such as wholegrain bread and cereals, leaving the skins on potatoes, adding beans or lentils to meals and eating more fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds can all help.

Drinking enough fluid is important too.

The reason for taking it gradually is simple: suddenly going from a relatively low-fibre diet to a very high-fibre one can result in bloating and wind.

In fact, very large amounts of fibre can cause abdominal discomfort, constipation or diarrhoea, while some people with conditions such as IBS or inflammatory bowel disease may need personalised dietary advice.

There is also a nutritional balancing act to consider. “Plant foods are extremely valuable, but fibre shouldn’t crowd out protein, healthy fats or important nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine,” Ludlam-Raine says.

Murcia, Spain 🇪🇸 with these beauties! Thanks to BOOMBITES™ Red Berry Grapes red berry grapes 🍇

- Lucy E Gornall - &

QUOTED - So, is 100 per cent dark chocolate really better for you? 🍫

100 per cent dark chocolate contains no added sugar and potentially higher levels of cocoa flavanols, fibre and minerals than lower-percentage bars of chocolate, making it a healthy choice, Ludlam-Raine says.

“But it is not a superfood or a shortcut to better heart health, diabetes prevention or weight loss,” she says. “A small amount can be a nourishing and enjoyable choice, but ‘100 per cent cocoa’ does not mean it should be eaten without considering the portion.

23/09/2026

🍇 Grape on the outside… red berry on the inside! ❤️ ad

Here are 3 things you might not know about BOOMBITES™ Red Berry Grapes red berry grapes, who are proudly partnering with Heart Research UK -

🇪🇸 They’re grown in sunny Spain, where I was lucky enough to visit the vineyards and learn more about the journey from vine to punnet.

❤️ Unlike most grapes, their rich red colour runs from the skin right through to the centre - hello anthocyanins! These are the naturally occurring plant pigments responsible for their red-purple colour.

🍇 They work in both sweet & savoury dishes, and there’s lots of delicious recipes to try on boombites.com (http://boombites.com/)

They’re also juicy, crunchy, full of flavour and seedless - and an 80g serving (a handful!) counts as one of your 5-a-day.

Try them as a snack, slice and add to a salad, pop them into a lunchbox, mash them into yoghurt, use as a colourful topper on overnight oats or go traditional and pair them with cheese and a handful of almonds or walnuts for a delicious, balanced snack.

You can find them in , M&S Food and - but hurry - they’re only in season for a few weeks of the year!

Have you tried the red-fleshed BOOMBITES red berry grapes before? Let me know if you pick up a punnet! ❤️

HeartReseachUK

18/09/2026

How fibre-savvy is Leeds? 👀🌾

ad | I headed to Tesco in Leeds to find out whether people know how much fibre they need, which foods provide it and, most importantly, whether they’re choosing a loaf or a roll! 🎤

Adults are advised to eat 30g of fibre a day, yet average UK intake is only around 18g - and 96% of adults aren’t currently meeting the recommendation!

The good news is that small, realistic swaps can make a meaningful difference. Just two slices of the new Seeded Fibre Loaf provide 10g of fibre - that’s a third of an adult’s recommended daily intake - while one Every Day Seeded Fibre Roll provides 8g, which is more than a quarter (they’re around 9-10g fibre per 100g!).

The new Fibre range is the latest addition to Jason’s Sourdough’s growing range. Made with mixed seeds, the range includes a Fibre Sourdough Loaf and Fibre Rolls, both made using Jason’s signature mother sour culture. The loaf is proper sourdough, slowly fermented for up to 24 hours with no added yeast, preservatives, additives or emulsifiers, while the Fibre Rolls offer a soft and convenient way to enjoy more fibre every day, using again only the simplest of ingredients.

Bread is, of course, just one part of a varied, fibre-rich diet alongside fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts and seeds - but making a higher-fibre swap to something you already eat can be a really achievable place to start.

Find the new Seeded Fibre Loaf and Every Day Seeded Fibre Rolls exclusively at - subject to availability.

Now it’s your turn: loaf or roll?! 🍞👇🏼 - and for a bonus question, what’s your fave topping or filling?! I’ll add my answer to the comments first!

TescoFinds

17/09/2026

⭐️ GOLD-STAR BEHAVIOURS: weight-management dietitian edition ⭐️

Because sustainable weight management isn’t about cutting out every food you enjoy or trying to be “perfect” 👏🏼

My gold stars go to:

⭐️ Pairing protein with fibre to support fullness
⭐️ Prioritising good-quality sleep
⭐️ Not labelling foods as “off-limits”
⭐️ Making the healthier choice the easier choice
⭐️ Planning ahead
⭐️ Creating a sustainable, nourishing calorie deficit

It’s the small, realistic habits you can repeat consistently that tend to make the biggest difference - not short-term restriction or an all-or-nothing approach.

Which one are you already doing, and which could you work on this week? 💫

14/09/2026

From vine to viral 🍇🇪🇸 … come with me to Murcia!

ad | What a brilliant couple of days in Spain discovering where BOOMBITES™ red berry grapes began ❤️🍇

From walking through the vineyards (and tasting grapes straight from the vine!), to learning about how these unique grapes are grown, selected and make their way from Murcia to our supermarket shelves back home.

I was also invited to give a presentation on polyphenols, anthocyanins and colour density – and why I love the simple message of REALLY eating the rainbow 🌈 – to such a lovely group of dietitians, nutritionists and journalists.

And of course, we got to see that incREDible inside for ourselves 👀❤️. Unlike most table grapes, BOOMBITES™ are red on the inside as well as the outside – and naturally contain anthocyanins, the naturally occurring pigments behind the red, purple and blue colours in many fruits and vegetables.

A huge thank you to the teams at Bloom Fresh and Jungle Cat Solutions for inviting me and giving us such a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the story from vine to shelf – and to everyone on the trip for making it so much fun.

Safe to say I’ll never look at a bunch of grapes in quite the same way again! 🍇😂

Have you spotted red berry grapes in Tesco or M&S yet? 👀

Dietitian

Address

Manchester

Website

http://nicsnutrition.com/

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