Sugar Cravings, Protein Shakes & The Secret to Better Sleep

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0:54welcome to the wellness scoop your weekly dose of health and wellness inspiration and as always we are here as your host but it's our last week of the year i'm ella mills and i'm rianna lambert and after a decade in this industry we know that the wellness industry can be so overwhelming and confusing and it's a pleasure to be here to cut through the noise and make healthier living simple fun and personal for you all

1:22not to become like really gushy and sentimental although i feel it and i definitely felt it while i was writing the script but the wellness cube has truly been the highlight of my year from a kind of professional perspective by such a long way i have loved it and we had our kind of um spotify unwrapped data come through a few days ago and it's unbelievable so 36.3 million minutes of people spent listening to the wellness scoop we had this year 36.3 million minutes that is a lot i just welling up even with you just saying it's been the highlight of your year i'm very emotional anyway ella um got me an early christmas present because she's organized like that but you won't believe it's a hoodie that says the wellness scoop we've got matching jumpers yeah we're here in our wellness scoop uh gray sweatshirts today which i'm just absolutely loving exactly and um it's just been amazing hundreds of thousands of you listening in 150 countries we just appreciate it so much i know 150 countries was definitely many more than i was expecting could you name 150 countries quite a test on a monday morning i don't know if i could but There was one other thing when I was going through the unwrapped that made me laugh so much was that our top fans other favorite listen was Taylor Swift's new album.

2:48And I was like, I feel so seen. Well, I'm on the TikTok dancers of Taylor Swift now, Ella. So you've introduced me more so than ever to Taylor Swift. I think that's a marriage made in heaven, isn't it? It really is. Yeah. So clearly we are a like minded community here, guys. But one of the other things I just wanted to say, which I think meant so much to us, actually, was that you guys, generally speaking, listen for longer, commented more on our show than 99 % of other podcasts. 99. Yeah. So it means a lot because I think for us, this has been such a kind of personal project and something we both feel so passionate about and like genuinely feel kind of quite emotional, you know, very much on our soapbox about.

3:31but like this is not something that's just light-hearted like it really really means a lot to the both of us for so many different reasons and so knowing that that seems to be the same for you guys just the most enormous thank you in the world what a year it's been an incredible year just to echo what Ella's said you know I feel like I've really found my purpose as well this year and alongside Ella we can actually make a difference in a world that it does sometimes feel really disheartening that you can't. So to know that we're all in it together. Thank you for all of the shares of the top percentage of, you know, listens or what percentage you are as a fan to the wellness group.

4:11So many of you shared that with us. I was overwhelmed on one day. Hundreds of DMs of just this percentage. And some people were in like the 0.5 % of fans. I know. It's absolutely amazing. So just thank you. Anyway, we've got two episodes left in 2025 and 2026. is going to be even better, of course. I feel like we've really found our stride. But anyway, Rhi, what are we talking about today? Okay, so today we have why sugar cravings are so common and what your brain is actually doing when they hit. Then the real history behind protein shakes from beef sludge to Michelin glamour. I did not write that.

4:48I did. Yeah, I want to say that came straight from an article, but that's the origins of protein shakes. We're going to go into it. Oh gosh. And the simple science back shifts that genuinely improve sleep. Why phone sober walks are the reset your nervous system might be craving. And finally, the rise of AI women in beauty campaigns and why it matters for body image. Yeah, I'm really excited about that one. Rhi, how are you? Yes. Well, this week, thank you. I feel like the Christmas countdown is on. Like I really feel like I just wrapped what was probably one of the busiest working weeks. I was doing terribly with my wellness.

5:25I was up from the crack of dawn and working, working, working, working until midnight, like losing sleep over it. But now I feel very excited to rest. And we've got new clinicians in the nutrition clinic. So it's like a fresh end to the year. I love it. How about you? I feel like I'm the Grinch in the good way this time, which is I've never liked Christmas. But it's your first winter one and the weather sucks. No, I mean I'm a good Grinch. You know when I watched The Grinch yesterday with the kids? Yeah, yeah, The Grinch is good. The Grinch is good. My heart has grown three sizes. Yay. Because they say in The Grinch that he has no, his heart's small.

5:59His heart's so small and then it grows three sizes. I like to think generally my heart's not small, but with Christmas I think it was. My heart's grown three sizes. I'm like Mrs. Festive this year. Oh, yeah. I'm so excited. elf on the shelf we went to see father christmas at lapline yesterday in the uk bought jumpers for re oh yeah i've got like matching christmas pajamas coming along i'm literally mrs claus these days and you've got book events you're mrs claus and delivering book events so yes i know quick wins is out on thursday on the 18th of december um it's still half price on amazon that's been amazing i know so go go go so it's just 12 pounds 50 best christmas present ever guys but I'm really excited about it as well because it has meal plans in and we've never done that before and I know that for so many of us the mental load is enormous and these are very light touch meal plans it's basically your dinners for the week mapped out so you've got your shopping list you know you'll get your 30 plants and then you can get home from work and you've got a one pan supper or a fridge raid or something nice and easy that's delicious you know it's nutritious and it's sorted and you don't even have to think about it so quick wins is out on Thursday and I Can't wait.

7:06And then on 16th, on Tuesday, I will be doing a signing at 6.30 at Book Bar in Chelsea. I'll put the details in the show notes. But come, I would love to see you guys. Oh, it's going to be incredible. And then it truly is Christmas. You'll have your book and then it's a matter of days. Can't wait. And before we move on to our health headlines, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the incredible charity recommendations you've shared with us. And I can see you interacting over them as well on the comments, all the wonderful things you're doing. I actually picked up some requests from the little gym this week, some more food bank requests and baby banks, all those sorts of things.

7:44I just wanted to say thank you because I feel like we do have the most genuine, generous community. Yeah, we really do. I love how everyone wants to help each other. And Brie and I have that in mind for how we can kind of keep this going next year with the Wellness Scoop.

8:01okay so into our last headlines of 2025 these are the ones that have mattered recently okay headline number one i saw i just thought it was a very relevant wellness topic um this was in the times how can i curb my sugar cravings dieticians and doctors explain why your body craves a sweet fix and how to stop it i mean it's a good one to start with because ella i do feel like everybody this time of year is going to be really concerned because the media also makes you concerned about the sugar intake. We don't have a very good society that doesn't delve into all or nothing. We always like to pin on people that it's either good or bad.

8:40It's so true. And the other thing I think that's also worth so noting before we delve into this and talk about sugar cravings is over the festive period, let's call it, obviously there's so much more sugar quality streets and celebrations and all the rest of it. Gingerbread. I've had so much gingerbread and icing. Gingerbread and icing, exactly. Christmas cake, you name it. That's great. I think what's also so important to say is there's been so much negative talk about ultra-processed food this year. I'm not going back on that, don't worry. I'm not causing confusion. But it's important to say one of the fundamental challenges with UPFs is just that we eat way too many of them and it replaces as a result.

9:15Main meals. Exactly. And all the nutrition and fiber and vitamins and minerals that you'll find in healthy, normal meals. You can add your sweets onto it. So don't get stressed about that. It's just, I would say, keep up your fiber and your goodness where you can, but then enjoy those quality streets. I think it's remembering, just don't replace good food with UPFs. Just, you can have them on the top. Yeah, because over 90 % of people experience cravings and yet we often frame them, I think it's like this personal way of failing. So Ella, do you want to dive into the piece a little bit? Because I think it unpacks just, you know, how common they are, that we shouldn't be talking about good or bad willpower and the patterns behind them, which I know that I spend my life talking about in the nutrition clinic, the cycle.

10:00Yes, I thought you might. And I know one of the clinicians you work with was the first person quoted in it. So we'll go into that in a sec. But that's exactly why I really wanted to include this was I really, really liked that. And I think it's such an important topic as we, yeah, any time of the year, which is that I think we frame so much when it comes to our nutrition choices as I have good willpower or I have bad willpower and it's so bad for our self-esteem to be saying oh I have bad willpower like I'm just not good enough to not be able to do it and those labels and it doesn't set us up for success in any shape or form and I think what all the dietitians and the doctors and nutritionists quoted in this piece were all saying is like fundamentally it actually has nothing to do with willpower whatsoever it's such a misnomer we're talking actually about stress and sleep and emotional triggers and that being such a bigger factor of sugar cravings and whether you have good or bad willpower.

10:53And I think it's not therefore about personal failings. And that is so important. Agree. So we're looking here at, and this is how I'd explain it to a client in clinic, if you're sat with me one-to-one, there's extrinsic and intrinsic factors that contribute to how we feel about food, how we view food and what our brain also says about it. Now, there's the biological reaction. Of course, if we have a surplus of anything, you know, you get used to it. I think we do as human nature, you know, you get taste, your taste buds get used to the amount of sugar. There's also several reward systems in our brain that are working as well.

11:26And our cravings, our brain's kind of seeking rewards a lot of the time. We're tired this time of year. I mean, wow, the load, I felt it last week, the overwhelm. I was so overwhelmed. I felt so stressed. And actually, all I did want was my bag of sweets and my gingerbread icing house. I was so tempted to eat the children's gingerbread house, Ella. It took willpower not to break it and eat it. Because the wrath you would have faced if you've done it is just so high. No, I just couldn't do it. I may have just taken a tiny icing ball off of it, but we won't go there. but cravings are triggered by so many factors so the smell of the bakery you're walking down the road and it's there every time you get to the train station it's the same kind of things that you see every time you go for a coffee I mean I was looking at it this morning those delicious gingerbread icings with the marshmallow noses they literally are everywhere then we've got the emotional stress and I think it's really important to remember that during acute stress our brains energy needs go up to around 12%.

12:28So we're actively wanting more blood flow in that area. And our brain is 60 % fat, but the main preferred source of fuel is glucose. And we've got this sort of blood brain barrier where only carbohydrates get through really effectively and proteins and fats just don't quite hit the spot for faster energy release. Also true for our muscles and glycogen stores. So you just don't crave broccoli. No. And so therefore, when you're stressed, You are biologically, physiologically programmed to want easy to digest carbohydrates, which is sugar, to give you that fuel to sort the stress. Because as it's a kind of cliche, but it's true, your body and your brain don't know the difference between being chased by a tiger and the mental overload of this time of year or any time, any moment.

13:11And so you are literally wired to want to eat your children's gingerbread. To want to eat your kids gingerbread. I always use the example that I remember at university, one of my lecturers, Colette, would say in evolution and adaption modules, she'd say humans would always climb that tree and get stung by the bee hundreds of times just to get a bit of their honey. And that is so true because we're just so driven to it. And they've seen that in studies, haven't they? Like people under higher stress can be twice as likely to report stronger cravings and reach for sugary food. Because you want that dopamine and that serotonin.

13:44And they're also neurotransmitters and pathways that, you know, can enhance a sense of calm or relief. But, you know, you are more likely to crave it. Exactly. And again, I think that just shows it's got nothing to do with willpower, has it? What you've got here is this, again, very, very clever cycle that your body is programmed with, where you're stressed, you're overwhelmed. You start craving that easy carbohydrate, that sugar. and then you get your release of dopamine, your serotonin, these kind of feel better hormones, giving you, as you said, that kind of temporary sense of calm relief. And you start to create this pattern.

14:16And so then your body thinks, oh, that will help me. That's not willpower. No. And that's what really frustrates me in the media. I think it gets really confused a lot of the time. And you will see some influences or loud voices telling you you've got no willpower to sell their own agendas. And I think it's really important to remember those biological triggers and the environmental ones. Because remember, there's studies that say when a food is in sight, you're more likely to reach for it, which is why I always put a fruit bowl in the kitchen. But if in sight is always bags of crisps and sugar candy bowls, you are more likely to eat them.

14:49But there's also other areas. So let's discuss sleep deprivation because that impacts our hunger hormones massively. Gosh, I mean, being so sleep deprived, Ella, which we've all experienced. This is a personal experience right here as well. Personal, right now. Not just the gingerbread house. Maybe I'll just tell you my week and then you can link it back to sugar cravings. But, you know, your hunger hormone ghrelin is raised massively when you're sleep deprived because you also experience more cortisol release, which is our stress hormone, which also increases appetite when we're sleep deprived.

15:19And then it lowers our leptin, which is our fullness hormone. And essentially it makes our brain just want something simple and easy, which is fast releasing, which is like I said before, the glucose, which comes from the sugar on the shop shelves, not the pepper sticks and the carrot sticks and the hummus. So we know it, psychologically speaking, it's not simple. Blood sugar fluctuations when we start this cycle, Ella. So if you start to reach for these foods, before you know it, you've got crashes in your blood sugar levels, spikes, crashes. I call it a roller coaster. You're going up, down, up, down.

15:51And then there's the psychological component of feeling guilt or shame, which can also lead to overeating. Everybody is just hard. And I also think Ella, personality traits have a huge impact here. And having worked with clients that are all or nothing, and I know some of us describe ourselves that way as well, it can be more of a challenge to regulate over this time of year. 100%. I think it's also worth always noting, again, if you're under eating or on a very, very restrictive diet, your body again will often naturally crave high energy foods just as a kind protective mechanism. So I think the key thing here, and I know we've got a voice note coming to add to this as well, is just a reminder that sugar cravings are completely normal.

16:35As we said at the top, 90 % of people get cravings, food cravings is kind of a normal part of the world, but it's really important to remember, like you're not failing because you're craving it. You're probably a, maybe it just looks delicious, but maybe you're also really stressed, really overwhelmed, really tired, and therefore it's harder to just have a little bit and move on. And it's just to kind of normalise that and don't just chastise yourself. You don't have bad willpower. A hundred percent, Ella. I completely agree. There's so many factors involved. And, you know, if you want to go check out this article, the first contributor was Catherine Ribes, who's a registered dietitian who works for me in the nutrition clinic.

17:11She's fantastic. So I asked her for a little bit more information from her directly because, guys, you get the inside scoop on the wellness scoop. If you're experiencing sugar cravings, it could be a sign that your blood sugars are dipping. And did you know that fibre is one of the simplest ways to study that? It slows digestion, so glucose, energy, is released gradually instead of in these sharp rises and drops. And adding fibre to your meals you already eat is a quick win. Think porridge in the morning as your whole grains or brown rice and pasta. You could add beans to your stews and different sauces.

17:48but also adding a side of vegetables and pairing with fruit with certain dishes along with protein or fats and this helps you feel fuller for longer and keeps cravings in check and remember regular balanced meals is just as important too. And then headline two so the protein shake boom from meaty sludge to Michelin stars. This one just really made me laugh it's just some light entertainment guys we didn't want to go really heavy I know everyone's We've got lots going on. It's the visualization of the meaty sludge. Oh my gosh. So this was in The Guardian and the piece was called The Perplexing Rise of Protein Shakes.

18:26How a meaty sludge became a billion dollar industry, which really caught my eye. And it was just a kind of funny, amazing detail of the sort of strange, fascinating trajectory of protein shakes. And like obviously today they come in every flavor under the sun. Matcha, Biscoff, Pistachio, Birthday Cake. Lavender I've seen recently. Oh, yeah. I mean, you name it. it exists but we've got a little history courtesy of this article which I thought you might find interesting too. Oh I can't wait so it really does go to show that it's been a journey of invention I suppose like a Willy Wonka protein industry invention.

19:04100 % okay so you had the very first sort of protein supplement comes back from 1865 and you had a German scientist who created something called extract of meat and it was literally jars of melted down beef hides and carcasses so it's like salty meaty sludge you were supposed to drink two or three times a day really looks so shocked apparently from little wine glasses which i really just appreciate that detail if anyone wants a new christmas snack but it was sold as a protein rich tonic for people recovering from illness so that is the beginning of the protein shake industry but it makes sense because we know in a hospital-based environment that you need to up your protein for recovery.

19:42We know that that does help speed up recovery. There's literature to support that. So I can understand from a medical perspective how that came in. A hundred percent. It makes so much sense. But isn't it interesting? It's 150 years ago. But as you said, it was actually a very like - It was just cooked meat ground down. Yeah, and it ended up that I think the same sort of premise was then turned into OXO cubes. Interesting. So apparently, according to the food historian or one of the food historians who were interviewed actually was quite low in protein. Like I think people who love protein shakes would not be obsessed with this, maybe flavor-wise, but it's essentially the invention of the OXO cube.

20:18And then it wasn't for like 100 years later in the 50s and 60s, then coming into the 90s, that the protein powders went big when you had the kind of 90s weight loss boom gym culture in the early 2000s. And I think the reason they were exploring this was actually because the journalists had gone to try a new Michelin starred protein shake. Well, sorry, the protein shake itself doesn't have Michelin star, but the protein shake was created by a Michelin star chef. Right. So it's not anymore just like banana, blueberries, almond milk, protein powder. What clever marketing. Oh my gosh, it's so genius.

20:55Okay, so it's a collaboration between a Michelin star chef called Mila Prada with a protein powder brand called Hermosa or Hermosa. I think it's the one they use in Barry's Bootcamp. And it's basically, the journalist described it as an edible art project with fresh guanabana. I've never tried that fruit. Vanilla protein powder, almond milk, blue spirulina. Wait for it. Layer of mood enhancing saffron foam. And a spritz of coffee aroma on the lid. And then the way you drink it is then specific. Again, like eating Michelin star kind of food. So you have to place your straw in the middle, not at the bottom, to unlock the ice cream flavour before you plunge it down to get the saffron hit.

21:38And the founder described it as the same as Van Gogh's Starry Night painting in a cup. I thought you'd really like this one. This is art, not wellness. This is art. Anyway, and then we've also seen, obviously, at the same time, Air One, that very kind of bougie, which I have been to, and it is extraordinary, shop in California, or a couple of shops in California, where they've got, like, the biggest stars in the world, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Bella Hadid, the Kardashians, all fronting their own, like, limited edition Air One protein or shakes. I mean, how much were they paid to do that?

22:11Do you see, it's so amazing. 15, 20 pounds or so? Oh, sorry, per smoothie, and you've got queues around the block. Oh, my God. Anyway, I just thought this was to end the year on like an interesting insight into how we started off with ground down sludge. And we ended up with something that's had kind of A-list Michelin star treatment. I think it goes to show what a big marketing budget can do and achieve. And also, I am actually quite liking the idea of a saffron foam. Although a spritz of coffee mixed with that fruity flavor, I'm not so sure about. But I like it. Do you like the spice and the coffee?

22:45I know you do. Do you know, I've got a coffee this morning because I'm so tired. I'm so sleep deprived. I don't normally do it, but I had to get one this morning. I nearly got my third on my way in and then I remembered her judgment. You gently were with me the other day when I fessed up to not having had any water and having had three coffees and we were called at 10. I know, I know that was. Yeah, but we all have weeks like that as long as it's not every day. So anyway, let's not do it. Let's not do it. And you'll love to hear that the grocer, which is the kind of big trade press in the food industry, reported last year that 77 % of people in the UK are actively trying to eat more protein, more than any other nutrient.

23:24Anyway. And they added that influencers are cashing in on the anxiety. Yeah, it was very much part of it. So just remember, everyone, that people do get enough protein. We're not dismissing that protein is not important. We're just remarking upon how interesting the world of wellness can be. You know, when you chuck a marketing budget behind it, you get arty with it. You know, you can do a lot of things, but if you're eating yoghurt, beans, tofu, lentils, eggs, nuts, fish, whole grains, you are meeting your needs. And shakes can be helpful. You know, we have some clients in the nutrition clinic, especially when we work on sports nutrition.

23:56They're really important. Some other areas of the community that do really require these inventions to be healthy and fit. But I think we just have to remember the marketing story. 100%. I also think it's quite an interesting thing where I was reflecting on it on my way in this morning, which is like it's I've just realized the beginning of next year. It'll be 14 years since I started Delicious Yellow, which feels like a long time. I feel quite old. But I just remember how niche everything was. And, you know, new and exciting. And now suddenly it's like protein powders are a collaboration with the Michelin star chef.

24:32I don't know. I just didn't see the world of wellness being so big. But I think, you know, when you first started out, we didn't really have Instagram. You've got to remember that everything now is just completely different. I remember just doing static images, like three a day. And then suddenly you had to make a video and I died. All overhead with your shoes poking out the bottom. Yeah, yeah. Like a Valencia or sepia filter. But I bet you now have a WikiFeet page too. Oh, I do think I do. It was just like, do you know what I mean? When you were holding the bowl and it was overhead and then you could always just see like a little bit of shoe at the bottom.

25:07Same, yeah. Or it'd be like, yeah, in the gym and smoothie bowls. Anyway. It was rustic. It was rustic, everybody. But the UK's appetite for protein is obviously not going anywhere even though you're all getting enough and we still have a huge nutrient gap which is called fibre and vitamins and minerals to achieve.

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