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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/

nutrivore.com

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Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 26d

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 · 48m

Have you had your greens today?

Green fruits and veggies aren’t just a staple in a healthy diet, they’re packed with powerhouse nutrients that support detoxification, eye health, and disease prevention!

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 16h

If your fruit or veggie has multiple colors that is great news! That means you're getting an even broader mix of phytonutrients in every bite

If your produce has more than one color and you’re eating both parts, feel free to count each one. No need to overthink it, if you see a color, count a color

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 18h

🍆 Anthocyanidins (purple cabbage, radicchio, eggplant) → Strengthen blood vessels, reduce arterial stiffness, & lower LDL cholesterol

🍇 Antioxidants (grapes, plums, purple carrots) → Help reduce muscle damage & improve recovery, making them great for active lifestyles

Sarah Ballantyne, PhD @drsarahballantyne.bsky.social · 18h

Why are blue & purple foods so amazing?

🫐 Anthocyanins (blueberries, blackberries, elderberries) → Improve memory & brain function, reduce neuroinflammation, & enhance blood flow to the brain

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

Have you had your blues & purples today?

Blue and purple fruits & veggies aren’t just pretty, they’re packed with powerful phytonutrients that boost brain function, heart health, and muscle recovery!

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

Smoothies are a great way to add variety. Blending mango, spinach, berries, or carrots gives you a vibrant, easy boost of phytonutrients.

When it comes to snacks, keep colorful options on hand like cherry tomatoes, snap peas, & baby carrots.

These make it easy to get in more colors.

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

What makes orange & yellow foods special?

🥕 Beta-carotene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash. Converted into vitamin A, eye health & immune support.

🍊 Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Pumpkin, mango, corn. Protect against macular degeneration by filtering blue light & reducing oxidative stress

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

Yes, I’m a huge advocate of canned & frozen. I use them myself and they can really help with the budget.

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

Yes, I talk about that all the time. Just a few weeks back I had a weeks dedicated to vegetables from that framework and fruits from that framework.

Accessibility is a huge part of Nutrivore.

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

This looks amazing!!

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

What’s your favorite orange or yellow food?

These vibrant fruits and veggies do more than just look pretty, they’re packed with powerful phytonutrients that support vision, skin, immune function, and heart health!

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

Rotating your produce helps you benefit from the diverse array of phytonutrients that different plants provide.

Try to include at least two different colors at every meal. Whether that’s red peppers with green spinach or bananas paired with blueberries.

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

Another fun strategy? Plan your meals around color themes. Think Red Monday with tomatoes and strawberries, or Green Wednesday with avocado and broccoli. It’s a playful way to build your plate with intention.

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

It’s easy to fall into a produce rut, but shaking things up can seriously upgrade your nutrition.

Try choosing a new variety each week: if you usually buy green kale, switch it up with purple cabbage or rainbow chard.

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

What’s your favorite red food?

What makes red foods special?
Red produce is rich in lycopene, anthocyanins, and beta-cryptoxanthin, which help reduce inflammation, protect your heart, and even support bone health!

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

Edible-podded peas include snow & snap peas and differ from their counterpart sweet peas in that they are eaten fresh, pod & all. Edible-podded peas deliver at least 10% or more of the daily value of 9 different nutrients including vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients.

nutrivore.com/recipes/aspa...

Asparagus with Fresh Peas and Pine Nuts

Asparagus with Fresh Peas and Pine Nuts makes a lovely side dish particularly rich in ergothioneine and vitamin C.

nutrivore.com

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

Blueberry Haiku

Little blue delight
Enjoy them by the handful
Plump, juicy, and tart

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

Black eyed peas have a Nutrivore Score of 238.

Per ½ cup cooked they deliver 44% DV folate, 26% DV copper, 20% DV vitamin B1, 18% DV manganese, 13% DV iron, 6.5 g protein, 12% DV magnesium & 3.0 g fiber.

All parts of the plant are edible including leaves, pods, immature beans & the mature beans.

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

Vitamin C: Linked to reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and gout.

Polyphenols: Plays a huge role in protecting against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and osteoporosis.

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

Top 4 nutrients in cauliflower!

Glucosinolates: Inversely associated with many forms of cancer.

Biotin: Supports healthy nail and hair growth, is important during pregnancy, and may benefit diabetics & reduce functional disabilities in people with MS.

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

Eating a variety of colorful plant foods is about maximizing the diverse health benefits of phytonutrients! Each color group delivers unique compounds that support different aspects of our well-being.

Want to learn more? Pick up a copy of my book Nutrivore or request a copy at your local library.

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

The most nutrient-dense starchy foods on average are pulse-type legumes with an average Nutrivore Score of 358. Compare that to 290 for starchy root veggies and 189 for whole grains!

I love legume-based pasta as a way to add more legumes in meals that they don't seem to fit.

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

What’s your favorite colorful fruit or veggie?

Are you eating the rainbow? We’ve all heard that fruits and veggies are good for us, but did you know that the color of your produce actually matters? Each color group contains unique phytonutrients that support different aspects of our health!

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

Tomato Haiku

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

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

This is why the Nutrivore approach doesn’t need a “cheat day” because nothing is off limits to begin with. You’re not stepping on or off a plan. You’re living in a way that honors your health and your happiness.