PoshanSense
Everyday movement · 4 min
Research 2023
Does riding an e-bike count as exercise?
Pedal assistance can still involve exertion. A UK pilot explains feasibility, uncertainty and safety without promising diabetes treatment.
Take a bite →Big food questions.
Small, sensible bites.
Research papers are a lot to chew. We unpack the findings, keep the caveats, and bring the conversation back to everyday food.
Clear sourcesResearch & everyday contextOriginal infographicsNo miracle garnish
Everyday activity · 4 min
Research 2023
Can taking the stairs improve fitness?
A small supervised Korean trial found a fitness improvement. It does not establish a universal stair-sprint routine or long-term disease prevention.
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Cooking fats · 4 min
Research 2018
Is coconut oil good for cholesterol, or is that a health halo?
A UK trial compared coconut oil, olive oil and butter. Understand why an HDL increase and a short trial cannot establish heart protection.
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Family food questions · 4 min
Research 2021
Does low-fat milk automatically prevent excess weight gain in children?
An Australian pilot compared whole-fat and reduced-fat dairy in young children. Why the full diet, growth and missing outcome data matter.
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Food preparation · 4 min
Research 2018–2021
Can cooking rice reduce arsenic without throwing away its nutrients?
UK laboratory studies tested rice-cooking methods. Understand partial arsenic removal, clean water and the nutrient trade-off.
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Grains and glucose · 4 min
Research 2022–2023
Is quinoa better for blood sugar than rice?
Studies in China and Spain tested quinoa-based eating patterns. Why promising glucose findings do not make quinoa a diabetes treatment.
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Kitchen science · 4 min
Research 2018
Does mustard powder make cooked broccoli more nutritious?
A small UK human study tested a specific broccoli-compound pathway. Learn what the mustard trick changes and what it cannot prove.
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Exercise drinks · 4 min
Research 2012–2023
Is coconut water better than water or a sports drink after exercise?
Two exercise trials show why plain coconut water and fortified coconut-water sports drinks are different comparisons.
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Bread and weight · 4 min
Research 2021–2026
Does rye bread help you lose more weight than wheat bread?
An earlier Swedish rye trial was promising; a 2026 replication did not find extra weight loss. Understand what both studies actually compared.
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Nuts and the gut · 4 min
Research 2018–2022
Do almonds really improve gut health?
A UK trial found no clear primary microbiome benefit and a limited butyrate signal. Compare it with a smaller US experiment before believing gut-health claims.
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Food & digestion · 4 min
Research 2011
Do beans always cause gas? Often less than people expect
Three US feeding studies found that bean-related gas often eased, but not for everyone. Separate flatulence, bloating and persistent symptoms before excluding pulses.
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Everyday health · 4 min
Research 2022
Does honey help an adult cough? Comfort is different from a shorter illness
A Spanish adult bronchitis trial found no clear reduction in days of troublesome cough with honey. Understand the null result, missing diaries and limits of home-remedy claims.
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Cooking & nutrition · 4 min
Research 2019 & 2020
Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil? Heat changes it, not all at once
Spanish cooking experiments show that heat reduces some olive-oil phenols and moves others between ingredients. Understand what chemistry can—and cannot—say about health.
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Food claims · 4 min
Research 2013 & 2016
Does MSG cause headaches? A high-dose drink is not a seasoned meal
MSG headache experiments are inconsistent and sometimes poorly blinded. A Danish trial, a systematic review and FDA guidance explain why normal food use is a different question.
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Food & blood sugar · 4 min
Research 2011
Are dates low GI? Yes in a small study, but portions still matter
A UAE experiment found relatively low glycaemic indices for five date varieties. Low GI does not mean sugar-free, unlimited portions or diabetes treatment.
Take a bite →A little curiosity. A lot less noise.
These are educational explainers, drafted with AI assistance and checked against linked sources. They are not clinically reviewed. We combine complementary studies from 2010 onward to answer useful everyday questions. Publication date and data-collection date are different: recent papers can analyse older data. We include uncertain and null findings, not just exciting positive results.
How we read the evidence · Follow the RSS feed · Explore practical guides · Portion maths, with chai
A foundational food experiment
The extra 508 calories: what a small feeding trial really tells us
Earlier evidence remains useful when read alongside newer work. This controlled food experiment is a useful starting point.