Social media is awash with nutritional misinformation with foods often cast as superheroes or villains. So how can we separate fact from fiction? And how can we know what posts we can trust? Warning: this programme contains conversations about disordered eating which some listeners may find upsetting. Social media loves to portray some foods, like carbs, sugar and seed oils as villains, to be avoided at all costs.Other food groups like protein are often claimed to be food heroes and some social media influencers tell their followers to prioritise those foods and cut out others. Ruth Alexander looks at the truth of some of those claims and the impact it can have on those who believe them and end up restricting their diets as a result. Cecile Simmons tells Ruth how she "fell down the rabbit hole" and ended up cutting out dozens of foods in an attempt to cure a skin condition. Personal trainer and nutrition expert Michael Ulloa explains how he's made it his mission to fight food misinformation online. Plus Ruth hears from Dr Emily Denniss, registered public health nutritionist and lecturer at Deakin University in Australia, who has studied the spread of food misinformation on social media. And with the help of US based registered dietician Grace Derocha, Ruth separates food fact from food fiction. Producer: LexyO'Connor Sound engineer: Gareth JonesImage: A comic book style cartoon blond muscled superhero in a blue suit and yellow cape is flying through the air towards a baddie in a red suit. They are roaring with anger with their fists outstretched as if ready to fight. Credit Getty/Yogysic

Why does social media cast some foods as heroes and others as villains?

Food heroes and villains

How do you eat well in freezing the cold? When you live in some of the coldest places on earth, what you eat, and how much, really matters. Ruth Alexander hears advice from a scientist, who goes on expeditions to study the body’s reaction to sub-zero temperatures, and talks to people living in the Arctic circle. What do they cook, and what is their favourite food and drink to keep them warm in the winter? She hears how they find fresh ingredients when all around the ground is frozen – and how freezing temperatures can spark culinary creativity. Producer: Julia Paul and Lexy O'Connor Sound engineer: Hal Haines If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

What kinds of food and drink help people keep warm while living in extreme cold?

How to eat well in the cold

Ruth Alexander explores the art and etiquette of tipping and how it varies around the world. She hears from staff and customers in countries where tipping is essential and in places where it can be taken as an insult. Ruth also talks to servers and bartenders about what your gratuity means to them and how tipping can sometimes bring out the best and worst in their customers. Producer: Lexy O’Connor and Rumella DasguptaSound mixing: Hal HainesImage: A jar full of coins and notes has the word “tips” written on it. It floats on a red background. Credit:	Nikola Stojadinovic / Getty

What wait staff really think about your payments for their service

To tip or not to tip?

What are the highs and lows of waiting on tables? Ruth Alexander speaks to restaurateurs from London, New York and Mumbai to find out about the inner workings of one of the hardest jobs in the business. Ruth hears from French celebrity Maitre D, Fred Siriex, Mumbai based restaurateur Gauri Devidayal and Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, the New York based author of Your Table Is Ready. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukImage: The torso of a waitress, carrying two plates of food, against a purple background. Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images)

What is your table server really thinking? We hear about the working lives of wait staff

The servers: The highs and lows of waiting on tables

From pizza delivery to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future? Ruth Alexander looks into whether drones are a feasible alternative to delivery drivers and traditional air drops. We hear how fast food and groceries are being delivered into suburban back gardens in Helsinki and Dublin and to a waterside collection point in Hong Kong. Is this technology something we might see everywhere soon? Ruth looks at its advantages and limitations and finds out how drones are carrying essential food to remote communities in Madagascar.Taking part were Danny Vincent, BBC Hong Kong reporter, Ville Lepalä, the CEO and co-founder of Huuva foodhall, Bobby Healy, the CEO of Manna Aero, Santanu Chakraborty, chief executive officer of Bal Raksha Bharat – Save the Children India and Hedley Tah from the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, which is run by the World Food programme.Produced by Rumella Dasgupta.Image: A drone is flying against a stylised blue sky background. It is holding a white box which says Food Delivery on it in black letters. (Credit Getty Images/	sarawuth702)

From hot takeaways to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future?

Food by drones?

Turmeric has been revered for thousands of years, not just for its mellow taste but for its golden colour and its supposed health giving properties. Rumella Dasgupta looks at its history, its uses in food and medicine and talks to scientists who have studied the spice. She finds out what they've learned about its fabled medicinal qualities and whether it's really worth paying for expensive turmeric lattes and turmeric supplements. Featuring Dr Kathryn Nelson, Prof Amit Garg, Ragini Kayshap and Seema and Sarla Nagpaul.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Producer: Lexy O'Connor Sound mix by Annie Gardiner(Image: a teaspoon of golden turmeric powder sits on a spoon, against a bright green background. Credit: G/ Getty Simonkr)

Rumella Dasgupta looks at the history of turmeric and its uses in both food and medicine

Turmeric: The golden spice

You've got to be full of passion to make it as a top chef. It's a highly skilled and physically demanding job that comes with long hours.Ruth Alexander talks to three celebrated and talented chefs from three different continents about the highs and lows of their careers. They tell Ruth why they love the job so much and whether chef culture has changed in the years they've been working in kitchens. Featuring May Chow, Chantel Dartnall and Sean Kenworthy. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Image: A chef in a white jacket sharpens a big knife in a professional kitchen. Credit: Getty images / Fertnig.

Chefs from three continents tell Ruth Alexander what makes this demanding job so special.

The chefs

For millions of us around the world, the day hasn't begun until we've had our first cup of coffee. Ruth Alexander traces our love affair with coffee back through history, to the wilds of Ethiopia where it was first discovered. She experiences some of the ancient traditions built around coffee which still endure today and asks why this bitter drink has always had such a hold over us. And does it matter if we enjoy a coffee or three every day? Ruth finds out what's it doing to our brains and bodies, and whether we really need to worry about kicking this ancient habit. Produced by Lexy O'Connor If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukImage: Three roasted coffee beans float on a light green background. Credit: Getty/Jose A. Bernat Bacete

The story of why we love coffee, through history, tradition and science.

The coffee habit: Why do we love it so much?

Pepper is ubiquitous at the dining table, but arguably most of us don’t know much about it. In this programme John Laurenson finds out about the pepper plant – how it is grown and harvested and the range of flavours it can offer. He learns about the history of this spice and why it was once so revered, and the ways in which you can use it today to make your food not just tastier, but also healthier. If you’d like to contact the programme you can email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.Produced and presented by John Laurenson.Image: a cartoon wooden pepper mill with specks of ground pepper coming out of it, floats on a blue background. (Credit: Getty/yurumarukko)

We explore what pepper can do for your food.

The power of pepper

How confident would you feel about complaining if a restaurant meal was not up to scratch? Restaurateurs in the UK, South Africa and the United States compare stories of the most outrageous complaints they’ve received, and how they were dealt with. They tell Ruth Alexander how increasing numbers of customers are "weaponising" the threat of negative online reviews. And if you’re someone who struggles to complain when things go wrong, there’s advice on how to make your voice heard calmly and assertively. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Produced by Lexy O'ConnorImage: A young woman is arguing with a waiter in a cafe. She has a pastry on her plate and is holding a cup of coffee. Credit: Getty/Wavebreak Media

Believe it or not, restaurants really do want your feedback, but in-person, not online.

How (not) to complain

How much food is the “right” amount - and why is it so hard to work that out?Ruth Alexander explores the world of portion sizes, starting with the rise of “portion distortion” in the United States, where supersized sodas and giant restaurant plates became the norm. Nutritionist Lisa Young explains how this shift happened, and what it’s meant for public health.In São Paulo, dietitian Marle Alvarenga shares new research comparing Brazil, France, and the US, revealing how culture and globalisation shape what feels like a normal portion. Why are French plates so much smaller - and meals so much slower - than in Brazil or America?And psychologist Lenny Vartanian in Sydney explains the powerful pull of portion size on our behaviour: why bigger servings make us eat more, even when we know better, and why education alone isn’t enough to change our habits.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukProducer: Izzy GreenfieldPhoto: Three spoons showing different portion sizes (credit: getty)

How to make sure you’re eating the right amount of food

Portion size: How much should you eat?

Listeners to BBC World Service told us they hate it when fellow diners chew noisily or talk with their mouth full. But what is polite at mealtimes can vary wildly according to where in the world you are and who you are with.Ruth Alexander visits London's City of Westminster College to meet some of its teenage students, to find out about their different backgrounds and what good manners mean to them. She visits an exclusive private members club in the heart of London's West end to talk to Rupert Wesson, a director and coach at the British etiquette institution Debrett’s. And she hears from Japanese language tutor Chika Nakagawa about the rules that govern mealtimes in Japan.Plus what if you are thrown into a world you weren't prepared for? After tough beginnings and through sheer determination Reggie Nelson built a career in finance. He tells Ruth about his extraordinary path to success and how he got through his first formal business dinner.And what about when a restaurant meal brings out the worst in a customer? Mo Abedin, owner of Sticky Rice Thai restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi talks about how he and his staff deal with the nightmare diners who have forgotten their manners.Producer: Lexy O'Connor(Image: A bearded man in a shirt and tie is eating a meal in front of a red background. He is shovelling a big fork full of noodles into his mouth whilst staring at his mobile phone. Credit: Getty Images/Group4 Studio)

No elbows, no emojis: The new rules of table manners

Dining etiquette: What really matters?

Have you tried Dubai chocolate, hot honey or the fruit sando? They’re just a few examples of viral food trends which got everyone talking on social media. Rumella Dasgupta talks to creators and product developer to find out how much work goes into creating the next big thing in food. She hears how there’s often years of work behind the product that seems to suddenly be the latest craze. It might look as though some food trends go viral overnight, but entrepreneur Mike Kurtz explains how creating his brand Mike’s Hot Honey took years of hard work. Product developers Katie McDaid and Robert Craggs tell Rumella how their jobs involve travelling the world to find the next big thing in food. Plus chef and food writer Pierre Thiam, explains how he’s been working tirelessly for decades to bring the ancient West African grain Fonio to worldwide attention. We’d love to hear about the viral foods you’ve tried and what you thought of them. You can email the team at thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Producer: Lexy O’Connor

How much work goes into creating the next big thing in food?

How to set a food trend

Self-confessed crisp lover Ruth Alexander traces the story of the crisp or potato chip, starting with a tasting experience matching fine wines and “rubbish crisps” at a wine bar in the northern English city of Manchester. With the help of journalist and crisp historian Natalie Whittle, Ruth finds out about the commercial beginnings of the potato chip in the fine dining rooms of nineteenth century New York. She meets the chef who travels the world searching for new taste sensations to develop into a packet of crisps for snack giant Frito-Lays. Can you guess which flavours nearly, but not quite, made it onto the shelves? Ruth also talks to salty snack expert Jolene Ng of Mintel, who researches the role crisps play in modern life. And with Japan renowned for its unusual flavours, Ruth meets Makoto Ehara, the boss of one of the country’s biggest potato chip makers Calbee, who tells her about the threat climate change poses to the future of the potato chip industry. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Produced by Lexy O’Connor Photo: A woman in a bright pink jumper is smiling as she pushes a supermarket trolley through the potato crisp aisle. Credit: dowell / getty images

Ruth Alexander looks at why crisps are one of world's most enduring and popular snacks.

Flavour: The potato chip story

High prices, busy lives and the rise of intermittent fasting mean more people are skipping breakfast. This week, Ruth Alexander speaks to three experts in nutrition about whether that matters. She finds out what it’s best to eat for your first meal of the day and when is best to have it. Experts Courtney Peterson, a researcher in intermittent fasting and associate professor at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the United States.. Professor Alexandra Johnstone, a nutrition scientist based at The Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland snd Marianella Herrera, an associate professor in public health nutrition at Central University of Venezuela and visiting lecturer at Framingham State University in the US, share their insights. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: A bowl full of cereal and a spoon (credit: Getty)

What makes a healthy first meal of the day, and when to have it

Should I eat breakfast?

Bottom trawling is one of the most widely used - and most destructive - fishing practices in the world. Dragging heavy nets across the seabed damages fragile ecosystems, depletes global fish supplies, and puts the livelihoods of small-scale fishers at risk.In this episode of The Food Chain, Rumella Dasgupta speaks to John Worthington, one of the last remaining fishermen in Fleetwood, UK, who fears a proposed ban on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas could end his business. Fisheries economist Dr Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia explains the global consequences of trawling, from overfishing to illegal and unregulated catches.On the coast of West Africa, Aissata Daouda Dia, Head of Advocacy at Blue Ventures, tells us hom much coastal communities rely on local catch. Nana Kweigyah from the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, describes how foreign industrial trawlers are devastating coastal communities. And in Malaysia, Adrian Poon of the Cinnamon Group explores the challenges of sourcing fish sustainably in a market dominated by cheaper, trawled seafood.Producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: Getty

What pressures are these fishing methods placing on oceans and those who depend on them?

Bottom trawling and the future of global fish supplies

The quality of food in care homes for the elderly can be underwhelming. Ruth Alexander talks to the people highlighting the issue and finding ways to bring nutrition and comfort back on the menu. Dr Lisa Portner, a medical doctor and researcher at the Berlin Institute of Health at Charite, outlines the inadequate diet offered by three nursing homes she studied in Germany. Australian restaurateur and food writer Maggie Beer tells how she came to set up the Maggie Beer Foundation, which aims to research the issues, raise awareness and offer culinary training. Ronald Marshall explains the simple ways he found to help carers understand the food preferences of his mum, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2020. And Navjot Gill-Chawla recounts the conversations she had with South-Asian Canadians living with dementia and their families, as a PhD Candidate in Public Health at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. When the subject of care homes came up, she says food was uppermost in their minds. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukAnd if you'd like to try Maggie's brownie recipe featured in the show, you can find it in full on our website.Producer: Beatrice Pickup (Photo: Two cooks in a care home kitchen are smiling as they prepare a tray of brigh orange roast pumpkin. Credit: Sam Kroepsch)

The people aiming to bring quality, nutritious meals for elderly residents in care homes

Making care home food better

From ancient Egyptian pyramid builders to French chefs, garlic has been prized, feared, and even used to ward off evil. In this episode, Rumella Dasgupta explores garlic’s journey through history and across cultures - from its medicinal roots and rich folklore to its starring role in kitchens worldwide. Featuring chefs, historians, and dietitians, we uncover how this pungent bulb became a global favourite - and ask the ultimate question: is garlic really good for us? Producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: A bulb of garlic split in half to reveal cloves Credit: Getty

A journey through this pungent bulb's history, culture and cuisine.

Garlic: Food or medicine?

The World Health Organisation says close to 60 million people are living with dementia; and there are 10 million new cases every year. But could what we eat help to prevent it?Three guests who've been exploring the potential for diet to help prevent dementia tell Ruth Alexander about their findings. We hear from Professor Christy Tangney of Rush University System for Health in the United States – she co-created the MIND diet; Anne-Marie Minihane, Professor of Nutrition and Genetics or Nutrigenetics as it’s known, at Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in the UK; and Dr Lizette Kuhn, a dietitian in Pretoria, South Africa.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukProduced by Izzy Greenfield and Alistair Kleebauer(Image: two sides of a brain; one made up of fruits and vegetables, and the other a sketch. Credit: Getty Images)

Could the food you eat help to reduce your risk of dementia?

The anti-dementia diet

Dementia is a syndrome associated with a decline of brain function that can affect memory, thought processes and behaviour. In some cases this can impact people’s ability to shop, cook and eat a meal. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease. In this programme Ruth Alexander meets people living with dementia and their families, to hear about the ways in which a diagnosis can impact mealtimes. Ruth meets Alan and Amy Lambert in Manchester, England. Alan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2024 and his daughter Amy lives with him. They share some of the techniques they’ve developed at home to support Alan. For Ruby Qureshi in Canada, cooking was a huge part of her life before being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2020. Ruth hears how her husband Pasha Qureshi has joined her in the kitchen in a supporting role. Jo Bonser in Nottingham, UK shares her experiences of supporting her mother who lived with vascular dementia and in 2016 stopped eating and drinking. Jo has gone on to set up a company, Dignified Dining that offers training in this area. And Aideen McGuinness is a registered dietitian working in the Memory Assessment and Support Service in Country Wexford Ireland, and co-author of a guide on dementia and nutrition. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Produced by Beatrice Pickup. (Image: Alan and Amy Lambert sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of soup and plate of toast. Credit: BBC)

How memory loss changes our relationship with food

Eating well with dementia

BBC World Service

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

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