Episode 155: Dr. Nicole Avena

Food Junkies Podcast

Dr. Nicole Avena was one of our first guests on the podcast 3 years ago, you can check out her in episode 15. She is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and a Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University.

She is a research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet and addiction, with a special focus on nutrition during early life and pregnancy, and women’s health. She has done groundbreaking work developing models to characterize food addiction and the dangers of excess sugar intake. Her research achievements have been honored by awards from several groups including the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

In addition to over 100 peer-reviewed scholarly publications, Dr. Avena has written several popular books, including Why Diets Fail: Because You’re Addicted to Sugar, What to Eat When You’re Pregnant, What to Feed Your Baby and Toddler and What to Eat When You Want to Get Pregnant. She frequently appears as a science expert in the media, including regular appearances on Good Day NY, The Doctors, and the former Dr. Oz Show as well as many news programs. Her work has been featured in Time Magazine, Bloomberg Business Week, The New York Times, and many other periodicals.

She has the #2 most watched TED-ED Health talk, How Sugar Affects Your Brain, with over 17 million views and counting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEXBxijQREo Every time I do a presentation for the public on food addiction I include this incredible 5 minute video. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth watching and sharing.

Today we are chatting with Nicole about her latest book, Sugar-less, coming out next week on December 19th 2024. This book covers the latest science on sugar addiction and how to overcome it. It is available for pre-order now and you will hear a little bit about what it covers today. Thanks for listening and enjoy the show.

Follow Social Media: Instagram: @drnicoleavena Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNicoleAvena/ LinkedIn: Dr. Nicole Avena

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.