Plant-Based Canada Podcast

Plant-Based Canada
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Monthly

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. Join us as we talk with experts to explore the field of nutritional sciences and how our food choices impact our health and the environment. We sit down with Canadian doctors, dieticians, athletes, climate experts and others/more, to break down the evidence behind a Whole Food Plant-Based diet, and discuss the practical steps you can take in your efforts to shift toward a healthier lifestyle. The Plant-Based Canada Podcast is an initiative of the group Plant-Based Canada, which aims to educate the public and health professionals on the evidence-based benefits of plant-based whole food nutrition for individual and planetary health. To learn more about the show, visit our website www.plantbasedcanada.org and stay up to date by following us on Instagram and Facebook @plantbasedcanadaorg, and our Plant-based Canada YouTube channel. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. PBC is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or opinions related to the content stated by the guests interviewed. All information in this podcast is provided "as is", with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the conclusions obtained from the use of this information. The podcast should not be considered professional advice. Listeners should seek their own individual healthcare advice as needed.

  1. 11h ago

    Episode 123: Putting Plants at the Centre of the Plate with Riana Topan

    Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Riana Topan to discuss her work with Humane World for Animals Canada and Forward Food. Riana Topan is the program director of farmed animal protection, with Humane World for Animals Canada (formerly called Humane Society International/or you may have been familiar with the Canada chapter), which together with its affiliates is one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world. Riana oversees Humane World’s Forward Food program, which helps companies and institutions to put plants at the centre of the plate, where they belong. Forward Food has offered free-of-charge culinary resources to the food service industry since 2017, benefitting animals as well as people and the planet.  Websites Humane World for Animals Canada: https://www.humaneworld.org/ca  Forward Food: https://ca.forwardfood.org/  Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show

  2. Oct 6

    Episode 122: Plant-based baking and season 10 of The Great Canadian Baking Show with Andrew Arcello

    Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Andrew Arcello, the first plant-based baker on The Great Canadian Baking Show.  In this episode, we talk about the power of baking for connection, some favourite tips, the plant-based journey and raising kids, and of course his experience on the show.  Andrew is a drama and music teacher from the Greater Ottawa area, and as the show’s first plant-based baker brings an impressive command of both the arts and sciences. Andrew has a gift for understanding ingredients while adding flair and drama to his dishes.  He encourages people to embrace their curiosity when approaching plant-based baking and have fun. He says about being on The Great Canadian Baking Show, “Being plant-forward is something so many are interested in, but maybe apprehensive about trying. I hope to connect with people over my passions and maybe some methods they haven't seen before.” The Great Canadian Baking Show celebrates Season 10 when the show returns to the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) on Oct 4, 2026.  Resources Follow Andrew Arcello’s baking journey on Instagram @plantbasedandrew https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedandrew/ Learn more about Andrew’s journey on the show: https://www.cbc.ca/life/greatcanadianbakingshow/andrew-arcello-the-great-canadian-baking-show-baker-bio-9.7328159Follow The Great Canadian Baking Show on socials at @cbcbakingshow Learn more about The Great Canadian Baking Show: https://www.cbc.ca/life/greatcanadianbakingshow/the-great-canadian-baking-show-on-cbc-ten-years-9.7328237Watch the show on CBC and CBC Gem: https://gem.cbc.ca/the-great-canadian-baking-show/ Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/plant-based-canada-org  Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show Support the show

    Episode 122: Plant-based baking and season 10 of The Great Canadian Baking Show with Andrew Arcello

  3. Sep 1

    Episode 121: Healing From the Inside Out: Plant-Based Nutrition for Autoimmune Disease with Karen Lee

    Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Karen Lee to discuss plant-based practices for autoimmune disease and her recently published book.  Karen is a retired intensive care nurse and award-winning plant-based nutritionist who has a passion for tasty food that’s also good for health. After a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (also known as MS)  in 2016, she uses diet and lifestyle to manage her condition and shares this knowledge with others through her website – The Sensitive Foodie Kitchen – as well as workshops, talks, online classes and one to one sessions. She published her first book Eat Well Live Well with The Sensitive Foodie in 2019. Her second book, Healing From The Inside Out, was published in January 2026, and explores the benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet for autoimmune disease. Karen is a Health Coach, a facilitator for the charity Overcoming MS that provides an accessible lifestyle medicine program that supports people with MS and a Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Educator for Plant Based Health Professionals UK. Most importantly, Karen loves creating and sharing nourishing plant-based recipes that everyone can enjoy. Websites www.thesensitivefoodiekitchen.com www.instagram.com/the.sensitive.foodie/ www.facebook.com/TheSensitiveFoodie/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-lee-sensitive-foodie/ https://www.youtube.com/@TheSensitiveFoodieKitchen   Resources: Karen Lee’s Website & Book: https://thesensitivefoodiekitchen.com/healing-from-the-inside-out/ Kate’s Case Study:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34366737/ Case Study: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15598276221141403 Plants for Joints research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38413171/   Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show

  4. Aug 4

    Episode 120: Dr. Irina Ghenea on the Push to get Processed Meat Out of Hospitals

    Our guest this week is Dr. Irina Ghenea. Dr. Ghenea was born in Romania and immigrated to Canada with her family at a young age. She grew up in Montreal, and her experience as a competitive swimmer and working as a lifeguard in her teenage years sparked her interest in health and fitness.  As a medical student at McGill University, and went on to do her Family Medicine residency at Memorial University in Newfoundland. She started her Family Practice in North Sydney in September, 2000.  In 2021 Dr. Ghenea discovered the field of lifestyle medicine. She learned how to support people in becoming as healthy as they can be, by improving lifestyle habits. Dr. Ghenea became certified with the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine in December 2025.  Dr. Ghenea was also among more than 160 healthcare professionals who signed an open letter calling for processed meats to be removed from institutional menus across Canada. They argue the move would better align hospital and school food policy with chronic disease prevention and dietary guidelines after processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats were classified by the World Health Organization as Group 1 carcinogens. RESOURCES  Facebook Page  Oceanview Family Practice and Lifestyle Medicine  CBC Interview  Support the show

    Episode 120: Dr. Irina Ghenea on the Push to get Processed Meat Out of Hospitals

  5. Jul 21

    Episode 119: What is the Future of Modern Medicine? With Dr. Michael Klaper

    Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Klaper to discuss the importance of nutrition and the future of Modern Health Care.  Dr. Michael Klaper, MD, DipACLM, is a physician, educator, author, and internationally recognized advocate for lifestyle and nutrition-based medicine. A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, he has practiced acute care medicine for more than five decades in Hawaii, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand, with a career-long focus on preventing and reversing chronic disease through evidence-based nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices. Dr. Klaper is board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine and has served as a nutrition advisor to NASA, a clinician at leading nutrition-focused medical centers, and a sought-after speaker on plant-predominant nutrition. He is the founder and Executive Director of Moving Medicine Forward, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to advancing nutrition education in medical schools and empowering future healthcare professionals to incorporate lifestyle medicine into clinical practice.  Dr. Klaper is also the co-author of the newly released book Moving Medicine Forward: What More Doctors Should Know About Nutrition - and How It Can Save Your Life, which calls for a greater integration of nutrition and lifestyle medicine into modern healthcare.  Dr. Klaper's Websites: www.DoctorKlaper.com (Moving Medicine Forward: What More Doctors Should Know About Nutrition - and How It Can Save Your Life is available on Dr. Klaper's website.)  www.movingmedforward.org  Resources Discussed: Book, ‘For Forks Sake’ by Rachel Brown: https://forforkssakebook.com/ Forks Over Knives: https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/  Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show

  6. Jun 30

    Episode 118: Sustainable Nutrition in a Changing World with Dr. Vasanti Malik

    Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Vasanti Malik to discuss sustainable, healthy diets and environmental impacts.  Dr. Vasanti Malik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Malik earned her MSc in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto and a dual doctorate in Nutrition and Epidemiology from Harvard, where she also completed postdoctoral training. Her research focuses on dietary and lifestyle determinants of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases across diverse populations and life stages, with additional expertise in environmental sustainability and food systems. Using epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and evidence synthesis, she has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers that have informed dietary guidelines and health policy internationally. Dr. Malik has contributed to expert advisory initiatives with organizations including World Health Organization and American Heart Association, and collaborates on global nutrition and chronic disease prevention research in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Website Dr. Vasanti Malik: https://nutrisci.med.utoronto.ca/faculty/vasanti-malik Resources: TOsustain: https://utsc.utoronto.ca/foodandfarm/tosustain TMU Urban Farm: https://www.torontomu.ca/sciencerendezvous/activity-booths/urbanfarm/ Lancet Planetary Health Abstract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38632913/  Diabetes & Community Gardens: https://healthypopulationsnetwork.utoronto.ca/news/catalyst-grants-fund-projects-aimed-reducing-type-2-diabetes-risk-peel-region  Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show

  7. Jun 9

    Episode 117: Powering Your Complex Brain with Dr. Aleksandra Pikula

    Dr. Aleksandra Pikula is quadruple board-certified in Medicine, Neurology, Vascular Neurology, and Lifestyle Medicine… with Neurology and Vascular Neurology Fellowship and postdoctoral training at Boston University, Harvard University, and the Framingham Heart Study. Dr. Pikula holds a status of an Associate Professor of Medicine, a Clinician-Investigator, and Co-Director of the Women’s Neurology Fellowship Program at the University of Toronto. Since 2023, she had been appointed as the Inaugural Jay & Sari Sonshine Chair in Stroke Prevention and Cerebrovascular Brain Health at the University of Toronto, University Health Network, and Krembil Brain Institute… and serves as the founding director of the Jay and Sari Sonshine Centre at UHN. Her clinical and research focus is on stroke prevention and outcomes in younger adults, particularly emphasizing women’s brain health during midlife. Dr. Pikula advocates for a holistic approach to brain care, targeting stroke and dementia prevention through evidence-based lifestyle medicine programs. Plant-Based Canada was also privileged to feature her as a speaker for our 2026 Conference, where she discussed plant-forward nutrition for the brain across the lifespan. That talk will be available to participants for three months. RESOURCES  Through HER Prism  Facebook  Instagram  Linkedin  Framingham Heart Study  Jay and Sari Sonshine Centre  Women’s Neurology Fellowship Program at the U of T  Support the show

    Episode 117: Powering Your Complex Brain with Dr. Aleksandra Pikula

  8. May 24

    Episode 116: Weeding Through the Seed Oil Misinformation with Dr. Matthew Nagra

    Dr. Matthew Nagra makes his fourth appearance on the podcast. And this time he’s laser-focused on the social media-driven controversy around seed oils.  Dr. Nagra and his team put in the hours and reviewed the science around seed oils, examining three main, viral claims we bust down in this episode, including:   1.     “Seed oils cause inflammation”,  2.     “The RCTs prove harm”,  3.     And “Heating or processing creates toxic compounds”.  Dr. Nagra is a Naturopathic Doctor devoted to bringing the most up-to-date, evidence-based nutrition information to his patients in his Vancouver-based practice, and to the public via social media, presentations, and scientific publications. He aims to correct mis- and disinformation in a way that is easily digestible, helping people make fully informed dietary choices.  He has also contributed to multiple nutrition textbooks, including Springer Nature's Handbook of Public Health Nutrition, and is a nutrition science advisor for the highly anticipated documentary, The Game Changers 2.  You can also catch him in Episode 84, where we look at evidence around swapping out animal and plant-based meat; Episode 47, focused on misinformation around the Food Compass System; and Episode 2, where we talk about nutrition myths and misinformation more broadly.   RESOURCES  Concerns about the health effects of industrially produced seed oils are without scientific foundation: a scoping narrative review of the clinical and observational evidence  Dr. Nagra’s Website  Instagram  Facebook  X  Support the show

    Episode 116: Weeding Through the Seed Oil Misinformation with Dr. Matthew Nagra
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. Join us as we talk with experts to explore the field of nutritional sciences and how our food choices impact our health and the environment. We sit down with Canadian doctors, dieticians, athletes, climate experts and others/more, to break down the evidence behind a Whole Food Plant-Based diet, and discuss the practical steps you can take in your efforts to shift toward a healthier lifestyle. The Plant-Based Canada Podcast is an initiative of the group Plant-Based Canada, which aims to educate the public and health professionals on the evidence-based benefits of plant-based whole food nutrition for individual and planetary health. To learn more about the show, visit our website www.plantbasedcanada.org and stay up to date by following us on Instagram and Facebook @plantbasedcanadaorg, and our Plant-based Canada YouTube channel. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. PBC is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or opinions related to the content stated by the guests interviewed. All information in this podcast is provided "as is", with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the conclusions obtained from the use of this information. The podcast should not be considered professional advice. Listeners should seek their own individual healthcare advice as needed.

Information

  • Creator
    Plant-Based Canada
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Plant-Based Canada Podcast
  • Show Website
    Plant-Based Canada Podcast

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