Before lockdown, if you heard the words ‘food designed by a nutritionist’ it would probably conjure up images of mung beans, raw vegetables and pond-coloured juices. But thanks to Emily English — better known by her social media moniker of Em The Nutritionist — healthy meals have had a serious image makeover.
After qualifying at King’s College London, having battled an eating disorder as a teen, English began posting recipes online during the pandemic. She was determined to show that balanced meals could look and taste ‘so good’ (a phrase she utters at the start of every video). Think healthy M&S dupes and colourful salads that actually fill you up.
Fast forward four years, and at 29, English has a cool 1.7 million followers hanging off her every ingredient on Instagram, a staggering 14.5 million likes on TikTok, her own line of probiotics named Epetome — and this week she releases her second book, Live To Eat: The Food You Crave, The Nutrition You Need (out 8 May, amazon.co.uk).
Seven Dials
Her first book, aptly named So Good: Food you want to eat, designed by a nutritionist, was an instant best-seller, and no doubt her sophomore release will be making it way onto the shelves of every Gen Z and Millennial’s kitchen this summer.
So what’s new from book two? “The recipes are healthy, but they’re also flavour-first,” English explains. “It’s food you genuinely want to eat, whether you’re cooking mid-week for yourself or hosting friends. It’s also incredibly practical.
“I know how busy life gets and how overwhelming healthy eating can feel when you’re juggling everything. It should make eating well feel achievable and sustainable, not like another job on the list.”
“I’m not here to shame anyone or tell you you’re doing it wrong. I’m here to give you delicious recipes, normalise nutrition and build people’s confidence”
English has a knack for delivering recipes that cater to the internet’s current cravings — there’s high-protein and high-fibre meal ideas aplenty in her book — but without feeding into fads or fueling restrictive ideas about eating. “There’s so much noise around wellness right now: trends, extreme protocols, and endless “rules” around what you should or shouldn’t eat. I think Live to Eat stands out because it feels normal, it’s accessible nutrition that doesn’t feel intimidating,” English explains.
“I’m a nutritionist, but I’m also just a human. I don’t believe in fear-based messaging: I’m not here to shame anyone or tell you you’re doing it wrong. I’m here to give you delicious recipes, normalise nutrition and build people’s confidence in the kitchen and their bodies,” she adds. “My aim is always to help people feel empowered around food again.”
English is a firm believer that spring is a great time to make a changes to your health and nutrition. Here’s what she thinks is worth paying attention to in the world of wellness right now — and what you should take with a pinch of salt.
On restrictive diets and cutting out carbs
One of the most persistent myths is the idea that “healthy eating” equals extreme restriction. That you have to cut out entire food groups and that food can be put into either a good camp or bad camp. The truth is, balance wins every time.
You don’t need to detox. Your body does that for you. And carbs aren’t the enemy and they never have been! We need to stop chasing perfection and start focusing on consistency and enjoyment. You’ll get far more benefits from a homemade lasagne than a bland, sad salad you resented eating and which didn’t fill you up.
Emily English
Protein has a huge role to play in how we feel when we eat. It helps keep us full and satisfied, and supports blood sugar balance. I love that more people are tuning into that, especially as we get older, our protein needs naturally increase.
But like with most things on social media, it’s easy for the conversation to tip into extremes. We don’t all need to be eating like Olympic body builders. Protein is important, yes, but that doesn’t mean adding three scoops of powder to everything. Focus on building meals around real, whole protein sources such as eggs, fish, pulses, meat, yoghurt and the rest tends to fall into place.
Something I’m seeing more of lately is protein displacement, where people are swapping out nutrient-rich whole foods, like beans or lentils, for processed protein snacks or shakes. It’s well-meaning, but we lose out on fibre, vitamins, and all the other goodness that comes with whole foods. Protein should be part of a balanced plate — not the only thing on it.
Gut health is finally getting the attention it deserves, but I think we’re only just scratching the surface in terms of how much it impacts our mood, energy, skin, hormones, everything! The gut is like the command centre for so many parts of our health, and we’re learning more and more about how closely it’s connected to our whole body.
Epetome
What I’d love to see more of is the everyday habits that support it. Focus on diversity, getting in a variety of plant foods across the week, including fermented ingredients like kefir and live yoghurt, chewing properly, managing stress, sleeping properly, all those small but consistent behaviours that add up. Gut health is trending, but it shouldn’t be viewed as a trend — it’s foundational.
I’m a big believer in keeping beauty and wellness rituals simple but consistent. Walking every day, especially in the morning, is one of the best things I do for my skin, digestion, sleep and headspace. It supports everything from digestion to lymphatic flow to better sleep, and it genuinely makes the biggest difference to my mood and energy. Even just 20 minutes outside without looking at your phone can shift your perspective for the whole day.
On her must-have beauty buys
I swear by using magnesium body butter from NEOM (£31.20) on my calves and feet before bed, and it’s such a game-changer for deep, restful sleep.
Holy Cacao
And a new little evening ritual I’ve fallen in love with is making a collagen hot chocolate using Holy Cacao (£54.99). It feels rich but is genuinely good for you. My skin has never been better since taking it regularly — it looks brighter and feels stronger overall. It’s such an easy win to build into your wind-down routine.
On her favourite London beauty spots
Infrared saunas are another ritual I love right now. I go to Yue Float in Battersea when I need a proper reset it’s so calming, and I always sleep like a baby after. They’ve got these amazing flotation tanks filled with Epsom salts, and it’s honestly the most grounding experience.
I also have to shout out my little local massage place Naturo Spa on Wandsworth Bridge Road. It’s such a gem. Sofia, the owner, is incredible. I go there for deep tissue, lymphatic and facial massage either with her or Linda. It’s one of those places where you walk in a bit frazzled and float out feeling brand new.
