The archive
Every article published in The Pantry Notes, grouped by section. We update older pieces as the evidence moves; the modified date on each article tells you when it was last reviewed.
Nutrition Tracking
Section →How AI Food Recognition Works: From Pixel to Plate
A plain-English walkthrough of how a phone photograph becomes a calorie estimate — segmentation, portion estimation, depth, and the database lookup behind it.
Is Tracking Macros Actually Worth It? An Evidence-Based Look
Macro tracking has fans and critics. The honest answer about who benefits, who does not, and how to track without it taking over your life.
Calorie Counting Apps in 2026: A Feature-by-Feature Field Guide
A descriptive walkthrough of the leading nutrition tracking apps — what each does, how their feature sets differ, and which trade-offs matter for which kinds of users.
The State of AI Nutrition Apps in 2026
AI-powered food recognition has gone from novelty to default. A factual look at how today's photo-based nutrition apps work, where the category is genuinely strong, and where it still has limits.
Macronutrients
Section →Protein Requirements for Active Adults: What the Research Actually Says
From the RDA to the higher end of the literature, here is a clear walk-through of how much protein active adults actually need, and how to hit it.
Understanding Carbohydrates: Simple, Complex, and Beyond
A clear walkthrough of dietary carbohydrates — what they are, how the body handles them, and why fibre and food matrix matter more than the simple/complex split.
Dietary Fats Explained: From Saturated to Omega-3
Saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega-3, omega-6, trans — what each one does in the body and how the research has evolved on each.
Vitamins & Minerals
Section →Magnesium 101: The Quiet Mineral
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions and is one of the most commonly low minerals in modern diets. A grounded guide to forms, food, and supplementation.
Vitamin D: Why It Matters and How to Get Enough
A grounded guide to vitamin D — what it does, who is at risk of deficiency, how testing works, and what supplementation actually looks like in 2026.
Iron-Rich Foods for Plant-Based Eaters
Plant-based iron is real but absorbed differently than meat iron. A practical guide to sources, pairings, and when to test.
Hydration
Section →Hydration Beyond Water: What Actually Counts
Coffee, tea, milk, fruit, soup — what counts toward hydration and what does not. A practical guide informed by the Beverage Hydration Index.
Electrolytes Explained: Sodium, Potassium, and the Rest
What electrolytes do, when ordinary food covers them, and when supplementation actually matters. Plus a sober take on the electrolyte-drink boom.
Athletic Performance
Section →Pre-Workout Nutrition: Timing, Composition, and What Actually Helps
What to eat before training, when to eat it, and which pre-workout claims survive contact with the evidence.
Post-Exercise Recovery: The 24-Hour Window
What recovery actually requires in the hours after a hard session — protein, carbs, sleep, and the things that genuinely help versus the things that do not.
Weight Management
Section →Sustainable Weight Loss: What the Research Actually Shows
Calorie deficits work; the question is which deficit you can actually live with. A research-grounded look at adherence, rate of loss, and what predicts maintenance.
TDEE and Energy Balance: A Practical Guide
How total daily energy expenditure is built, why every formula is approximate, and how to find your real number through tracking and adjustment.
Diet Patterns
Section →The Mediterranean Diet: Why It's the Most Studied Eating Pattern
The evidence base behind the Mediterranean diet, what 'Mediterranean' actually means in trials, and how to follow it without overcomplicating it.
Keto vs Low-Carb: The Differences That Actually Matter
'Low carb' covers a wide range of approaches. Strict ketogenic eating is one specific corner of it. Here is what differs and who each is for.
Plant-Based Eating Without Deficiency: A Practical Checklist
Plant-based diets are healthful at a population level. They also have specific nutrients to plan around. The honest list of what to plan for.