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EFAD, with the support of Danone, is pleased to invite dietitians, dietetic students and other healthcare professionals to the upcoming webinar: Building Understanding of Nutritionally Balanced Plant-Based Choices within Flexitarian Diets
📅 24 November 2026
🕕 18:00 CET
💻 Register here
As interest in flexitarian diets grows, healthcare professionals play an important role in helping people understand the nutritional considerations of reducing animal-source foods and making informed, balanced choices.
The webinar will bring together nutritional science and practical communication perspectives, exploring micronutrient needs, the role of different plant-based foods and drinks, and how to translate this knowledge into clear dietary guidance.
The programme will include:
- Welcome and introduction
- Flexitarian Diets: Key Nutrients and Nutritional Adequacy
Elphee Medici, Registered DietitianWith growing recognition of the benefits of plant-forward diets for both human and planetary health, more people are adopting a flexitarian approach, with plant-based foods and alternatives becoming part of everyday food choices.
However, this shift also raises questions about nutritional adequacy. Which nutrients genuinely require attention, and which concerns are less well-founded?
This presentation explores the key nutrients to consider as people move towards more plant-based eating, the potential nutritional gaps, and how informed food choices, including fortified plant-based alternatives, can help support nutritional adequacy.
- Plant-based, but balanced? Helping consumers make flexitarian choices they understand
Suzan Tuinier, Nutrition and Health Communication Specialist and Founder of NutrimediaMore and more Europeans are swapping some animal products for plant-based alternatives. But do consumers actually understand what makes a plant-based choice nutritionally balanced?In this presentation, Suzan Tuinier looks at the gap between nutrition science and everyday food choices from a communication perspective. What do consumers see on the pack, on the supermarket shelf and on social media, and how do they interpret it? Which nutrients, such as protein, calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine, need extra attention when people switch? And how can dietitians turn this into clear, practical and trustworthy advice, within the EU rules on nutrition and health claims?
Together, the presentations will provide practical insights to support healthcare professionals in advising on plant-based choices within flexitarian diets.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Speakers
Elphee Medici is a UK-based nutrition, health and sustainability specialist with over 30 years’ experience across healthcare, academia, NGOs and the food industry. Originally trained in dietetics, she now works as an independent nutrition consultant, specialising in translating scientific evidence into practical guidance for health professionals and consumers.
Elphee has authored and co-authored several publications, including as lead author of the British Dietetic Association’s One Blue Dot® sustainable diets reference guide and resources and peer-reviewed research examining the nutritional composition and role of plant-based dairy alternatives.
Her work includes developing evidence-based content for healthcare professionals and consumers, from scientific critiques and professional educational materials to practical online resources covering heart health, menopause and sustainable diets. She regularly presents and lectures on nutrition and sustainability, including at Le Cordon Bleu London, and works extensively with HEART UK on nutrition education.
Suzan Tuinier is a nutritionist and health communication specialist from the Netherlands, and the founder of Nutrimedia, an agency for compliant health communication and strategic advice. She works where nutrition science, communication, marketing and EU legislation on nutrition and health claims meet. She advises food and health companies, retailers and organisations, including Kruidvat, Albert Heijn and Danone. Suzan chairs VoeDNet, regularly speaks at and moderates events, hosts webinars and podcasts, and is a guest lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics. She studied Nutrition and Dietetics at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Policy, Communication and Organisation at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.