logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
44m 27s

#563: The Financialization of the Food S...

Danny Lennon
About this episode

Global food systems have been increasingly subjected to financial speculation, leading to adverse consequences for growers, consumers, and public health. But what are the systemic vulnerabilities that impact food security, equitable access to nutritious food, and the broader socio-political frameworks influencing these outcomes?

Understanding the financial mechanisms shaping food production and distribution is highly relevant for health professionals, policy makers, and researchers concerned with nutrition, equity, and global health systems.

This episode urges a critical re-evaluation of current food policies and invites consideration of more ethical, resilient approaches to safeguarding food systems.

Professor Martin Caraher is Emeritus Professor of Food and Health Policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City St. Georges, University of London. His research encompasses food poverty, food security, the role of food aid, and the broader implications of food systems on public health.

Timestamps

  • [01:12] Financialization of food: an overview
  • [05:27] Speculation and its impact on food prices
  • [13:10] Global food security and policy responses
  • [17:20] Corporate concentration in food systems
  • [34:03] Potential solutions and future directions

Related Resources

Up next
Oct 7
#579: Is Your Chronotype Hard-Wired or Modifiable? And What Does It Mean for Health?
In this episode, we explore the concept of chronotype, which reflects an individual’s biological circadian timing and how it manifests in preferred sleep–wake patterns. Understanding chronotype is important because it differs from simple diurnal preference, which may be shaped by ... Show More
59m 28s
Sep 30
#578: Creatine For Brain Health: Overhyped Trend or Science-based Intervention? – Prof. Eric Rawson
Creatine is best known as a sports supplement for enhancing muscle strength and high-intensity performance. But could it also improve brain health and cognitive function? Or are such claims overhyped? If creatine can support brain health, it could have implications for aging, neu ... Show More
52m 30s
Sep 23
Is There a Limit to Energy Expenditure? And What Happens When We Push It? (SNP44)
Energy expenditure is one of the most fundamental yet often misunderstood aspects of human physiology. A central question is whether there is a ceiling to how many calories we can burn, and what happens when activity levels approach that limit. Grasping these dynamics is essentia ... Show More
14m 9s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
Part 177 - Ty Beal on the Top Nutrient Dense Food List & Global Nutrition Solutions
Ty Beal is based in Washington DC as a Research Advisor on the Knowledge Leadership team at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). In this role, he supports programmes, research, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge to stakeholders. He has extensive experience e ... Show More
1h 27m
May 2025
Why the ‘big food’ industry is killing us – and how to fight back | Prof. Brian Elbel and Prof. Tim Spector
👀 Unwrap the truth 👉 Try the new ZOE app Why do we eat what we eat? It might feel like a personal choice, but hidden forces—industry tactics, government policies, and even cutting-edge food science—shape our decisions every day. In this episode, Professor Brian Elbel from NYU a ... Show More
1h 3m
Mar 2025
Ep. 189. Dr. Jason Evans: Leadership When Nothing is Easy—A Food Safety Summit Keynote Preview
Jason Evans, Ph.D. is the Dean of the College of Food Innovation and Technology (CFIT) at Johnson & Wales University, which offers baccalaureate and graduate programming in Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Culinary Nutrition, Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship, and Sustainable Fo ... Show More
1h 17m
May 2025
Why Do Most Diets Fail? The Science of Nutrient Deficiencies | Ty Beal PhD
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Ty Beal—global nutrition researcher and Senior Technical Specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)—to uncover the hidden epidemic of micronutrient deficiencies worldwide. From food access and affordability to ultra-processe ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 2024
Dr. Federica Amati: Navigating Food Choices For Fat Loss & Living Longer (E299)
Dr. Federica Amati is a nutrition scientist and public health expert, with a passion for helping individuals understand the impact of their food choices. In this episode, she chats with Jake and Damian about her new book Everybody Should Know This, which dives deep into the funda ... Show More
1h 39m
Aug 2023
RHR: Regenerative Agriculture and the Future of Our Food System, with Robby Sansom
Force of Nature Meats CEO and co-founder Robby Sansom joins Chris on Revolution Health Radio to discuss the current state of regeneratively sourced meat and how Force of Nature is working to create a global regenerative supply network and offer consumers the awareness and ability ... Show More
1h 5m
Jun 2025
Ultra-Processed Foods
Everyone agrees that processed foods are bad for you. When it comes to defining what they actually are, however, there is considerably less agreement. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonWatch Aubrey's documentaryBuy Aubrey's bookListen to Mike's other podcastGet Maintenance ... Show More
1h 11m
Feb 2025
America’s Food Supply Is Rigged—Here’s How to Opt Out | Vani Hari & Dr. Shebani Sethi
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are identified as the leading cause of preventable death globally. These foods are chemically altered, stripped of their natural structures, and filled with additives, sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, resulting in products that offer little ... Show More
1h 12m
Apr 2025
Ultra-Processed People: How Big Food Is Rewiring Our Brains | Chris Van Tulleken
Ultra-processed food is the new cigarette—and it's fueling a global health crisis hiding in plain sight. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr. Chris van Tulleken—infectious disease physician, BBC broadcaster, and author of Ultra-Processed People—to expose the truth behind ultra-p ... Show More
1h 24m
Feb 2025
Kelly Alexander, "Truffles and Trash: Recirculating Food in a Social Welfare State" (UNC Press, 2024)
On a fragile planet with spreading food insecurity, food waste is a political and ethical problem. Examining the collaborative, sometimes scrappy institutional and community efforts to recuperate and redistribute food waste in Brussels, Belgium, Kelly Alexander reveals it is also ... Show More
1h 7m