I created The Nutrient first and foremost for myself—as a place to collect recipes and better understand what I choose to eat.
I have lived without a spleen since I was five years old. Because not having a spleen meant not having a fully functioning immune system, I used ingredient restriction to help protect myself from getting sick. It wasn’t until much later in life that I began examining food and ingredients more carefully and learning how different choices might support—or work against—my individual health needs.
The Nutrient grew from that personal process. I wanted one place where I could save recipes, examine their ingredients, identify foods I may want to favor or limit, and make choices based on my own research and analysis. Instead of looking at a recipe only by how appealing it sounds, I wanted to understand what was actually in it.
That idea became the foundation of The Nutrient’s Healthy Rating system. Recipes are evaluated using consistent, ingredient-based rules so that their nutritional qualities can be considered alongside taste, convenience, and enjoyment.
Today, The Nutrient is both my personal recipe collection and a growing resource for others who want to look more closely at what they eat. I believe food should still be comforting, beautiful, and delicious—but I also believe we deserve clear information about the ingredients we put into our bodies.
The Nutrient reflects my continuing journey of learning, questioning, and making more intentional food choices—one ingredient and one recipe at a time.