Nutritionist Lola Berry reveals her essential ingredients

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A chance encounter in Prahran Market changed Lola Berry's life. She was approached by a woman who recognised Berry from her foodie nutritionist spot that morning on television and, flattered, asked her what she thought. "She goes, 'You should never wear yellow, you look pudgy'," says Berry. Vowing never to be told that again, Berry changed her diet and lost 20 kilograms in 20 weeks, which inspired her subsequent books, The 20/20 Diet and The 20/20 Diet Cookbook.

Born in Melbourne and raised as a "bit of a health nerd" Berry spent her rebellious late teens working as a DJ by night (break beats, old school hip-hop and party tunes) and stylist and makeup artist by day. "I was very unhealthy. My favourite food was lamingtons and Giant Caramello Koalas," she recalls. A crush on a fellow DJ spurred her first healthy foods wake-up call. "I went on a summertime detox – I just wanted to look good in bikinis, basically – but I started to feel great. My skin glowed, my eyes were really clear, I had more energy and I started to be so fascinated that food could play such a huge part in your life."

With the new boyfriend in tow she moved to the Gold Coast and swapped her performing arts degree for a Bachelor of Health Science at Endeavour College of Natural Health, where she majored in nutritional medicine.

While studying, the media-savvy 20-something picked up a video camera and started filming short food and nutrition web episodes. They lead to her being picked up by morning television's 9am with David & Kim, overseas travel and later a regular spot on The Circle. The rest, as they say, is history.

Known for her wholefoods approach (food is here to nourish and to share with the people you love, she says) Berry is now 29 and lives in Paddington. Her next book, The Happy Cookbook (out in March), is even more holistic: it draws on yoga, meditation and the importance of sleep as well food and nutrition. "The way I describe it to my friends is The Happy Cookbook has a big chunk of my heart in it. It's how to live that lifestyle wholeheartedly, if you want to."

Look out for more of Lola Berry's recipes and health tips on goodfood.com.au

Here are the eight ingredients Lola can't live without in 2015.

Almond meal (flour)

This grain-free flour is a kitchen staple. Whole almond meal has a coarse texture and is great in brekkie creations, for crumbing meats and fish, and even in desserts and raw treats. Blanched almond meal (often called almond flour) is more refined because the almond skin is removed before it is ground.

Amaranth

I use this Aztec seed like a grain. Recently loads of studies have been done on it for its anti-cancer properties. It contains a compound called squalene, which has been called a cure-all in ancient Japanese medicine. Amaranth is a brilliant source of fibre, which means it acts a bit like an intestinal broom, making you regular and helping prevent bowel cancers, along with promoting weight loss and lower cholesterol levels. This is one pretty amazing seed!

Bee pollen

Bee pollen is the soft yellow dust from flowers that bees brush into the pollen sacs on their back legs. Bees use it to feed their larvae and to make royal jelly and it's high in protein and nutrients. This stuff comes with a whole list of health benefits, one of the best being that it's a great source of the bioflavonoid rutin, which helps to strengthen arteries and capillaries, and it assists with anti-clotting to prevent heart attacks. As bee pollen is so high in antioxidants it's also great for supporting healthy skin and boosting the immune system. Plus, it promotes healthy intestinal flora growth, and a healthy gut is the key to immune function! (People with pollen allergies should avoid bee pollen and vegans might prefer to leave it out, too.)

I sprinkle it on pancakes, muesli or porridge and it makes a great smoothie topper.

Buckwheat

Despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain but the fruit of a plant related to sorrel and rhubarb. It's sold as groats or flour. Groats are the light-coloured kernels that you can buy whole or ground (cracked) and either raw or roasted (called kasha). Buckwheat flour is available in light and dark versions. The darker type contains more of the hull, therefore more fibre and nutrients, and has a stronger, nuttier flavour. Buckwheat has been linked to lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure. I love to use buckwheat groats for porridge or as a replacement for burghul (cracked wheat) in tabbouleh. Buckwheat flour makes delicious pancakes and slices, and I often add it to gluten-free recipes.

Cacao

Technically cacao and cocoa are the same thing, but in everyday use cacao usually refers to the raw, unprocessed beans, and cocoa to the beans that are roasted and processed (and usually combined with milk and sugar to make chocolate). Raw cacao powder is the healthiest way to get a chocolate hit; add it to a smoothie, make a hot chocolate, energy balls or a raw choccy cake. It's delicious and full of health benefits, especially for our brains. It's high in magnesium (great for our muscles and heart) and phenylalanine, a precursor to two brain chemicals that make us feel good (norepinephrine and dopamine) – maybe that's why we love chocolate so much!

Raw honey

Raw honey is different to regular honey that you find at the supermarket. Raw honey has been filtered, but in a way that doesn't destroy its nutrients. It is not pasteurised (the heating and filtration process that makes it clear), so all its beneficial enzymes are still present. Raw honey can be solid at room temperature (depending on how cold it is), and is milky (not clear). It's about twice as sweet as sugar, so you don't need to use as much.

Pepitas

Pepitas, also known as pumpkin seeds, are full of zinc, an important mineral needed for so many things from boosting our immune system to healthy cell growth, prostate health and it's even important for hair skin and nail health. They're also an amazing source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids and a pretty good source of the amino acid tryptophan which converts to melatonin in the brain and is important for regulating our sleep patterns. So a little snack of pumpkin seeds before bed might be a great sleep remedy. I use pepitas as a topping for nearly anything, especially salads: they add crunch and a truck load of health benefits.

Stevia

Stevia, which is made from the leaves of a South American herb, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar, has no calories and no impact on blood sugar levels. You can buy it in powder form or as a liquid. Use it sparingly – if you use more than a couple of drops of liquid you'll get a pretty nasty aftertaste. It doesn't taste quite the same as sugar, but once you're used to it, you'll be converted. It has been used medicinally to treat inflammatory conditions, swelling in the legs and even topically on wounds. And more recently it's been used as a great sweetener for those wanting to drop weight.

The Happy Cookbook, by Lola Berry, published by Plum $34.99. Photos Armelle Habib.