About me

I was born and raised in Cascais, between two forces that still define me today: music and structure. The daughter of a musician and poet father and a manager mother, I grew up between creativity and discipline. I’m a rocker at heart, I studied piano and learned early on to look at life with intensity, curiosity and emotion.

My sister, a doctor, has always been much more than a sister. A role model, a constant support — a true “second mother”. My family background deeply shaped the way I care for others today: with closeness, responsibility and dedication.

I married at 26 and became a mother in 2010.

My son, Gustavo, is the centre of my life. My greatest purpose. My greatest strength. My LIFE. For him, everything. No limits.

My studies began in Communication Sciences at the University of Lisbon, which led me to a career in television between 2002 and 2016. I lived intense years on live TV, on programmes such as Curto Circuito, Fama Show, Não Há Crise and Recordes do Guinness, with unique experiences such as the Oscars in Hollywood, the Cannes Film Festival and the big music festivals.

But there came a moment when I realised I wanted more than to communicate. I wanted to transform.

I found that path in nutrition.

I graduated in Nutrition Sciences and, more recently, furthered my training with a course in Oncology. Over the years, I have added training in biochemical analysis, genetic test interpretation, functional medicine, chronic diseases, nutrition in pregnancy and postpartum, menopause and gastrointestinal disorders, among many others. Today my approach is integrated, functional and evidence-based — but always with room for each person’s individuality.

In 2016 I founded MindEat – Smart Nutrition by Rita Andrade, a project that reflects exactly who I am: strategy with emotion, science with practical application, rigour with closeness.

I currently see patients at MindEat Amoreiras, online and at Up Clinic, and I communicate daily through my website RitaNutri.com and social media, especially Instagram — my most direct, most genuine channel.

In 2024 I started the programme Rita Saúde on CMR (Correio da Manhã Rádio), where I bring straightforward, practical and science-based nutrition to a wide audience — from topics like intermittent fasting to real everyday solutions, such as simple and effective packed lunches.

I am also the author of the 100 Diet@s / SMART collection, having launched the first e-book dedicated to menopause — a complete, structured, science-based work, designed to be applied in real life: with plans, shopping lists and practical solutions.

Cooking is one of my ways of caring.

I love reinventing traditional Portuguese recipes, making them more balanced without losing their identity. Because I believe eating well doesn’t have to be complicated — it has to be sustainable, enjoyable and real.

Travelling is another of my great passions. I have visited more than 60 countries, and each experience strengthens my global view of health, food culture and lifestyle.

I’ve never drunk coffee in my life, I hate peppers… but I love bacalhau and I’m not a fan of sweets.

Above all, I am a mother, nutritionist and communicator, with a clear focus on health and nutrition literacy.

What truly drives me is being able to make a difference in people’s lives — with knowledge, with awareness, with closeness.

I’m an optimist, sensitive (I cry even at Disney films) and deeply passionate about life.

Education and training

• Degree in Nutrition Sciences — Universidade New Atlântica
• Full Member of the Portuguese Order of Nutritionists — 2944N
• Degree in Communication Sciences — University of Lisbon
• PhD candidate in (Health) Communication — University of Lisbon
• Scientific research on nutrition in pregnancy — Universidade Atlântica Research Centre (CESOB)
• Clinical Solutions for Addressing the Underlying Causes of Disease — Institute for Functional Medicine
• A Systems Approach to Reversing the Epidemic of Chronic Disease — Institute for Functional Medicine
• Introduction to Functional Nutrition: CSUCD — Institute for Functional Medicine
• Course in Biochemical Assessment in Clinical Nutrition — Universidade New Atlântica
• Course in Genetic Interpretation — DNA Health / Nordic Laboratories
• Professional Update Course in Nutrition in Pregnancy — Universidade Lusófona
• Seminar on Functional Nutrition in Pregnancy — Nutriscience, Education and Consulting
• Seminar on Pre- and Probiotics in Clinical Practice — Nutriscience, Education and Consulting
• European Congress of Functional Nutrition — Nutriscience, Education and Consulting
• Oncology Course — AIM Cancer Center
• Speaker at the Oncological Urology Congress — nutrition in prostate cancer