ZOE Science & Nutrition

Arthritis affects millions worldwide. 1 in 5 adults in the U.S suffer with it and many people assume it’s an inevitable part of aging. Bu what if you could reduce joint pain and inflammation through diet and lifestyle?

In this episode, Dr. Tamiko Katsumoto, Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University, unpacks the science behind arthritis. She explains the key differences between osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear on joints, and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissue. While there is no cure for arthritis, Tamiko reveals why chronic inflammation plays a central role - and how the modern diet is making things worse.

Tamiko shares evidence-based strategies to reduce inflammation naturally, including the best foods to support joint health and whether supplements and lifestyle changes can make a real difference.

If you or someone you know suffers from joint pain, this episode is packed with insights to help you take control of your health.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Can you reverse arthritis?

03:35 What is arthritis?

05:10 How joints work

06:49 Signs of arthritis

11:31 Osteoarthritis explained

12:29 Rheumatoid arthritis explained

14:09 New treatments

15:00 How effective is medication?

15:59 Role of inflammation

20:26 Tamiko’s plant-based eating study

30:30 Can you feel your diet choices in your body?

34:20 Gut microbiome and arthritis

36:20 Does inflammation cause cancer? 

42:02 Is our diet causing disease?

44:00 Anti-inflammatory diet pattern

46:02 Foods to detoxify your body

48:23 Does oily fish help arthritis? 

50:05 The role of prebiotics

53:02 Are probiotic capsules worth it?

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

A multidisciplinary lifestyle program for rheumatoid arthritis: the 'Plants for Joints' randomized controlled trial, 2023, published in Rheumatology

A multidisciplinary lifestyle program for metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis: the "Plants for Joints" randomized controlled trial, 2023, published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status, 2021, published in Cell

High-fiber diet associated with improved progression-free survival and response to immunotherapy in melanoma patients, 2021, published by MD Anderson

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re diving into coffee.

Most of us are greeted by its earthy aroma every single morning. It’s hot bitter taste signaling that the day has officially begun. Coffee is so ingrained into our daily routine we rarely pause to consider the effect of coffee on our health. 

So, what is coffee, a health-boosting elixir or just another guilty pleasure?

Coffee expert James Hoffmann joins us to explore one of the world's most popular drinks.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

We spend so much time focusing on how exercise changes our bodies - burning calories, building muscle, shedding fat. What if the most important transformation is happening where you can’t see it? Hidden inside your skull, your brain is changing with every step, squat, and sprint.

Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki has spent years uncovering how movement rewires the brain. As a professor at NYU and an expert in neuroplasticity, Wendy’s research reveals how aerobic exercise boosts memory, sharpens focus, and even builds a protective barrier against dementia.

In this episode, Wendy explains what happens inside your brain when you move, why it’s never too late to strengthen your mind, and the powerful ways exercise can slow brain aging. You’ll discover simple, science-backed habits - including her own brain-boosting routine - to help you stay mentally sharp for years to come.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

02:35 Can you grow your brain?

05:05 Why we forget things

07:20 Emotions and memory

10:00 Does memory decline with age?

13:15 Early signs of Alzheimer’s

15:45 Can walking prevent dementia?

18:20 Does the brain shrink?

20:45 How stress harms your brain

23:50 A real, preserved human brain...

26:30 Why exercise boosts memory

29:15 Can adults grow new brain cells?

31:45 How daily movement improves memory

35:10 How much exercise do you need?

38:25 Best workouts for brain health

41:30 Nutrition, gut health, and memory

45:00 Do Blue Zone habits help?

48:10 A simple brain experiment

50:45 Wendy’s brain-boosting routine

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

London taxi drivers and bus drivers: a structural MRI and neuropsychological analysis, 2006, published in Hippocampus

Bigger is better! Hippocampal volume and declarative memory performance in healthy young men, 2012, published in Brain Structure and Function

The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis, 2012, published in Brain Research

The effect of acute aerobic exercise on positive activated affect: A meta-analysis, 2006, published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re talking about intermittent fasting.

This form of time-restricted eating has been gaining significant popularity, with many people reporting positive effects after incorporating it into their daily routines. However, here at ZOE, we want to know what the science says about intermittent fasting.

Is it the real deal? Or just another fad?

I’m joined by Tim Spector and Gin Stephens to break down what intermittent fasting is, how it affects our bodies, and whether the scientific evidence supports it.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Midlife is often seen as a point of no return for health, but it could be the perfect moment to make a radical change. New research suggests that your gut microbiome holds the key to aging well, protecting you from chronic disease, and even reversing some of the damage from years of poor diet and stress.

Few people understand this better than Rich Roll, who went from an overweight, junk-food-addicted workaholic to one of the world’s fittest men - all after the age of 40. Now a plant-fuelled ultramarathoner and bestselling author, Rich shares the wake-up call that forced him to transform his life.

He’s joined by Professor Tim Spector, one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists and professor of epidemiology at King’s College London, who explains why gut health becomes even more important as we age - and how small changes to diet, movement, and daily habits can have an outsized impact later in life.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 A life-changing health transformation

00:38 Overweight, exhausted, and stuck at 40

01:16 How ultra-processed food harms your body

02:08 Can you really transform your health at midlife?

03:18 The biggest myth about changing your health

05:10 From addiction to peak performance

08:40 What happens to the body on a fast food diet

10:26 Unexpected benefits of a plant-based diet

15:30 Gut microbes control more than you think

21:19 Gut health, mood, and mental clarity - what’s the link?

25:00 Does exercise improve your gut microbiome?

27:55 How movement increases your healthspan

30:12 Do elite athletes have better gut health?

32:45 Fuelling extreme endurance without meat

36:00 Tim’s #1 food for gut health

39:05 How to make small changes that actually stick

41:30 Why motivation is overrated—just start

45:00 The mindset shift that makes exercise easier

48:20 It’s never too late to take control of your health

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

The anti-inflammatory effect of bacterial short chain fatty acids is partially mediated by endocannabinoids, 2021, published in Gut Microbes

Signatures of early frailty in the gut microbiota, 2016, published in Genome Medicine

Elevated Inflammatory Status and Increased Risk of Chronic Disease in Chronological Aging: Inflamm-aging or Inflamm-inactivity?, 2019, published in Aging and Disease

Heterochronic faecal transplantation boosts gut germinal centres in aged mice, 2019, published in Nature Communications

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing fat.

It’s a word that carries a lot of weight. It’s a source of social judgment, a driver of insecurities and a tool exploited by companies in targeted marketing campaigns. It’s no surprise that a recent study found over 40% of people in the US have experienced some form of ‘fat-shaming’.

But do we really understand fat? What it does, how it forms and why its distribution changes as we age.

Prof. Sarah Berry and Prof. Deborah Clegg are here to help us answer some of these questions and change our perception of fat. Deborah Clegg is a professor and Vice President for Research at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso. Sarah is Chief Scientist at ZOE and Professor at King’s College London. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Only 12% of American adults are considered metabolically healthy - meaning the vast majority are at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. But what exactly is metabolism, and why does it matter so much for our health?

In this episode, bestselling author and health expert Shawn Stevenson joins world-renowned scientist Professor Tim Spector to break down the science of metabolism. They’ll debunk the myth of “metabolic rate” and explain why it’s not just about how fast you burn calories - but how your body processes and uses them.

You'll discover how poor sleep, stress, and ultra-processed foods are impacting your metabolic health - and how this sets the stage for weight gain and chronic disease. More importantly, Shawn and Tim will share the simple, science-backed habits that can improve your metabolism, from eating nutrient-dense foods to optimizing movement and sleep.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 The truth about your metabolism

04:00 What metabolism actually is

07:30 How ultra-processed food slows metabolism

10:20 Why most people aren’t metabolically healthy

14:00 Food shapes your body’s energy system

18:40 Brain inflammation and metabolism

22:50 How processed food changes calorie burn

27:15 Chemicals in food and air affect health

30:40 Why ultra-processed food harms children most

34:10 How processed food makes us overeat

38:25 Artificial ingredients and gut health

42:10 Can mitochondria be ‘hacked’?

45:00 Poor sleep increases fat storage

48:15 The biggest mistake before bed

50:30 Why breakfast matters for metabolism

52:40 Foods that spike blood sugar

54:20 Tim Spector’s go-to breakfast

55:50 One simple swap to improve metabolism

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Examining Variations of Resting Metabolic Rate of Adults: A Public Health Perspective, 2013, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 

Daily energy expenditure through the human life course, 2021, published in Science 

Postprandial energy expenditure in whole-food and processed-food meals: implications for daily energy expenditure, 2010, published in Food and Nutrition Research  

The Relationship between Sleep Duration and Metabolic Syndrome Severity Scores in Emerging Adults, 2023, published in Nutrients 

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re exploring what evolution can teach us about exercise.

When it comes to doing exercise, there’s often a tug-of-war between our body and brain. Our body craves movement - it wants to be leaner, fitter, stronger. But our brain? Well, that’s a different story. It often dreads the thought of going on a run or lifting weights and will try and find any excuse to avoid doing it.

So, why does this conflict exist, and more importantly, how can we overcome it?

Harvard Professor of Biological Sciences Daniel Lieberman is here to unravel the mysteries of our exercising ancestors and explain how this can help us train today.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Dementia is one of the fastest-growing health crises in the developed world, with cases expected to double in the coming decades. But despite common misconceptions, cognitive decline isn’t inevitable. The latest research shows that lifestyle choices play a far greater role in brain health than genetics alone.

In this episode, neurologists Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai share practical, science-backed strategies to help you protect your brain and reduce your risk of dementia.

As co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, they’ve spent their careers studying how habits like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management influence long-term cognitive health.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Meet the brain doctors fighting dementia

01:04 Parents have dementia – are you doomed?

02:00 Can dementia be reversed?

02:25 Five lifestyle changes to prevent Alzheimer’s

06:07 What is dementia vs. Alzheimer’s?

08:50 Are your genes to blame?

12:49 Dementia starts 20+ years before diagnosis

14:10 Four biggest causes of Alzheimer’s

19:04 How to build brain reserve & stay sharp

22:50 Are dementia rates rising or falling?

25:30 How the brain declines over decades

29:00 This diet cuts Alzheimer’s risk by 53%

32:40 Three nutrients your brain can’t live without

38:15 The surprising link between LDL cholesterol & dementia

44:10 Leg workouts slash dementia risk by 35%

46:20 Why strength training is critical for brain health

50:36 How stress shrinks your brain

54:00 Sleep: The brain’s natural detox

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Association of Lifestyle and Genetic Risk With Incidence of Dementia, 2019, published in JAMA

Dementia statistics, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) 

World Alzheimer Report 2015 - The Global Impact of Dementia, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) 

Midlife serum cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia three decades later, 2009, published in Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re putting the spotlight on our brains.

As we age certain behaviours often become more noticeable - misplacing keys, struggling to recall names or forgetting why you walked into a room. Most of us have likely seen this happen to someone close to us and may have even seen these patterns develop into more serious conditions like dementia.

But are these behaviours just an inevitable part of getting older? Or is there something we can do to prevent them?

Dr William Li is here to outline the connection between our lifestyle and the health of our brain.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

How old are you? A better question might be: how old do you feel? While your birthday says one thing, your biological age—the health of your cells—might tell a very different story. And here’s the best part: unlike your chronological age, your biological age can go down.

But how? For years, fasting has been celebrated as a key to longevity. Yet the challenge of skipping meals is enough to make most of us shy away. What if you could trick your body into reaping the rewards of fasting—without starving yourself? 

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at USC and one of TIME’s 50 most influential people in healthcare. Valter’s groundbreaking research on ageing and his FMD program have transformed how we think about health and longevity. Joining him is Tim Spector, ZOE’s co-founder and one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Dr. Valter Longo on fasting and biological age reversal

01:18 Quickfire questions: Can fasting slow aging?

02:29 Surprising discoveries about rejuvenating the body

03:39 The difference between chronological and biological age

05:20 Can a single gene mutation extend lifespan?

06:29 What twins teach us about aging and longevity

08:19 Are biological age tests reliable?

10:27 Dr. Longo explains the fasting mimicking diet

12:43 Can fasting help regenerate damaged organs?

15:42 The science behind nutrient sensing and aging

18:19 Why does your body shift into "maintenance mode" during fasting?

22:04 Genetics vs. lifestyle: Which impacts aging more?

24:24 The role of fasting in longevity: Insights from lab studies

28:30 Time-restricted eating: What’s the ideal fasting window?

31:16 Does extreme fasting increase long-term health risks?

35:52 The fasting mimicking diet: How it works

41:07 Long-term studies on fasting: What’s next for science?

45:41 Reversing kidney damage with fasting research

47:10 Can a fasting protocol improve biological age by years?

55:08 Is a holistic approach to diet and fasting the key to longevity?

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Studies references in today’s episode

Programmed longevity, youthspan, and juventology, 2018, published in Aging Cell 

Yeast Chronological Lifespan: Longevity Regulatory Genes and Mechanisms, 2022, published in Cells 

Chronological Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 2012, published in Subcell Biochemistry

Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population, 2014, published in Cell Metabolism 

Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency is Associated With a Major Reduction in Pro-aging Signaling, Cancer and Diabetes in Humans, 2012, published in Science Translational Medicine 

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing inflammation.

We hear this word a lot from guests on the ZOE podcast. It’s always coming up when we ask questions about health conditions like Alzheimer's, cancer or heart disease. 

It’s clearly very important, however many of us still don’t fully understand what inflammation really is.

Professor Phillip Calder is here to break down inflammation and share tips on what we should eat to keep it in check. Philip is Head of the School of Human Development and Health in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Think weight loss is all about eating less and moving more? Think again. In this episode, Prof. Giles Yeo reveals why calorie counting isn’t just inaccurate—it could actually make weight management harder. He explains why the popular “calories in, calories out” method doesn’t add up and explores how factors like genetics, brain signals, and gut health play a major role in shaping our weight.

Giles Yeo is a Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge and Honorary President of the British Dietetic Association. His research focuses on the influence of genes on feeding behaviour and body weight. Giles is also the author of ‘Gene Eating’ and ‘Why Calories Don’t Count’.

Giles shares the surprising impact of ultra-processed foods on how we process calories and why losing weight often feels like a battle against our own biology. With decades of research in his back pocket, Giles shares science-backed advice to help you break free from yo-yo dieting, read calorie labels smarter, and embrace a more balanced, plant-rich diet for long-term health.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

01:17 The quickfire round on weight myths

02:05 The biggest weight loss myth revealed

03:07 What are calories, really?

04:08 Burning poop: a bizarre calorie experiment

08:05 The woman who invented calorie counting

11:41 How calories became a diet obsession

15:00 Why calorie counting doesn’t work

18:56 Why food quality matters more

20:05 The blindspot of calorie labels

23:13 We eat food, not calories

27:02 Stress eating vs. stress starving

31:00 Why we always have room for dessert

38:22 How your gut controls your hunger

45:17 Why pizza makes your brain light up

49:41 Ultra-processed foods hijack your appetite

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies, 2001, published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

How dieting might make some fatter: modeling weight cycling toward obesity from a perspective of body composition autoregulation, 2020, published in International Journal of Obesity

Weight-loss outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of weight-loss clinical trials with a minimum 1-year follow-up, 2007, published in Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Diet or Exercise Interventions vs Combined Behavioral Weight Management Programs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Direct Comparisons, 2014, published in Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Diet, exercise or diet with exercise: comparing the effectiveness of treatment options for weight-loss and changes in fitness for adults (18–65 years old) who are overfat, or obese; systematic review and meta-analysis, 2015, published in Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders 

Is regular exercise an effective strategy for weight loss maintenance?, 2019, Physiology & Behavior

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

A lot of things change as we age. Our dress sense, our taste in music and importantly our body. The truth is your body is not the same as it was 20 or even 10 years ago. 

So why should your diet be?

Dr Federica Amati is here to explain why our nutrition needs change as we enter later life and how we can adjust our diet to support this.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Belly fat is more than just stubborn weight – it plays a complex role in our health, interacting with the immune system and gut bacteria. But could gut microbes hold the key to understanding and managing belly fat?

In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Devkota, Director of the Microbiome Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai, shares groundbreaking findings on how gut bacteria interact with belly fat. Tim Spector, professor of epidemiology and scientific co-founder at ZOE, also joins the conversation to explain how the diversity of your gut bacteria affects weight and overall health.

Together, our guests share surprising ways the microbiome influences fat storage and offer practical tips for supporting gut health.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 The risks of internal fat

01:45 Quickfire questions

03:12 What is belly fat?

04:30 How dangerous is internal fat?

05:44 How our body uses belly fat

16:20 Groundbreaking study on gut bacteria

21:05 These gut bacteria live in your fat tissue

24:50 Gut health and your immune system

31:58 Why microbes are essential to survive

38:30 Why gut health starts at birth

46:40 The importance of sampling your gut microbes

50:50 Two changes you can make right now

53:02 Easy fermented eating tips

55:10 Why not all pickles are fermented

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Translocation of Viable Gut Microbiota to Mesenteric Adipose Drives Formation of Creeping Fat in Humans (2020), published in Cell

Our extended microbiome: The human-relevant metabolites and biology of fermented foods (2024), published in Cell Metabolism

Effects of a personalized nutrition program on cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial (2024), published in Nature

Heritable components of the human fecal microbiome are associated with visceral fat (2016) published in Genome Biology

Dissecting the role of the gut microbiota and diet on visceral fat mass accumulation (2019), published in Scientific Reports

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Many believe that dementia is inevitable, something solely determined by our DNA. But this isn’t the case. In reality, lifestyle choices play the most significant role in determining if we develop this disease.

So, what changes can you make today to reduce your chance of getting dementia tomorrow?

Dr. Claire Steves joins us to share simple steps that will protect your brain for years to come.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Forget crash diets this January. In this episode, we discuss simple, effective ways to eat well and truly enjoy food in 2025.

Today, Prof. Tim Spector and Prof. Sarah Berry join us to share seven essential strategies to help you improve your health this year. Based on the latest science that’s come out over the last 365 days, they bust common food myths, highlight the importance of quality over quantity, and show how the joy of eating can go hand in hand with good health.

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Timecodes

00:00 What's your nutrition goal for 2025?

03:08 This choice matters most for your health

05:20 Changes that could add 10 years to your life

12:30 Tip 1: Reduce intake of these foods

21:20 Tip 2: Try eating at these times

30:50 Tip 3: Stop counting calories

41:39 Tip 4: Change drink habits

48:15 Tip 5: Eat more plants

55:48 Tip 6: Are you getting enough protein?

59:07 Tip 7: Start eating these healthy snacks

01:03:50 Add these foods to your plate

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Ultra-processed foods cause weight gain and increased energy intake associated with reduced chewing frequency: A randomized, open-label, crossover study, (2024) published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Counting hours or calories? Metabolic regulatory role of time-restricted eating in adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis, (2024) published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 

Changes in food preferences and ingestive behaviors after glucagon-like peptide-1 analog treatment: techniques and opportunities (2024), published in International Journal of Obesity 

The potential effects of chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic components in coffee, on health: a comprehensive review of the literature (2017), published in European Journal of Nutrition 

Differential peripheral immune signatures elicited by vegan versus ketogenic diets in humans (2024), published in Nature Medicine

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

In the second part of our 2024 recap, we take another look back at more of the best nuggets of wisdom from ZOE Science & Nutrition this year.

In this jam-packed episode, we’ll hear how your second brain affects your mood, why fasting doesn’t actually have to be difficult, and how to prevent the disease you probably don’t know much about - but can lead to hospital time. 

As you consider your New Year’s Resolutions and new habits, this episode will ready you with some great ideas. Why not share with a friend whose also trying to make positive change?

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:08 Should you try fasting?

10:30 Eat more mushrooms

15:40 The power of spices

27:10 Your second brain

35:10 How to prevent osteoporosis

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Enjoy the full episodes here 👇

• Intermittent fasting | Spotify or Apple
• Mushrooms | Spotify or Apple
• Spices | Spotify or Apple
• Gut health | Spotify or Apple
• Osteoporosis | Spotify or Apple

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Let’s take a look back at our best episodes of 2024. We had an incredible lineup of guests this year who shared a huge range of actionable tips on improving your nutrition and gut health. 

A lot of what we learned might surprise you. Like the beverage you’re probably drinking every day that we thought was bad for us? Turns out it can actually be super beneficial. Or that what counts as a plant is actually so much more than just fruit and veg. Not forgetting the topic we’ve shattered the taboo on - which made our celebrity guest emotional. 

You’ll finish this episode equipped to tackle your post-Christmas slump and feel energised to build new habits with ZOE in 2025. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:41 Build healthy food habits

08:15 Eat more plants with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

17:20 Reduce dementia risk

21:20 Is coffee healthy?

24:40 Why you need more olive oil

33:30 Our special guest!

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Enjoy the full episodes here 👇

• Habits with James Clear | Spotify or Apple
• Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Spotify or Apple
• Dementia | Spotify or Apple
• Coffee | Spotify or Apple
• Olive oil | Spotify or Apple
• Davina McCall | Spotify or Apple

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Navigating the twists and turns of menopause can be a challenge. Hormone fluctuations bring about significant changes in your body - including how it responds to exercise.

So, how can you adjust your workout routine to best support your body through this change?

Exercise physiologist Dr. Stacy Sims tells us how we can optimise fitness during this unique stage of life.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Artificial sweeteners are everywhere. They hide in cereal, salad dressing – even in health foods. But are they really a guilt-free way to satisfy your sweet tooth? Or is it naive to think that – because they’re zero calorie – they’re free of consequence?

New research shows there is a consequence. And it could be massive. Artificial sweeteners may disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria that live in your gut. You could see ripple effects like chronic disease, weight gain and a weakened ability to process real sugar.

Today’s guest is at the forefront of this research. For the last decade, Dr Eran Elinav led breakthroughs on the science behind popular sweeteners. He leads The Institute for Microbiome Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He’s published over 100 publications in leading scientific journals. And his lab is on the cutting-edge of gut microbiome research. 

We’re also joined today by Tim Spector. Tim is one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists, a professor of epidemiology, and my scientific Co-Founder at ZOE. 

You’ll finish today’s episode knowing what's in your sweetener, how it’s affecting you, and where to turn to satisfy your sweet tooth.   

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 The truth about artificial sweeteners

01:49 Quick fire questions

04:03 Tim's self-experiment

07:40 What is an artificial sweetener?

09:47 Examples of popular sweeteners

10:45 Detrimental effects of sugar on your health

13:11 Sugar's impact on gut health

16:30 Which factors affect the gut microbiome?

18:44 Full Fat Coke vs Diet Coke

21:05 Do diet drinks help weight loss?

26:00 Calorie restriction diets

28:01 Sweeteners and diabetes risk

35:50 Why your microbiome is a chemical factory

42:15 Not all sweeteners are created equal

49:00 The WHO's view on sweeteners

52:30 Practical advice on chemicals in food

55:05 How to transition off sweet drinks

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota (2023), published in Nature

Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance (2022), published in Cell

Acute and two-week effects of neotame, stevia rebaudioside M and sucrose-sweetened biscuits on postprandial appetite and endocrine response in adults with overweight/obesity-a randomised crossover trial from the SWEET consortium (2024), published in EBioMedicine

The contentious relationship artificial sweeteners and cardiovascular health (2023), published in The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Are you ever intimidated by spices? Unsure what spice to add to which meal? If so, you might be missing out on some incredible health benefits! Spices are packed full of polyphenols which means they offer our body something really unique. Oh, and they taste great too.

So how can we introduce more spices into our meals?

Kanchan Koya is here to share the science of spices and show us how easy it is to make them a staple of our cooking.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Most women will recognize one or two symptoms of menopause - the infamous hot flashes or weight gain. But there’s also brittle nails, tingling in your hands and changes to your taste buds. In fact, there are more than 50 symptoms of menopause. 

Today’s guest, Tamsen Fadal, found out she was in menopause while on live TV. Tamsen is an Emmy award winning journalist and executive producer of the documentary “The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause”. She’s got a new book titled “How to Menopause”.

Tamsen is joined by Dr. Sarah Berry. Sarah runs the world’s largest study on nutrition and menopause here at ZOE. She developed a free tool called the MenoScale calculator that helps you track your symptoms so you can find relief. Sarah is a world leader in large-scale human nutritional studies, associate professor in nutrition at King’s College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 34 symptoms of menopause

01:50 Quick fire questions

03:48 A scary moment on live TV

07:25 Feeling shame in menopause

08:20 What’s happening to your hormones? 

12:40 12 months without a period

14:01 How long do symptoms last?

15:31 New science on symptoms

24:40 How estrogen changes fat distribution

29:10 Gut microbiome and menopause

36:00 Menopause symptoms in the workplace

48:18 Easy menopause food hacks

51:50 Brand new symptom tracker

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

ZOE Studies on Menopause: abstracts

Menopause: Introducing a new way to understand your experience

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

How strong is your skeleton? It’s a tough question - and often, we only find out the answer when a bone breaks. The reality is, many of us have weak bones. Osteoporosis affects one in four people over fifty, significantly increasing their risk of painful and debilitating fractures.

So, what can you do to keep your bones strong as you age?

Professor Tim Spector & Professor Cyrus Cooper explain how you can tailor your lifestyle to maintain a strong skeleton.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Listen to the full episode here.

We waste a shocking 40% of the food we buy. We throw away foods like carrot tops, beet greens, and spent coffee grounds. These ‘food scraps’ stuff our landfills and drain our pockets. But we can eat these foods and many of them offer tons of healthy nutrients.

Today’s guest is Carleigh Bodrug. Carleigh’s published a best-selling cookbook with over 140 recipes made from food scraps you might otherwise throw away. Her mission is simple: eat more plants. Her online community, PlantYou, has more than 10 million followers.

She’s joined by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz. Will is a board-certified gastroenterologist and ZOE’s U.S. Medical Director. He reveals the hidden nutritional value of these food scraps, and how ‘scrappy cooking’ can get you eating that all-important 30 plants per week.

You’ll walk away from today’s episode saving your money and the planet, all while eating more plants.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Don’t throw these away

01:39 Quick fire questions

04:06 Why we waste so much?

07:49 The truth about ‘best before’

09:39 This reduces your grocery bill

10:58 Why we need more plants

14:05 Which part of the food is edible?

16:12 The beetroot example

20:25 How to store food safely

23:33 Uncooked vs cooked food

25:09 What to do with coffee grounds

27:40 What is sprouting?

36:50 The power of aquafaba

39:07 No.1 most wasted food

40:02 Make the most of bread

45:33 The lost art of cooking

46:25 Carleigh’s 4 base meals

50:15 How to do meal prep

53:15 Soup: is it nutritious?

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Carleigh's sprouting video will be coming soon!

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Stress can come from any direction. Mounting deadlines at work, a romantic tiff at home, even something as simple as missing our bus can send our brain and body into a state of tension. We all experience this, it’s nothing new.

However, our failure to manage this stress could be harming our health.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee is here to give us some strategies to combat stress, reduce tension and keep us healthy.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Listen to the full episode here.

The COVID-19 pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, so what did we learn about mask wearing, vaccines and prevention? And how can you stay healthy to face a future pandemic?

Professor Tim Spector, one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists, looks back on the pandemic and what we learnt about symptoms, transmission and vaccines in the early stages. We’ll reflect on ZOE’s role - collecting data from millions of people on their symptoms, identifying COVID hotspots and shaping public understanding of the virus.

Then we discuss the possibility of the next pandemic, and how we can individually protect ourselves against it. By the end of this episode, listeners feel more equipped to stay safe in the face of another global pandemic.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 What did we learn from COVID?

01:44 Quickfire questions

04:22 ZOE's response to the pandemic

10:10 5 crucial days

14:06 How new symptoms were discovered

23:40 Did the virus come from a lab?

28:00 Were face masks worth it?

29:02 The data on lockdowns

36:01 The economic costs

37:50 Effectiveness of vaccines

40:04 Side effects of vaccines

46:10 Is there a cure for Long COVID

48:39 The role of food choices

51:24 How to fight off infections

52:30 The risks of junk food

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

The WHO estimates of excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (2022), published in Nature

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations (2023), published in Nature Reviews Microbiology

The role of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing post-COVID-19 thromboembolic and cardiovascular complications

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

1 in 3 people have anxiety. It’s the most common mental health disorder in the world. And many of us know what anxiety feels like: palms sweating before a job interview, losing your appetite before a looming deadline, a pit in your stomach when you get bad news. It’s not just in your head, it’s in your gut.

Today, we’ll learn how food could help us cope. Our guest explains the rising global trend toward increased anxiety: its rise through the pandemic, and explosion among young people. 

Dr. Uma Naidoo is on the forefront of nutritional psychiatry. She directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the US, at Massachusetts General Hospital and teaches at Harvard Medical School.

Uma will help you understand the symptoms and biology of anxiety, painting a picture of the risks it poses for long-term health. And her diet tips will help you fuel your gut for a healthy mind.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Change your diet to beat anxiety

01:23 Quickfire questions

02:52 What is anxiety?

05:58 Are humans more anxious now than in the past?

08:50 This is where anxiety occurs in the brain

11:29 The gut-brain connection

12:45 Serotonin: the happiness hormone

20:05 How gut bacteria impact the brain

21:20 What happens 2 hours after stress?

23:10 Foods that disrupt dopamine pathways

24:50 Is food addiction real?

30:35 How chronic stress affects hunger

34:00 The importance of feeding good gut microbes

41:00 Eat more of these vegetables

45:02 How to overcome diet anxiety

49:20 How to use Uma’s ‘Calm’ approach

53:13 The anti-anxiety plate

Find Uma's Cauliflower Tikka Massala recipe here

Get Uma's latest book 'Calm Your Mind With Food'

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Eat to Beat Stress (2020), published in American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

Effect of fecal microbiota transplant on symptoms of psychiatric disorders: a systematic review (2020), published in BMC Psychiatry

A review of dietary and microbial connections to depression, anxiety, and stress (2018), published in Nutritional Neuroscience 

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing how the food we eat can lower cholesterol.

It’s an important question, as high cholesterol can increase our chances of developing heart disease. Around half of adults have high cholesterol, and it gets more common as you age.

So, how can we break this trend?

Today’s guest, Professor Sarah Berry has led more than 30 human studies on cardio-metabolic health. It’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about heart health and cholesterol.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

A good gynecologist is like a detective. She gathers evidence to diagnose infections. She uncovers the truth behind stages like puberty, pregnancy and perimenopause. Yet many women still feel that their physiology is a mystery. 

What if a clue to that mystery hides in our diet? Similar to the gut, certain foods make the vaginal microbiome thrive. New research suggests that the right diet could alleviate symptoms of the most common gynecological diseases.

Dr Jennifer Ashton is former Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News and is a double-board certified OBGYN. She joins us today to discuss ‘nutritional gynecology’, a term she coined after realizing multiple women’s health issues have a direct relationship to nutrition.

Alongside Jen is King’s College London professor and ZOE’s Chief Scientist Sarah Berry. Sarah shines light on the growing evidence of the role of nutrition in offsetting uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, symptoms of menopause.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 What you eat matters

02:00 Quickfire questions

04:05 What gets treated in gynecology?

07:19 What is the vaginal microbiome?

11:30 This affects the vaginal microbiome

13:46 The new field of nutritional gynecology

15:57 Does estrogen affect appetite?

17:19 The gut bacteria that breaks down estrogen

21:22 How food impacts puberty

23:21 Do glucose spikes affect pregnancy?

28:35 Symptoms of PCOS

33:00 Dr Jen explains endometriosis

37:20 Does diet affect these conditions?

42:00 How to test diet changes on yourself

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks

Studies relevant to this episode

Diet and Nutrition in Gynecological Disorders: A Focus on Clinical Studies (2021, published in Nutrients

Effects of caloric intake timing on insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (2013), published in Clinical Science

Weight Regulation in Menopause (2022), published in Menopause

Menopause, the gut microbiome, and weight gain: correlation or causation? (2020), published in Menopause

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Did you know you can now buy ice cream with added protein? Even breakfast cereals are jumping on the trend, boasting an extra protein punch.

In nearly every supermarket aisle, you'll spot the catchy slogan "high in protein" plastered across packaging.

But why is that? Are we not getting enough protein already, or are these high-protein products giving us too much?

Our guest is Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University and a member of ZOE’s scientific advisory board, who has published widely on the relationship between protein and our health. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

Over the last two years, there’s been a rise in “immune-boosting” foods, supplements and trends. Today's guest, immunologist Dr. Jenna Macciochi, believes the immune system doesn’t need boosting. Instead, it should be balanced.

In this episode, Jenna - a Senior Lecturer in Immunology at the University of Sussex - reveals how your immune system is your body’s housekeeper. Jenna highlights the case for the ‘good bugs’ in our gut microbiome, the role of micronutrients and how our immune system isn’t born, but made.

We'll also tackle the age-old question: do we really need Vitamin C supplements?

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram

Timecodes:

01:21 Quickfire questions

04:51 What is the immune system?

06:49 How your immune system works

09:35 What are natural killer cells?

14:18 Is your immune system inherited?

16:42 The impact of sleep and stress 

19:53 Cancer and immunotherapy

28:23 This can trigger inflammation

30:25 Are vitamin C supplements worth it?

31:30 Foods to empower your immune system

40:10 How inflammation affects your brain

44:10 New science of the impact of stress

48:52 Immunity and your body clock

📚 Get Jenna's book Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity

📚 Books by our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today’s episode:

“Immune Boosting” in the time of COVID: selling immunity on Instagram (2020), published in Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology

Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (2013), published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful (2014), published in Journal of Immunology Research

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing why muscle strength is so important to our health.

Our guest tells us how it's possible to harness the power of your muscles to enhance your quality of life. Professor Karyn Esser is from the Department of Physiology and Aging at the University of Florida. 

We kick off with a surprising quirk of human anatomy. Did you know that there’s one time of day when we’re all at our strongest?

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

As adults, food shopping can be a minefield. But when it comes to feeding your kids, the stakes are even higher. Our food environment is rife with misinformation. Brightly coloured labels on packaged, often ultra-processed foods promise high protein, high fibre and low calories. The additives, emulsifiers and mountains of added sugar are hidden in the small print. 

So how can parents navigate this confusing landscape? Today, we hear from two of the UK’s most-trusted nutritionists (and both parents of small children) on how to keep your kids eating well. 

Rhiannon Lambert has authored four books, including recent Sunday Times bestseller The Science of Plant-Based Nutrition. Half a million people follow her for nutrition advice on Instagram. ZOE’s Head Nutritionist, Imperial College London lecturer and bestselling author of Every Body Should Know This, Dr. Federica Amati, joins Rhiannon for today’s conversation.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Food shopping is a struggle

01:53 Quickfire questions

04:10 What’s the problem with children’s food?

10:05 Why more kids are at the dentist than ever before

12:32 Can you trust food labels?

19:35 How to improve your child’s lunchbox

23:55 Stress-free ways to keep your kids healthy

25:48 Healthy kids food on a budget

29:05 Make your home a healthy food environment

36:23 Healthy breakfast ideas for kids

39:52 Should you give your kids cereal?

Rhiannon's latest books:

The Science of Plant-based Nutrition

The Science of Nutrition

Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Bite Back 2030 Report 'Are food giants rigging the system against child health?'

ZOE’s famous pancake recipe

Our episode on emulsifiers with Dr Federica Amati | Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we're discussing how to build a healthy habit. Making changes to our lifestyle can be hard. Our behaviours are often hardwired, ingrained into a regular routine that is reluctant to budge. So, what can we do to make a new habit stick?

Author of Atomic Habits James Clear is here to tackle this question. He has four simple steps that will significantly increase your chance of success.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free ZOE resources to try:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

Menopause can disrupt sleep, emotions, and intimacy. Yet much of this remains taboo. Whilst every woman will go through menopause, these highly personal questions are hard to confront. Questions like: Does lack of sleep lead to problematic weight gain? And why does intimacy feel so hard to rekindle?

In this episode, Dr. Kameelah Phillips joins us to bring clarity and compassion to these sensitive questions. She debunks the biggest myths around sleep, intimacy and emotional wellbeing in menopause. Her energy and positivity will empower you to thrive in this stage of life. Kameelah is joined by ZOE’S Chief Scientist Professor Sarah Berry who shares details of ZOE’s groundbreaking new menopause research.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 The silent consequences of menopause

01:40 Quickfire questions

04:06 When does menopause start?

05:08 What causes hormonal chaos?

10:20 Biggest menopause myths

12:30 ZOE’s new menopause research

19:52 Does menopause lower libido?

24:16 Sex myths in menopause

25:14 Does testosterone increase libido?

29:15 How menopause affects sleep

38:59 Does exercise impact sleep and sex?

42:08 Weight loss during menopause

43:19 Does HRT affect sleep and intimacy?

Books by our ZOE Scientists:

• The Food For Life Cookbook
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Menopause Is a Key Factor Influencing Postprandial Metabolism, Metabolic Health and Lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT Study (2022), published in Current Developments in Nutrition
• Diet may counteract menopause metabolism change, ZOE study shows (2024), published by ZOE
• Menopause weight gain and why you should stop dieting (2024), published by ZOE 
• Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights (2022), published in International Journal of Women’s Health
• Sleep disturbances may contribute to weight gain in menopause (2021), published by Endocrine Society

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Vitamin D is the world’s favorite supplement. Governments around the world recommend people take the supplement for at least six months out of the year. But do we really need these pills? Do they even work? And could they actually be harming us?

In this episode, two ZOE scientists - Professor Tim Spector and Dr Federica Amati reveal the truth about vitamin D.

Tim is scientific co-founder of ZOE and professor of epidemiology at King’s College London. Federica is head nutritionist at ZOE and author of the Sunday Times bestseller ‘Every Body Should Know This’.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 The sunshine vitamin

01:50 Quickfire questions

04:05 What is vitamin D?

07:12 Is sunlight the best source of vitamin D?

09:40 Does vitamin D keep my bones strong?

15:34 Are vitamin D levels a marker of good health?

20:00 What counts as normal levels of vitamin D? 

24:42 Supplement controversy

29:10 Do calcium supplements help bones?

31:29 Can I take too much vitamin D?

37:50 Could vitamin D prevent these health conditions?

42:54 Tim’s sunscreen controversy

46:46 Vitamin D and immunity

Books by our ZOE Scientists:

• The Food For Life Cookbook
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today’s episode:

• The VITAL Trial - Principal results of the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) and updated meta-analyses of relevant vitamin D trials (2020), published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Cut-points for associations between vitamin D status and multiple musculoskeletal outcomes in middle-aged women (2016), published in Osteoporosis International
• Assessment of the genetic and clinical determinants of fracture risk: genome wide association and mendelian randomisation study (2018), published in British Medical Journal

Other ZOE Science & Nutrition episodes to try:

• What to eat to avoid osteoporosis with Prof. Tim Spector & Prof. Cyrus Cooper | Listen on Apple or Spotify
• Mushrooms as medicine: Uncovering the health secrets of fungi | Listen on Apple or Spotify

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing mushrooms. Neither animal nor plant, mushrooms are entirely unique. Their novel chemistry provides us with powerful - and often surprising - health benefits.

So, how can we take advantage of this mushroom magic?

Tim Spector and fungi expert Merlin Sheldrake explain how and why you should invite more mushrooms into your diet.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Protein-rich diets have been popular for some time. Everything from chocolate bars to ice cream promises to be ‘high protein’. Influencers and media outlets seem to rave about the weight loss and muscle building potential of eating a lot of protein.

But when it’s added as an extra ingredient - sometimes with emulsifiers and sugar - is it really helping our muscles grow?

Today, ZOE's Head Nutritionist Dr. Federica Amati reveals the truth about protein bars and shakes, cutting through the marketing noise to find out how useful these products really are.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Are protein shakes worth it?

01:30 What is protein?

02:59 The liver's surprising role

03:32 Why do we need protein?

05:01 You probably don’t need more protein

07:30 Can I get enough protein from plants?

09:15 The protein supplement explosion

11:20 Are protein bars ultra processed?

15:30 Does extra protein promote weight loss?

17:33 Should I drink protein shakes?

Books by our ZOE Scientists

• The Food For Life Cookbook
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today's episode

• Dietary protein: an essential nutrient for bone health (2005), published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition 
• Amino acids and immune function (2007), published in British Journal of Nutrition
• A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults (2017), published in British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Is It Time to Reconsider the U.S. Recommendations for Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Intake? (2023), published in Nutrients
• The hidden dangers of protein powders (2022), published by Harvard Medical School, Staying Healthy blog
• Gut microbiota role in dietary protein metabolism and health-related outcomes: The two sides of the coin (2016), published by Trends in Food Science and Technology

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing ultra processed food.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are everywhere. Many of us eat them over and over again without really understanding the detrimental impact they’re having on our health. 

But why are these foods so addictive?

Here to help us identify the ultra-processed parts of our diet are Professor Tim Spector and Dr. Chris van Tulleken.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Your body has two brains. And your second brain is your gut. Many think the “gut” is only the stomach - but it’s a network of organs, working together to regulate many different areas of health. When almost half of us suffer with gastrointestinal issues, learning how these organs interact is vital to improving symptoms.

On this episode, we’re joined by Dr Karan Rajan. When Karan’s not teaching his 10 million social media followers about common medical myths, he’s an NHS surgeon, operating on people’s bowels. Karan will reveal how our GI issues impact way more than just our poo.

Today, we explore how the gut and brain are connected, the lifestyle factors causing gut health issues and why it’s so hard for doctors to understand IBS.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Your second brain is in your gut

01:39 Quickfire questions

03:50 Why your gut is more than your stomach

05:41 Why is digestion so important?

08:23 How your nervous system impacts gut health

12:17 Common ways we irritate our gut microbiome

17:11 Antibiotics and gut health

23:30 Why gut health starts at birth

27:25 The mystery of IBS

30:19 IBS vs IBD

35:07 Why is bowel cancer on the rise?

37:19 How to keep your gut happy

41:32 Do probiotic supplements work?

45:48 Why fermented foods are so powerful

48:01 Can good gut health improve mental health?

49:30 How often should you go to the toilet?

54:50 Should we hold in farts?

Get Karan's book 'This Book Could Save Your Life' here

Mentioned in this episode:

• Worldwide Prevalence and Burden of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Results of Rome Foundation Global Study (2021), published in Gasteroenterology 
• IBS Facts and Statistics, published by International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders
• Epidemiological analysis reveals a surge in inflammatory bowel disease among children and adolescents: A global, regional, and national perspective from 1990 to 2019 – insights from the China study (2023, published by Journal of Global Health

Other ZOE Science & Nutrition episodes you might like:

• Why are young people getting colon cancer?
• Why one in ten children have a food allergy

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re discussing sugar. It's well known that too much sugar is bad news. But for those of us with a sweet tooth, could swapping in natural sugar alternatives like honey be a healthier way to satisfy our cravings?

Or are we jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Professor Sarah Berry is here to explain the science of sugar.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Humans have been in love with chocolate for thousands of years. But not all chocolate is created equal, both in terms of health and taste. In this episode, chocolate expert Spencer Hyman and Professor Sarah Berry will take us on a trip into cacao. They’ll teach us what distinguishes good chocolate from bad chocolate and how we can beat our impulse to binge. 

Spencer breaks down how to produce craft chocolate. In six steps he will show us how we get from bean to bar. Sarah shares research into the health benefits of chocolate with a focus on fibre, flavanols and theobromine. They will also look at the controversy around the association between chocolate and heart health. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Can chocolate be healthy?

01:32 Quickfire questions

03:37 From cacao bean to chocolate bar

05:30 What is cocoa butter?

08:03 Healthy chemicals in chocolate

09:19 Is chocolate healthier than other treats?

14:16 Why chocolate melts in your mouth

16:20 Chocolate and cholesterol

23:30 Why savouring flavour improves health

23:25 Can we trust the chocolate industry?

33:00 Is mainstream chocolate healthy?

40:30 The unhealthiest ingredient in chocolate

43:45 Craft chocolate tasting session

44:45 How to make your chocolate last longer

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re discussing Antibiotics. These incredible medicines target bacterial infections and save countless lives, but they don’t discriminate - killing off our good bacteria and impacting our gut health too. 

Some experts suggest probiotics as a solution. But do they really help? And can fermented foods be the answer to reversing the damage to your gut microbiome? 

Professor Tim Spector and Dr Will Bulsiewicz are here to help you understand what to do to boost your gut health after taking antibiotics.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

The internet is panicking that seed oils cause inflammation and disease. Yet, they're everywhere. Canola, sunflower, safflower oil - these are all seed oils.

So why is there so much fear? And are any of the accusations true?

In this episode, we unpack the science of seed oils. With Professor Sarah Berry's expertise, we simplify what seed oils are, what the latest science says and why countless videos online say they’re toxic. 

Sarah Berry is a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE. She reveals the surprising truth about seed oils and tips to navigate a world full of them.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Seed oils are in everything

02:07 Quickfire questions

03:29 What is seed oil?

05:31 Are seed oils full of chemicals?

10:41 Why are seed oils everywhere?

12:46 3 types of fat you should understand

19:32 Are seed oils toxic?

24:03 Is omega 6 dangerous?

26:57 These fats reduce disease risk

29:24 Key seed oil science 

37:15 Are seed oils unnatural?

44:57 Seed oil vs palm oil

49:50 Is it safe to cook with seed oil?

Books by our ZOE Scientists

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector 
• Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re discussing the health benefits and potential harms of the world’s most popular drink - Coffee.

We drink 2 billion cups of the stuff every day. But how much coffee is bad for your health?

Coffee expert James Hoffmann and leading scientist Prof. Tim Spector are here to help us understand.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Half of the world’s population will go through menopause. Yet research shows that a large proportion of women do not feel informed and equipped for menopause. In this episode, we reveal the results of a brand new study that highlight the impact of diet on menopause symptoms.

Davina McCall is a British household name and much-loved TV presenter on a mission to change this. Her 2022 book Menopausing provided a roadmap for women to be fearless in tackling this stage of life. She has her own very personal menopause story and today, she shares it with us.

Together with ZOE’s Chief Scientist, Prof. Sarah Berry, we’re having an honest and open conversation about perimenopause and menopause.

🤲 MenoScale Calculator - Track your menopause symptoms with our free tool 👉 zoe.com/menoscale

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

Follow ZOE on Instagram here.

Timecodes

00:00 Every woman goes through this

02:20 Quickfire questions

04:25 Davina’s menopause experience 

14:16 What happens during menopause

15:20 The impact of estrogen decline

17:40 How long does perimenopause last?

18:30 Is there a blood test for menopause?

24:20 What menopause symptoms are most common?

32:35 Does everyone get symptoms?

35:54 Does menopause increase disease risk?

39:15 Should you consider HRT?

45:30 Davina’s life changing experience

47:40 ZOE’s new study on diet and menopause

52:33 Can ZOE membership improve menopause symptoms?

54:26 Can supplements improve menopause symptoms? 

56:21 Gut microbiome health in perimenopause

58:26 Davina’s tips for exercise in menopause

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Mentioned in this episode:

• Menopause is associated with postprandial metabolism, metabolic health and lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT study (2022), published in eBioMedicine
• Sex and Menopausal Status Modulate the Impact of Meal Timing on Postprandial Glucose: Data From the ZOE PREDICT 1 Study (2024), published in Current Developments in Nutrition
• Management of menopause: a view towards prevention (2022), published in The Lancet: Diabetes and Endocrinology 
• Menopause: a cardiometabolic transition (2022), published in The Lancet: Diabetes and Endocrinology 
• Treating menopause — MHT and beyond (2022), published in Nature
• The Menopause Transition: Signs, Symptoms, and Management Options (2020), published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Bread has been a staple of our diet for literally thousands of years.

Around the world, millions of us start the day with a slice of toast, enjoy a sandwich for lunch, or tuck into a burger bun for dinner. 

But all bread is not baked equal. Professor Tim Spector and Vanessa Kimbell are here to help you choose the right type for your health.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here

Thirty plants this week, think you could do it? It might sound a lot, but it’s easier than you think. Fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, even coffee all count as plants.

Legendary chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joins us to share tips on eating more plants. Hugh’s new book ‘How to Eat 30 Plants a Week’ explores the wild world of legumes, grains, herbs and beyond. He explains that getting your thirty plants each week can be simple, fun and delicious.

Joining Hugh is Tim Spector - professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and ZOE’s scientific co-founder. Tim explains why our gut microbiome loves plants, highlighting the importance of polyphenols, healthy fats and fiber.

You’ll finish this episode inspired, empowered and likely... hungry.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Thirty plants every week?

01:57 Quickfire questions

05:04 What happens when we digest plants?

08:43 Why are plants so different?

11:28 Why eating the rainbow is important 

18:42 Why 30 plants?

22:13 How much fiber should you eat a day?

25:53 The science that proves the power of plants

32:00 How to get more plants in your diet

34:45 How to get more plants on-the-go

38:36 Plant-based cooking made simple

46:45 Are dried and frozen plants just as nutritious?

47:51 How does cooking affect plants

48:56 What to do with your leftovers

49:44 Do mushrooms count as plants?

51:06 How important is organic food? 

55:40 Hugh’s showstopper dish

57:16 Surprise taste-test from Hugh’s garden

Books

• Hugh’s book How To Eat 30 Plants a Week
• Tim’s book Food For Life

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

Mentioned in today's episode

• American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research (2018), published in mSystems from American Society of Microbiology
• Could you eat 30 plant-based foods a week? (2021), published by World Cancer Research Fund
• Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — United States (2019), published by Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
• Why 5 A Day? (2022), published by NHS
• Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (2023), published by WHO
• Fruit and vegetable consumption and incident breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies (2021) published by British Journal of Cancer
• Consumption of Plant Seeds and Cardiovascular Health: Epidemiological and Clinical Trial Evidence (2013), published by Circulation

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

You’ve probably heard conflicting advice on how often to eat. I know I have. And have you ever wondered about the evidence behind eating 3 meals a day? Could 2, or 5 meals actually be healthier?

Professors Tim Spector and Sarah Berry join me to share some unexpected insights and practical advice to help you base your snacking habits in the latest science.

Learn how your body responds to food 👉 zoe.com/podcast for 10% off

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here

Listen to the full episode here