Sliced Bread

Can mushroom gummies really sharpen your mind, reduce stress, and boost your energy?

Listener Daisy has been seeing adverts for mushroom gummies all over her Instagram. These aren't the psychedelic kind of mushrooms - instead they're gummy sweets containing so-called 'functional mushrooms' such as lion's mane and reishi. The companies promise that taking just two a day will provide all sorts of beneficial effects, and some online posts even hint that they can address symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.

But do they actually work?

To find out, Greg Foot is joined by Dr. Nicholas Money, mycologist and science writer at Miami University in Ohio; and Dr. Helen Wall, GP and menopause specialist.

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at [email protected] OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

What really helps to treat acne?

Listener Louise got in touch about a subject that affects thousands of people both physically and emotionally. She experienced acne from her teens into adulthood; and now with a daughter herself, is all too aware of the pressures facing young people through social media.

She's keen to find out which of the vast array of over-the-counter treatments work and which ingredients in particular are effective in treating acne.

To get the answers, presenter Greg Foot is joined by consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth and founder of the 'Clear' skincare app, Ahana Banarjee.

We're back with a new series of Sliced Bread and are hungry for your suggestions of wonder products to put through the evidence mill. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at [email protected] OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT

Are self-checkouts here to stay or will we soon be paying without scanning or stopping? Greg Foot examines the future of supermarkets and considers wonder products and trends that might rise to success.

Greg is joined by experts and entrepreneurs to discuss what is shaping today's everyday technology and what it may look like tomorrow, before the futurist Tom Cheesewright offers his predictions on what supermarkets might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

In this episode:

-David McIntosh - chief connected stores officer at Instacart which supplies smart trolleys to supermarkets that scan and weigh goods as they are dropped in and display a running basket total.

-Nick Carroll - principal strategist for retail at the research insights company Mintel where he helps the UK's biggest retailers understand what's coming next

-Anders Eriksson - chief executive of Swegreen which supplies the kit and support for supermarkets to grow their own fruit and vegetables inside their stores

Among the topics up for consideration:

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is an Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Could advances in AI help us have conversations with our pets? Will a raccoon or a robot become the pet of the future? Or will or pets be sharing a seat beside us on the plane as we jet off for our next holiday?

In this episode of Dough Greg Foot looks at pets and examines the rise of future wonder products.

He's joined by experts, entrepreneurs and industry innovators to discuss the trends we'e seeing today and where they may lead us tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

In this episode Greg hears how technology, food innovations and even changes in aviation might transform the future for our pets.

With him is the futurist Tracey Follows and guests including;

-Professor Daniel Mills: Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at Lincoln University

Produced by Linda Walker and presented by Greg Foot.

Is streaming really killing off the big screen? Greg Foot examines the future of cinemas and considers wonder products and trends that might rise to success.

Greg is joined by experts and entrepreneurs to discuss what is shaping today's everyday technology and what it may look like tomorrow, before the futurist Tom Cheesewright offers his predictions on what cinemas might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

In this episode:

- Tim Richards - the founder and CEO of Vue cinemas

Among the questions up for consideration:

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is an Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Could weight-loss jabs make gyms less relevant? Greg Foot examines the future of the fitness sector and considers wonder products and trends that might rise to success.

Greg is joined by experts and entrepreneurs to discuss what is shaping today's everyday technology and what it may look like tomorrow, before the futurist Tracey Follows offers her predictions on what gyms might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

In this episode:

Rebecca Passmore - chief operating officer of PureGym

Among the questions for consideration:

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is an Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Could cash be losing its crown as digital money gains ground?

Greg Foot looks at money and examines the rise of the wonder products and technologies emerging across the financial sector.

He's joined by experts, entrepreneurs and industry innovators to discuss the trends we're seeing today and where they may lead us tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

In this episode, Greg hears how digital wallets, AI, cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies could reshape the way we earn, spend and save, and asks whether the future of money will be more convenient, more inclusive, or come at the cost of privacy and control.

With him is the futurist Tom Cheesewright and guests including:

Jack Leslie and Rupal Patel – Bank of England economists and co-authors of Money: The Inside Story

Produced by Linda Walker. Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Organisational expert Dilly Carter introduces her podcast, Sort Your Life Out Unpacked.

In this episode, Dilly is joined by the ‘queen of podcasting’, Elizabeth Day. Elizabeth brings three meaningful items for Dilly to unpack – literally and figuratively. Each one reveals a story from her life, from cherished childhood memories she still carries with her to the beautiful love story of her grandparents.

Elizabeth opens up about rebuilding a home after divorce, her relationship with partner Justin and whether she colour-codes her bookshelves. Things take an emotional turn when Dilly reflects on what Elizabeth’s words and books have meant to her personally. Elizabeth rates her organisation a confident 9.5/10 – but what will Dilly discover inside the boxes?

Sort Your Life Out Unpacked is a podcast hosted by tidying expert Dilly Carter. In each episode, Dilly chats to a celebrity guest and unboxes three mystery objects from their home that reveal what is really important to them. At the end, Dilly asks her guest whether they are going to keep, donate or recycle any of the items and, along the way, we learn how to organise and sort our own lives out.

If you enjoyed this episode then you can hear more by searching for Sort Your Life Out Unpacked on BBC Sounds.

Presented by Dilly Carter

An Optomen production for iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

Is it OK to take experimental peptides like the Wolverine Stack?

These are what bodybuilders, longevity gurus, and online influencers are all talking about: experimental peptides. They're chemicals that you can buy online, in packages with names like the Wolverine Stack or the Glow Stack. The websites say "for research purposes only" but talk about their supposed benefits for wound healing and de-aging, and lots of people have been injecting them in a bid to heal faster and look younger.

Sliced Bread listener Steve is excited - and has even tried them for himself - but listener Sophie is worried. Both of them are asking whether there's any evidence behind the fantastic claims.

To find out the truth, Greg Foot is joined by Dr Andrew Steele, longevity scientist and Director of the Longevity Initiative.

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at [email protected] OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: JULIA RAVEY

Pods, liquids and powders: which laundry detergent really cleans up?

A trip down the laundry aisle can leave you faced with a welter of confusing marketing claims. From stain-busting formulas and lower-temperature washes to eco-friendly promises, every detergent seems to offer cleaner clothes, lower energy use and a lighter environmental footprint.

Listener Rosanna came to Sliced Bread for help making sense of it all. She wants to know what really separates bio from non-bio detergents, whether pods, liquids and powders perform differently and if eco brands live up to their sustainability claims.

To get the answers, Greg is joined by Professor Steven Abbott, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an expert in cleaning agents.

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at [email protected] OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: JULIA RAVEY