ZOE Science & Nutrition

Today, we’re asking: What should you eat?

This is the million-dollar question, one that we at ZOE have spent countless hours of podcast episodes trying to answer. However, all of this information can be overwhelming, turning breakfast, lunch, and dinner into a daily dilemma.

So, are there any simple tips we can keep in mind to reduce the stress around mealtimes?

I’m joined by nutrition experts Professor Christopher Gardner and Professor Sarah Berry, who will share their approach to this complex question and offer practical advice on how to make the most of every meal.

🌱 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 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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Heart disease is the world’s biggest killer—and it often strikes without warning. It’s responsible for around 1 in 5 deaths in the US. While these figures are deeply worrying, heart disease is not inevitable. 

Decades of research have unearthed many of the risk factors associated with heart health, like poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. In this episode, Dr. Nour Makarem outlines the latest scientific discoveries in this field and unveils some less-familiar risk factors. Drawing from large-scale population data and the latest wearable tech, she uncovers what makes heart disease so hard to spot, and what we can do today to prevent it. 

Nour is a cardiovascular epidemiologist at Columbia University, whose research focuses on how our behaviors—like sleep, stress, and daily rhythms—impact heart disease risk. Her research has helped shape the American Heart Association’s Essential Eight guide to heart health.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app 

🌱 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

📚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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Redefining Cardiovascular Health to Include Sleep: Prospective Associations With Cardiovascular Disease in the MESA Sleep Study.

Multidimensional Sleep Health Is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence and Cardiometabolic Health in US Adults.

Variability in Daily Eating Patterns and Eating Jetlag Are Associated With Worsened Cardiometabolic Risk Profiles in the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

For Davina, menopause wasn’t just a transition - it was a quiet crisis. She felt like a stranger in her own body, overwhelmed by symptoms she wasn’t prepared for and didn’t fully understand.

But she didn’t stay silent. Her book ‘Menopausing’ has helped millions of women feel supported and seen during this transformative stage of life.

In this episode, Davina joins us to share her personal journey, and we share ZOE research that shows how diet can be a powerful tool for managing menopause symptoms.

🌱 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 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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Those long, unpronounceable ingredients at the bottom of food labels—what are they really doing to your health?

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Marion Nestle, a world-leading nutrition expert and author of the groundbreaking book ‘Food Politics’. Marion has spent decades exposing how powerful food companies influence what ends up on our plates — and how little regulation may stand in their way.

We dive into the hidden world of food additives and the regulatory systems meant to protect us. While the U.S. allows companies to self-certify ingredients as “safe” without independent FDA approval, Europe and the UK take a stricter approach. But does stricter always mean safer?

Marion unpacks how these systems differ, which substances might be harming our health, and what consumers can do to reduce their risk. We explore what the science says about additives, inflammation, gut health, and more.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app  (US Only)

🌱 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 common food additives tested for safety?

02:44 The shocking number of additives in a simple loaf of bread

04:14 The real reason your bread is so soft

05:55 The loophole that allows 10,000 additives into our food

07:24 How companies get to approve their own additives

08:46 Why it's so hard to prove an additive is harmful

10:27 The concerning difference between US and European food regulations

12:30 When the FDA revoked an additive's "safe" status

14:23 You won't believe where this common food dye comes from

15:36 A study linking food dyes to behavioral problems in children

18:59 Are the thousands of other food additives safe to eat?

22:51 Why we can't trust food companies to police themselves

26:45 The US state that just banned 44 common additives

28:52 Why food companies say they can't get rid of artificial colors

31:42 The hidden additives you'll never see on a food label

34:21 The surprising reason farmers use antibiotics to fatten animals

36:16 Why your chicken is probably contaminated

40:39 The hidden health and environmental costs of cheap food

43:51 How food companies use the "pester factor" to market to your kids

47:56 The one regulation that would fix our broken food system

51:36 The simple 7-word rule for a healthy diet

55:13 The childhood discovery that shaped my diet for life

📚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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Navigating the U.S. Food Additive Regulatory Program Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2011)

Oral administration of potassium bromate induces neurobehavioral changes, alters cerebral neurotransmitters level and impairs brain tissue of swiss mice Behavioural and Brain Functions (2016)

Safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive EFSA Journal (2021)

Food Dyes a Rainbow of Risks Center For Science in the Public Intrest (2010)

Health risk assessment of exposure to ractopamine through consumption of meat products International Journal of Advanced Research (2014)

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re tackling the challenge of feeding our children.

Getting kids to eat a balanced meal can often feel like an uphill battle, especially when they’re surrounded by eye-catching marketing campaigns that aim to lure them into unhealthy habits.

So, how can busy parents help their children build a better relationship with food?

In this episode, nutrition experts Rhiannon Lambert and Dr. Federica Amati share straightforward strategies to guide your children away from processed foods and towards a lifelong love of healthy eating.

🌱 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 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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Most people who try to lose weight and keep it off end up failing. But what if the problem isn’t you - it’s the diet?

In this episode, we cut through the noise of weight loss fads to explore a science-backed method that’s helped countless people make real, sustainable changes. It’s called flexible dieting, and it’s built around the idea that personalised macronutrient targets, food quality, and consistency matter more than restrictive rules or trendy plans.

Our guest is Alan Aragon, a leading expert in fitness nutrition who’s spent over 30 years coaching clients and publishing research that’s reshaped how the industry thinks about fat loss. Alongside Alan is Professor Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist, who brings insight from her studies on metabolism and how our bodies respond to food.

Together, they unpack what actually works for long-term fat loss — and how you can get started with a realistic, effective approach that doesn’t require cutting out the foods you love.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app 

🌱 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 Forget crash diets

03:42 The REAL reason we're all gaining weight

10:50 Does the keto diet work?

13:15 High-carb or high-fat diet for weight loss

18:22 The biological reason you regain weight

19:26 What is the 'YOLO margin' and how can it help you lose weight?

22:53 How a single treat becomes a daily habit

24:22 The mindset trick to stop binge eating for good

27:53 How to turn your body into a metabolic engine

29:26 No.1 rule for PROTEIN intake

33:53 A surprising take on Ozempic

38:00 The hidden danger of weight loss drugs

39:23 Step one is NOT diet or exercise

42:02 Why poor sleep makes you crave junk food

47:50 Optimal protein for fat loss

49:07 The easiest way to hit your daily protein goal

51:17 The only 3 exercises you really need

53:58 How to do 80 squats a day without even trying

56:32 This simple eating trick can cut 15% of your calories

59:50 A final warning for anyone trying to lose weight

📚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

Ferment 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 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial

Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis

Does Timing Matter? A Narrative Review of Intermittent Fasting Variants and Their Effects on Bodyweight and Body Composition

International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition 

New insights in the mechanisms of weight-loss maintenance: Summary from a Pennington symposium

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 fermentation.

If you’re a regular ZOE listener, you’ve probably heard that fermented foods are some of the best things you can eat for your gut health. Packed with beneficial microbes, they’ve been shown to boost everything from digestion to immune function.

Still, the idea of at home fermentation - cultivating bacteria and microorganisms in your fridge - can feel a little daunting. More like a science experiment than a culinary adventure.

That’s where Sandor Katz comes in. He’s a fermentation revivalist, bestselling author, and the driving force behind a global fermentation movement. So if you're a total beginner or just sauerkraut-curious, this episode will give you the tools, the confidence, and maybe even the craving to get fermenting at home.

🥑 Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app

🌱 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

Scientists agree that processed foods are contributing to poor health — but when it comes to ultra-processed foods (UPFs), there’s growing confusion. The term is now used so broadly that it includes everything from crisps and sweets to wholemeal bread and plant-based milks.

So what do we really know about the health effects of UPFs? And is the label actually making it harder for us to eat well?

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist. Sarah is a professor of nutrition at King’s College London who has run some of the world’s largest human nutrition studies. Her work explores how different foods — and how they’re processed — impact metabolism, fat storage, and long-term health.

Sarah shares insights from her recent global conference talks, breaking down the good, the bad, and the misunderstood sides of ultra-processed food. By the end, you’ll have a clearer, more nuanced view of how to eat for your health — without falling for the hype.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app 

🌱 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 Introduction

02:50 The scary headlines about your food are wrong

📚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 SpectorFree 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.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re turning our attention to allergies. 

For decades, conflicting advice on how to prevent allergies from developing has left parents unsure about the best ways to protect their children. Should you introduce peanut products to your newborn, or avoid them entirely? Many are still unclear.

What is clear, however, is that allergies are on the rise.

I’m joined by groundbreaking researcher Dr. Gideon Lack to help bring clarity to the conversation about allergies. His pioneering work has challenged long-held beliefs and offers potentially life-saving advice. He begins by sharing his first ‘lightbulb moment.’

🥑 Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app

🌱 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

Are you eating enough protein? This is probably a question you’ve asked yourself. With “high protein” labels on almost every type of food product you can imagine, it’s easy to get confused.

🥑 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 We’ve been lied to about protein

04:05 Why protein is completely different from carbs and fat

09:05 The depressing age when you start losing muscle

14:45 Your muscles have a secret second job

17:25 Why food companies are suddenly adding protein to everything

22:25 The shocking protein intake that fuelled your biggest ever growth spurt

26:45 Why the 'optimal' amount of protein is so hard to define

33:05 The surprising truth about protein for building muscle

40:15 Most of us are already eating the 'optimal' amount of protein without trying

42:30 When eating more protein could actually be harmful

45:00 The ‘anabolic window’ myth debunked

48:50 Why 'animal protein is superior' is an outdated idea

51:16 The myth of ‘incomplete’ plant proteins

51:55 The ancient food secret our ancestors discovered all over the world

53:50 Is there an upper limit for protein in one meal?

57:25 My number one food for a high-protein breakfast

59:05 A simple pyramid for choosing the healthiest protein sources

59:55 The 'healthy' protein source that’s a class one carcinogen

01:02:55 When a protein bar is no healthier than a chocolate bar

01:04:30 Why your protein cookie could be reducing your healthy life years

01:06:20 My number one tip for health (and it’s not about nutrition)

01:08:50 The ideal daily protein target for most healthy adults

Studies:

Optimizing adult protein intake during catabolic health conditions, 2020, Advances in Nutrition

Integrated myofibrillar protein synthesis in recovery from resistance exercise with and without multi-ingredient supplementation in overweight older men, 2019, Frontiers in Nutrition

Higher dietary protein during weight loss: muscle sparing?, 2018, Obesity 

What is the optimal amount of protein to support post-exercise skeletal muscle reconditioning in the older adult?, 2016, Sports Medicine 

📚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 

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

Episode transcripts are available here.