ZOE Science & Nutrition

Today we’re talking about sleep.

Are you a good sleeper? It’s something we all aim for, yet many of us fall short. And the consequences of a poor night’s sleep go far beyond just feeling groggy the next day. In fact, sleep plays a pivotal role in our long term health - influencing everything from our mood to our immune system, and even how long we live.

So how do you get better sleep in a world that never seems to rest?

I’m joined by sleep scientist Prof. Matt Walker to unpack the latest sleep science and share his top tips to getting a good nights rests.

🥑 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

From collagen powders to $100 creams, the skincare industry thrives on promises. However, many of the products we rely on for younger, healthier skin are built on shaky evidence. In this episode, world-renowned dermatologist Professor John McGrath breaks down what’s real and what’s not.

We explore how skin truly ages, what happens beneath the surface, and why some popular treatments don’t do what they claim. John dismantles three of the biggest myths in skincare, including the truth about SPF, collagen, and “bio-active” ingredients that never make it past the top layer of your skin.

Professor McGrath is a Professor of Molecular Dermatology at King’s College London and editor of the British Journal of Dermatology. His research has transformed how we understand genetic skin disorders and vitamin D’s role in skin health.

This conversation is packed with surprising insights - and one daily step that really does support healthier skin as you age.

🥑 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

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

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

Genome-wide association study identifies 143 loci associated with 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration, Nature Communications (2020)

Topical tretinoin for treating photoaging: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials, Int J. Womens Dermatology (2022)

Sunlight Has Cardiovascular Benefits Independently of Vitamin D, Blood Purification (2016)

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re zooming in on our gut.

It’s our favourite topic here at ZOE and for good reason! Research into the microbiome continues to reveal just how astonishingly far-reaching its effects are. From immune function to metabolic health, and even mental well-being, your gut is quite literally at the centre of everything!.

I’m joined by microbiome experts Nicola Segata and Tim Spector to recap how we can nurture and take care of it in our daily lives.

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

Can pills and powders really improve our health? Despite their clinical look, most supplements aren’t tested with the scientific rigour we expect from medical treatments, and many don’t live up to their promises.

Today, we're joined by two of ZOE’s top scientists to uncover the truth. They share groundbreaking new research and reveal the results of a brand new randomized controlled trial that could reshape how we think about supplements and introduce an entirely new kind.

Tim Spector is one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists, a professor of epidemiology, and ZOE’s scientific co-founder. He’s joined by Dr. Sarah Berry, a world leading expert in large scale human nutrition studies, Professor of Nutrition at King’s College London, and Chief Scientist at ZOE.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have the latest science to help you make informed decisions about supplements and understand what your gut health really needs in 2025.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Can supplements actually harm your health?

02:55 Why vitamin pills can do more harm than good

05:45 The truth behind scurvy, rickets, and early nutrition

08:30 Why we’re still stuck in a post-war supplement mindset

11:15 Should you supplement if you’re not deficient?

14:00 What calcium supplements are really doing to your heart

16:50 The real reason food companies add vitamins

19:20 The problem with your diet isn’t deficiency

21:45 Why fixing your diet is harder than it sounds

24:30 Why we need a new kind of supplement

27:10 Whole plants vs powders: why structure matters

29:40 Why plant diversity is the future of gut health

32:10 What’s the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

35:05 Inside the randomized trial testing a new gut supplement

37:45 The science behind measuring real health impact

40:00 How the gut supplement changed the microbiome

42:30 Why probiotics worked… but much less

45:10 The surprising link between microbes and mood

48:20 How much did cholesterol and inflammation improve?

51:30 Could this reshape how we supplement in the future?

📚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 

Mentioned in today's episode

The Evolution of Science and Regulation of Dietary Supplements: Past, Present, and Future, The Journal of Nutrition (2024)

Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment, Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2021)

Long-term multivitamin supplementation and cognitive function in men: a randomized trial, National Library of Medicine (2013)

A diverse high-fibre plant-based dietary intervention improves gut microbiome composition, gut symptoms, energy and hunger in healthy adults: a randomised controlled trial, MedRxiv (2024)

On calcium supplementation:

Dietary calcium intake and risk of fracture and osteoporosis: prospective longitudinal cohort study, British Medical Journal (2011)

Vitamin D and Calcium for the Prevention of Fracture: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, JAMA (2019)

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 protein.

It’s the nutrient at the centre of some of the biggest debates in nutrition - especially when it comes to building muscle. And as more people adopt plant-based diets, one question keeps coming up: Can non-meat proteins really support strength and overall health?

So, what does the science say? Is it better to get our protein from animals or plants?

I’m joined by nutrition expert Simon Hill and Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to break down the benefits of both, and to explore how we can build muscle in the healthiest, most sustainable way.

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

Ultra-processed foods now make up over half of what many of us eat - and the health consequences are only just coming into focus. In this episode, we reveal what’s really happening inside your body when you eat these foods daily. 

Our guest is Dr. Andy Chan, a Harvard professor and leading expert on gut health and cancer prevention. He heads the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and has published over 400 scientific papers.

Dr. Chan breaks down the hidden links between UPFs, inflammation, and diseases like obesity, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. You’ll hear why some foods that look healthy on the shelf may be doing long-term damage - and how the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the process.

This is the research big food companies don’t want you to hear. If you care about what you and your family are eating, don’t miss this conversation.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 How much of our food is ultra-processed?

02:24 Can UPFs increase cancer risk in children?

04:48 Why our kids get sicker, earlier

07:12 How convenience took over our food choices

09:36 Are food companies engineering addiction?

12:00 UPFs and early onset cancer

14:24 Why calorie counting misses the point

16:48 Can a mother’s diet shape her child’s future health?

21:36 Is a poor diet as harmful as smoking in pregnancy?

26:24 Preservatives vs calories: what’s more harmful?

28:48 Brand new science: not all UPFs are equal

31:12 ZOE’s new processed food risk scale 

38:24 Why UPF labels are misleading and confusing

40:48 A simple trick: how to spot UPFs on food labels

43:12 Should schools and offices be UPF-free zones?

45:36 How to shape your kids’ eating habits 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

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

Trends in Adults’ Intake of Un-processed/Minimally Processed, and Ultra-processed foods at Home and Away from Home in the United States from 2003–2018, 2025, The Journal of Nutrition

Ultra-processed food intake in toddlerhood and mid-childhood in the UK: cross sectional and longitudinal perspectives, 2024, European Journal of Nutrition

The Healthfulness of the US Packaged Food and Beverage Supply: A Cross-Sectional Study, 2019, Nutrients

Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children, 2024, JAMA Network Open

Maternal consumption of ultra-processed foods and subsequent risk of offspring overweight or obesity: results from three prospective cohort studies, 2022, British Medical Journal

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 an important and growing health concern: colon cancer.

Recent studies show that cases of colon cancer are becoming increasingly common in younger adults. In fact, the rate has doubled among people under 50 since the 1990s, prompting doctors to lower the recommended age for screening.

So what can we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones?

I’m joined by Harvard Medical School professor, Dr. Andy Chan, to talk about the importance of colon cancer screenings and how changes to our diet could help reduce the risk of this disease.

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

This spring, are you bombarded by wellness trends promising miraculous results? From detox juices to the surprising popularity of beef tallow, it's easy to get swept up in the hype. But what if some of these "healthy" habits are doing more harm than good?

Join us as we dive into the science behind spring's most talked-about health fads. To explain these trends, journalist, health entrepreneur and bestselling author Liz Earle, joins us to share insights from her 40 year career in the wellness industry. Alongside Liz is Dr. Federica Amati, a scientist from Imperial College London, ZOE's Head Nutritionist, and author of the bestseller "Every Body Should Know This."

Together, we'll put five popular trends under the microscope: detox drinks, red light therapy, beef tallow for skin, creatine, and high-cost probiotics. Discover what's fact and what's fiction, empowering you to make evidence-based choices. Finally, we'll share practical ZOE-approved tips for embracing spring with genuine, science-backed wellness strategies, helping you navigate the season of renewal with confidence.

🥑 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.

Get Liz Earle's book A Better Second Half here

📚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

Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence (2014)

Application of red light therapy for moderate‐to‐severe acne vulgaris: A systematic review and meta‐analysis (2021)

Tallow, Rendered Animal Fat, and Its Biocompatibility With Skin: A Scoping Review (2024)

International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017)

Unraveling the Puzzle: Health Benefits of Probiotics-A Comprehensive Review (2024)

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re exploring the impact that ultra-processed foods have on our brain.

We often think of nutrition in terms of physical health - things like obesity, heart disease, or diabetes. However, what we eat also plays a crucial role in our mental health, influencing mood, cognition, and even our risk for conditions like depression.

So, what can we learn from the studies that have looked into the connection between food and thought?

I’m joined by world-leading Professor of Nutritional Psychiatry Felice Jacka to explore this fascinating link and discuss how we can make smarter food choices to keep our minds sharp and healthy.

🥑 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

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get ZOE’s new app

Most of us avoid the cold. We crank up the heating, bundle up in layers, and curse every icy gust of wind. But what if freezing — or even sweating — could be the key to better health?

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by two world-leading scientists to explore a radical idea: that extreme temperatures might unlock powerful benefits for your metabolism, mental health, and even longevity.

Dr. Susanna Søberg, the researcher who coined the “Søberg Principle,” has spent years studying the effects of cold plunges and saunas on the human body. Her findings? Just minutes of exposure a few times a week could improve insulin sensitivity, activate brown fat, and lower stress.

She’s joined by Prof. Tim Spector - professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists, and scientific co-founder at ZOE - who explains how these temperature shocks may even impact your gut microbiome.

This episode will change how you think about discomfort, explain the science behind extreme temperatures and might just inspire your healthiest new habit.

🥑 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.

00:00 Can saunas improve metabolism?

02:03 Can heat really mimic a cardio workout?

05:13 Why do I feel sleepy after a sauna?

07:33 The surprising link between heat and your heart

10:37 What cold water instantly triggers in your body

13:19 This 'good fat' burns your bad fat — here’s how

16:11 How just walking in the cold can raise your metabolism

18:57 Why a colder bedroom could transform your blood sugar

22:07 Winter swimmers vs non-swimmers — the science is clear

25:39 How short dips beat long soaks in cold water

29:12 Cold plunges activate your cell repair systems

31:37 The 30-second switch: from panic to peace

33:58 Can cold water really boost mental health?

36:07 Could gut bacteria respond to temperature?

38:53 Cold plunges and antidepressants: early findings

41:01 Cold shock vs hyperventilation — what to avoid

43:27 Is combining hot and cold better than just one?

45:36 Cryotherapy vs cold plunge — which works better?

47:19 Do cold showers actually do anything?

50:59 Why daily plunging might be too much stress

53:31 Should women cold plunge differently than men?

📚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:

Altered brown fat thermoregulation and enhanced cold-induced thermogenesis in young, healthy, winter-swimming men, Cell (2021) 

Cold exposure, gut microbiota and health implications: A narrative review, Sci Total Environ (2024) 

The gut microbiota facilitate their host tolerance to extreme temperature, BCM Microbiology (2024) 

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

Episode transcripts are available here.