ZOE Science & Nutrition

Your gut microbiome, a bustling community of microorganisms, is a vital player in your overall health. It doesn’t just impact your digestive system — it has a profound influence on your brain health and well-being.

However, the gut microbiome is a complex, long misunderstood realm, and figuring out how it affects daily life can leave even the most dedicated health enthusiasts scratching their heads. 

Here at ZOE, we’ve transformed our understanding of this bustling microbial world, where both “good” and “bad” gut bacteria reside.

In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks with Prof. Nicola Segata and Prof. Tim Spector to explore how ZOE's microbiome testing and unique microbiome health scores provide personalized insights into your gut health.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:41 Quick fire questions

03:38 Why should we care about gut microbes?

07:00 How many different microbes do we have in our gut?

11:37 Why would we want to measure our microbiome?

13:15 Can we change our microbiome?

18:00 Is it possible to make a dramatic change in your microbiome over time?

20:21 What does the latest data tell us about improving our diet?

23:24 How does the ZOE micobiome gut test work?

27:07 What goes on in the lab to get these results?

30:54 Is there enough information in the gut microbiome to make a full health assessment?

34:20 What can our microbes tell us about diseases?

35:55 What useful information does the microbiome test show us?

36:51 Are we still making new discoveries in the microbiome?

41:03 Do different microbes prefer specific foods?

43:14 How do different lifestyles around the world change your microbiome?

47:44 5 simple tips to improve gut health

50:45 How rapidly can you damage your microbiome?

53:58 Can taking painkillers regularly negatively impact the microbiome?

56:10 Summary

60:03 Goodbyes/Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

Find Nicola on ResearchGate and X.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

There’s been a surge in our consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States, where these foods contribute about two-thirds of people’s caloric intake.

Also a cause for concern is emerging evidence of ultra-processed foods’ detrimental effect on our brain health and overall well-being.

When most of our calories come from ultra-processed foods, the risk of chronic physical and mental health conditions escalates. Scientists are now uncovering the intricate mechanisms behind this relationship, particularly concerning the effects of these foods on our brains.

In today’s episode, we welcome back Prof. Felice Jacka, OAM. Felice is an Alfred Deakin professor of nutritional psychiatry and the director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, in Australia. She’s also the founder of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research and the world’s leading researcher on food’s impact on our brain and mental health.

Now, she’s back on the show to delve deeper into the effects of ultra-processed foods on mental health and the brain, specifically the hippocampus, an area responsible for learning and memory.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

01:19 Quick fire questions

04:17 What is ultra processed food?

05:37 What is the NOVA classification?

08:18 How does food impact the brain?

10:33 What does the hippocampus do to influence our brain function?

12:58 Is there a link between the size of the hippocampus and quality of diet?

13:45 Is there a link between the quality of diet and depression?

20:37 What are the effects of long term dietary habits?

21:33 Is there a link between poor diet and dementia

23:18 Is there a link between autism and diet?

24:00 How real is the link between diet and dementia?

24:57 What is the oral microbiome?

28:16 New trial between whole foods and vitamin enriched nutritional foods

29:28 How does processing foods impact the makeup of foods on a molecular level?

32:10 How does the biodiversity around us affect our body?

33:08 How does the industrialized food environment impact us?

35:50 How strong is the evidence for this? is it comparable to smoking?

39:12 Practical tips to help with our diet

40:07 How does reducing consumption of UPF affect us?

41:25 How to cut down on UPF

44:04 Is it too late to change your diet?

45:39 Does exercise impact our brain?

47:41 Summary

52:57 Goodbyes/Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

Learn more about Felice on the Food & Mood Centre’s website.

Follow Felice on Instagram.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Get science-based nutrition advice straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3ExWxCG

Most of us like to have breakfast before we exercise in the morning, but what happens if we don’t eat anything first?

The issue goes beyond weight loss and exercise timing to involve blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and other — perhaps unexpected — aspects of your health.

In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Professor Javier Gonzalez ask: Should we exercise on an empty stomach?

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalised nutrition program.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Lipid metabolism links nutrient-exercise timing to insulin sensitivity in men classified as overweight or obese from The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 

Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise from Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 

The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis from Sport Medicine 

Exercising Tactically for Taming Postmeal Glucose Surges from Hindawi 

Exercise-stimulated glucose uptake — regulation and implications for glycaemic control from Nature Reviews Endocrinology

Follow ZOE on Instagram. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.

As a listener to this show, you’ve probably heard of the gut microbiome. But did you know that your skin has its own microbiome? 

Recent evidence suggests that these microbiomes are vital for our skin health. So, what should we do? Which foods make an impact? 

And if we want our skin to look healthier, how about those collagen supplements that many of you have asked us about? 

In today’s episode, our guest is Dr. Justine Kluk, a consultant dermatologist with a specialist interest in acne. Justine is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists, the Royal Society of Medicine, and the Royal College of Physicians. 

ZOE’s Chief Scientist Dr. Sarah Berry also joins as a cohost to explore these ideas. 

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

02:01 Quick Fire questions

03:52 What does skin do?

04:51 Why is the skin so important?

06:34 Is there a correlation between aging skin and health?

07:41 What is the skin microbiome?

11:46 Is exposure to the natural environment beneficial for children?

12:39 Can we change the skin microbiome?

13:32 Would an oral or topical probiotic help improve our skin microbiome

15:11 What can we do to help support the skin barrier?

15:39 Can overwashing/scrubbing disturb your skin?

16:40 Why does acne matter?

18:37 Is acne just found in teenagers?

19:12 What effect does menopause have on your skin?

20:36 What impact does diet have on acne?

22:14 Are diets with high glycemic content bad for acne?

23:01 What is happening to create the effects of acne?

24:23 Is there a connection between our gut health and skin health?

25:15 Practical advice for people with acne

28:16 Diet tips to help support healthy skin

29:51 How has the ZOE diet gone down in Jonathan and Justine's household?

32:54 How can the ZOE diet help with day-to-day cooking habits?

35:46 What causes skin aging?

37:44 What can we do to slow down skin aging?

39:55 Do collagen supplements work to keep your skin youthful?

41:52 How can retinol help your skin?

42:30 3 things that could help keep your skin young

43:31 Top nutrition skin myths

45:50 How important is it to apply sun protection?

46:36 How does stress impact our skin?

48:38 Questions for Jonathan

54:57 Summary & Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

Justine shares more in-depth skincare and acne information at drjustinekluk.com and as @drjustinekluk on Instagram 

Follow ZOE on Instagram. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Millions of us are counting calories every day. But do we know if those numbers truly reflect the energy we get from eating?

It’s about time that we debunked the “one-size-fits-all” approach to calorie counting and unmasked the outdated methodologies that contribute to inaccuracies in food labeling.

In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah Berry ask: How exactly do we measure calories, and is calorie counting actually effective?

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe

Mentioned in today’s episode:

The Wilbur Olin Atwater Papers from the United States Department of Agriculture

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Antibiotics are one of the greatest discoveries of the 21st century. Since their inception, they’ve saved countless lives, but these miracle drugs come at a cost. In some cases, they can seriously affect your health or can even be life-threatening.

In today’s episode, Jonathan puts himself under the microscope. After an injury forced him to take antibiotics, he shows you the effect they had on his own gut bacteria.

Jonathan’s joined by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and Prof. Tim Spector, who explore the impact of different types of antibiotics, how they affect your bacteria in the short and long term, and how we can reverse the unwanted effect of these drugs. 

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

00:15 Jonathan’s Intro

00:50 Quickfire round

01:40 Jonathan’s accident 

04:00 Unpacking clindamycin

11:40 Antibiotic-associated diarrhea 

14:45 Side effects prevention advice

22:20 Jonathan’s gut at 7 days 

27:50 Fermented foods

27:00 Tips for building your gut back up

41:30 Benefits vs. risks

48:00 Summary 

51:20 Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Post-antibiotic gut mucosal microbiome reconstitution is impaired by probiotics and improved by autologous FMT from Cell

Saccharomyces boulardii: What makes it tick as successful probiotic? From the Journal of Fungi

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Whether you’re frying, baking, or topping your toast, most of you will eat either butter or margarine at some point today. The fact that these spreads are such a staple means that we need to know their effects on our health. And It might surprise you to learn that this impact has changed quite dramatically over the past 20 years.

In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah ask: Which is healthier, butter or margarine? 

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Follow ZOE on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Margarine from Science Direct      

Margarines: Historical approach, technological aspects, nutritional profile, and global trends from Food Research International

Reduction of LDL-cholesterol as a result of the change from butter to soft margarine from Polish Archives of Internal Medicine

Americans' per capita consumption of margarine & butter from the USDA

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Unfortunately, many of us spend our later years in poor health. But is this avoidable? And can we actually increase our healthy years?

While aging is inevitable, there are steps we can take to minimize its effects on our health. And surprisingly, some of these steps have nothing to do with exercise or diet. Simply spending time with others can provide countless benefits to us as we age.

But how can we maintain these connections? Does retirement affect our social interactions? And can attitude alone keep you healthier in your later years?

In today’s episode, one of the world’s top experts on aging, Prof. Rose Anne Kenny, joins us to explore these ideas. 

Rose Anne is a world-leading geriatrician at Trinity College Dublin, where she leads a huge, long-term study on aging. She’s also the author of the number one international bestseller Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

00:13 - Quickfire round

01:14 - What’s the biggest myth about aging?

04:18 - What is aging?

07:43 - Aging process predictors

13:50 - Our growing elderly population

15:14 - Retirement

19:21 - Study on aging and social interaction

24:57 - Importance of social participation

27:38 - Studying the effects of loneliness

29:56 - Combating loneliness

31:13 - How attitude affects aging

33:20 - Social interaction online

36:08 - Creating social relationships

48:42 - Summary and Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

The Dunedin Study, a long-term study designed to investigate broader questions of child health and development from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) from Trinity College Dublin

You can buy Rose Anne’s book here.

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

We’ve all had unpleasant toilet experiences in our time. It can be distressing to deal with and not something we like talking about. 

But when does normal diarrhea become chronic? And when do we need to seek medical care? 

In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr Will ask what is chronic diarrhea and how can we rule out something more serious? Will also shares tricks of the trade to ease your symptoms and tells us how our amazing guts work to keep our whole body healthy.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get

10% off your personalized nutrition program.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Chronic Diarrhea by Garrett J. Descoteaux-Friday; Isha Shrimanker from the National Library of Medicine

Chronic Diarrhea by Cleveland Clinic  

Diarrhea From John Hopkins Medicine

Diarrhea From Stamford Medicine Healthcare  

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) From Loma Linda University Health 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.

What does "organic" food mean? And how do you know if something's organic?

Of course, foods tell you if they're organic in massive letters on the packaging. And they cost way more. But what makes a food organic? Is eating organic better for your health? And are the benefits worth the expense?

Luckily, Professor Tim Spector is here today with answers. Tim is one of the world's top 100 most cited scientists, a scientific co-founder of ZOE, and the author of the bestselling book Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well.

Stick around until the end, and you'll also find out the answer to a question we get often: Does Tim eat organic?

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

01:21 - Quickfire round

02:36 - What is organic food?

03:06 - Pesticides vs insecticides

08:06 - Diseases

09:15 - Herbicide risks

16:03 - Nutrient comparison 

18:21 - Natural chemical defences

20:32 - Does Tim Eat organic food?

22:15 - Foods high in chemicals

25:32 - Organic and cost

26:56 - Washing food

31:11 - Summary and outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

Organic food consumption and the incidence of cancer in a large prospective study of women in the United Kingdom from the British Journal of Cancer

Association of frequency of organic food consumption with cancer risk from JAMA Internal Medicine

Impacts of dietary exposure to pesticides on faecal microbiome metabolism in adult twins from Environmental Health

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to cover it.