Why do some people remain fit and healthy in their later years while others become increasingly frail? Researchers from Kings College London have been following thousands of twins for 30 years in an effort to understand how each of us ages differently. And some of their findings will surprise you! In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks to Claire Steves to better understand what all this means, shedding light on how aging works and what we can do about it: Dr. Claire Steves is a senior lecturer at K...
Feb 16, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast The formal definition for constipation is ‘Having fewer than three bowel movements per week’. But, did you know that you can have a bowel movement every day and still be constipated? Recent data has shown that a quarter of people worldwide have at one point reported symptoms, suggesting that there is so much more to constipation than simply infrequent bowel movements. In today’s short-ish episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will attempt to dispel some misconceptions about constipati...
Feb 09, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The cost of living has soared. Energy prices have doubled, and food costs have gone up enormously. As a result, the weekly shopping bill can be shocking. For some, this is merely an inconvenience. But many others face the awful choice between heating their home and maintaining their usual diet. The consequence is that many of us are throwing cheaper ingredients into our shopping baskets to save money. So does this mean that eating healthy is an indulgence that be dropped in favour of cheap ultra...
Feb 02, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our gut helps fight disease. It processes energy for us and boosts our mood. So, having a healthy gut is extremely important – but there’s still a lot we don’t know. Gut biome tests are a new, exciting technology, but are they the be-all and end-all for dietary decision-making? And are there simpler ways — and tastier ways, perhaps — to tell what’s happening inside our bodies? In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Will ask: What are the signs of an unhealthy gut? ...
Jan 26, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Blood sugar is one of the rare nutrition topics where everyone agrees: We should avoid big peaks and dips and aim for a steady curve. Spikes cause inflammation, accelerate aging, and lead to type 2 diabetes. Crashes make us feel moody and tired, and crave foods we don’t need. We can control our blood sugar through what and how we eat. But something else affects our blood sugar — physical activity. Exercise has a profound effect on your blood sugar response. Together with your food choices, being...
Jan 19, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than half of us have high cholesterol — and new research suggests that having even slightly raised levels in our 30s could significantly increase our chances of developing heart disease. Medication is a common fix, but it comes with side effects. So, today we’re looking at how much changing our diets can help. In this short (ish) episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: Can we lower our cholesterol by changing our diets? Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/...
Jan 12, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast This year, cases of an invasive bacterial infection are rising earlier than usual in the US, the UK and other countries across Europe. The group A Streptococcus bacteria - commonly known as Strep A - usually only causes mild illness. However, things have become severe in some cases, with several children dying in recent weeks. So, should we be worried? And what symptoms should we look out for to help us identify this illness in ourselves and our families? In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined b...
Jan 05, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to 2023! Whether you partied last night or went to bed early, we’re all in the same boat: a new year means thinking about new year’s resolutions. This tradition dates back 4000 years, so it’s certainly stood the test of time. But are new year’s resolutions a good idea? Or simply a get way to set yourself up to fail? Perhaps science has something to say about this. In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Tara Swart and Sarah Berry, who share techniques that will give you the best chance of ...
Jan 01, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast You might think what you eat and when are the only factors that play into the health of your diet. But recent research has shown that who you eat with can also play a role. And it could even make your food taste better! In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: Can eating with other people really improve your food? Studies referenced in today’s episode: Associations of family feeding and mealtime practices with children's overall diet quality, published in Appe...
Dec 29, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast What should I have for dinner? A question you no doubt ask yourself daily. But I bet you don't spend too long coming up with an answer. ZOE's scientific co-founder, Tim Spector, has been trying to answer this question for a decade. If you're a regular listener, you probably know him well. Five years ago, he published the best-selling book, The Diet Myth, and just last month, he released the follow-up, Food for Life, the New Science of Eating Well. In this episode, you'll hear a chapter from the ...
Dec 22, 2022•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The last decade saw a rise in gluten-free diets. But the number of us with diagnosed gluten intolerance each year hasn’t changed. Eliminating gluten is the only treatment for those with celiac disease, but the rest of us could be doing more harm than good by embracing ultra-processed, gluten-free foods. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: Should you be worried about gluten? Studies referenced in the episode: ‘Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of a Gluten...
Dec 15, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast We all know how good it feels to drift into deep sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. The positive effects of a good night’s sleep affect every aspect of our lives. We feel energetic, focused, and ready to take on the day’s challenges. But the long-term effects of bad sleep are less known. It turns out, they have a huge impact on our health and even how long we live. In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Prof. Matthew Walker to learn what the latest science says about improving our sleep — to gi...
Dec 08, 2022•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast The acid in your stomach is so powerful it can dissolve metal. Luckily, your stomach is fine-tuned to deal with its acidic fluid, but the rest of your body isn’t quite as hardy. So, if acid escapes from your stomach and reaches your esophagus, it can cause a painful sensation in the chest — this is heartburn. It isn’t rare, with more than 1 billion people suffering from it globally. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: Why do we get heartburn, and what’s th...
Dec 01, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Good information about vitamins is hard to find. With over 70% of Americans and 40% of Brits using them, it's a hugely lucrative market, which means numerous voices in the media and online pusing a pro-vitamin agenda. All without the scientific evidence to support their claims. So do we need vitamins to lead a healthy life? Or could these supplements actually cause serious health complications? In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Prof. JoAnn Manson and Dr. Sarah Berry to better understand how ...
Nov 24, 2022•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's a condition that affects half the population, but there are countless unanswered questions about menopause. The symptoms vary significantly from person to person, including sleep problems, hot flashes, weight gain, and an increased risk of heart disease. In one of the largest studies to date, ZOE researchers have uncovered a link between menopause and our diets — and this could hold the key to reducing the severity of menopause symptoms. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, ...
Nov 17, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a lab in Ireland, a group of scientists stand around a stainless steel table. One of them is holding a device, not unlike a small turkey baster. His free hand plunges into a box on the table and retrieves a mouse. Using his device, he administers the brown solution within…rectally. This unfortunate soul has just received a fecal microbiota transplant. The donor was not another mouse but a human being. And the person in question had symptoms of severe depression. Jonathan speaks to John Cryan,...
Nov 10, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast We use it to fry, roast, or dress a salad. Cooking oil is a kitchen staple. But it's hard to know which is healthiest for each scenario. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: what cooking oils should you use and when? Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Studies referenced in the episode: ‘Heated vegetable oils and cardiovascular disease risk factors’ from ...
Nov 03, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fermentation is a hot craze in fancy restaurants around the world. And fermented foods, like kombucha and kimchi, are even sold in corner stores. Listeners of this show will have heard that fermented foods might benefit our gut health. But these foods make us uneasy. The idea of letting food rot, then eating it goes against everything our parents taught us. So, is fermentation scary and dangerous? This episode will show you why it's not only safe but beneficial to eat fermented foods, and that f...
Oct 27, 2022•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever lost your temper because you were hungry? Feeling short-tempered when you’re overdue a bite to eat is an almost universal experience, with its own adjective - ‘hangry’. If missing just one meal turns you into a grump, you may think that fasting would turn you into the Incredible Hulk. However, new data suggests this might not be the case. In this daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Dr Sarah Berry joins Jonathan to answer the question: how does fasting affect your energy and m...
Oct 26, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can you make it from lunch to dinner without a snack? Tradition tells us that three meals a day is the right way to eat, but times have changed, and many of us now choose to eat little and often. The debate continues as to which is better. Today, we discuss new data that could settle this once and for all. In this daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Dr Sarah Berry to answer the question: should we eat little and often or 3 meals a day? This episode is part of a limite...
Oct 25, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Nowadays, food can be delivered to your door with just a few swipes of your smartphone. The result? Many of us eat more frequently, at any time of the day. And this may have some downsides. New research shows that for our gut bacteria to perform their helpful activities, we may have to embrace the dietary patterns of our ancestors. In today’s daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Tim Spector to answer the question: How do gut bacteria repair your gut while fasting? This...
Oct 24, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Food package labels can be complex. With so much information, many of us set a beeline for the calorie number, but there’s more going on in food than just the amount of energy. How much value is there in counting calories, and should you continue? The latest science could make you reconsider. In today’s daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Dr Sarah Berry to answer the question: Does calorie counting work? This episode is part of a limited series to celebrate the launch...
Oct 23, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve all been there at least once, hovering by the fridge and looking for something to graze on just before bed. What you eat after dark can disrupt your sleep and digestion. Yet new evidence suggests that when we snack is less important than what we snack on, so suddenly that midnight snack may not be a guilty pleasure after all. In today’s daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Dr Sarah Berry to answer the question: should you avoid late-night snacks? This episode is ...
Oct 22, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fasting has been shown to improve our metabolism, slow disease and potentially increase our life span. While world religions have practiced fasting for millennia, the trend of fasting has soared in popularity in the last decade. Not all fasts are made equally and there are a lot of different rules to follow. Some purists argue that you’re only allowed water while fasting others believe there can be more flexibility during your period of abstinence. In today’s daily episode of ZOE Science & Nutri...
Oct 21, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Where were you in 2015? President Obama was in the White House, The UK was a member of the European Union, and you couldn’t escape Bruno Mars's global smash: Uptown Funk. More importantly, 2015 marked the release of Tim Spector’s first book: The Diet Myth. If you think the world has felt different since 2015, wait until you hear about the advances in nutritional science. Since then, Tim has had a chance to rethink his position on dietary staples like bread, milk, ultra-processed foods and more. ...
Oct 20, 2022•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast It seems like every day, someone new mentions intermittent fasting. But what is it, exactly? There are myriad options — from the 5:2 diet, with two days of extreme calorie restriction each week, to the warrior diet, which involves eating only raw fruit during the day and a mammoth feast at night. Whatever the approach, intermittent fasting involves restricting the window of time when you eat. Supporters evangelise the benefits, promising weight loss, disease prevention, and even life extension. ...
Oct 13, 2022•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Diets rich in fiber are associated with good heart health and metabolic wellbeing. This type of diet can do wonders for our gut microbiome. With so many benefits, relatively low cost, and high availability, fiber should be a staple nutrient in our diets — but most of us have a deficiency. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: If fiber is so good for us, why are we not eating enough of it? Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ If you want to...
Oct 06, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do our blood vessels hold the secret to long life? 60,000 miles long. That’s the length of the tube system inside us that transports blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the cells in our body. If these tubes fail, the result can be fatal. In some cases, it’s a heart attack. In others, it’s a stroke, where the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, and brain cells are damaged or killed. Heart attacks and strokes are a major cause of death in developed countries - but we can take action to reduce the ...
Sep 29, 2022•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Most of us are familiar with the unpleasant feeling of being bloated. It can happen after eating specific foods or when you experience slower bowel movements. Sometimes, it can be a symptom of an underlying health condition. To take a closer look at issues related to gas and bloating, we’ve invited a special guest this week: superstar gastroenterologist and Zoe’s US Medical Director Will Bulsiewicz. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: what are the main cau...
Sep 22, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our planet is overheating. Human society is creating too much carbon dioxide, stopping the sun’s warmth from escaping back into space. As earth gets hotter, its ice caps are melting, causing sea levels to rise, and submerging entire communities. Floods, droughts, and wildfires are already becoming much more common. Some effects of climate change are now irreversible, but there is still hope, and adjusting what we eat might play a bigger part than you’d imagine. In this episode, Jonathan speaks w...
Sep 15, 2022•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
