ZOE Science & Nutrition
Episodes
Is dairy good or bad for you?
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Decades ago, there were reams of adverts instructing us to drink our milk so we don’t break our bones. But in the decades since, public opinion towa...
The truth about menopause supplements
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More than half of women who go through menopause find its symptoms distressing. In fact, 10% leave their jobs because of the burden. It’s no wonder ...
How snacking impacts your health
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence shows that all over the world, people are snacking more — with the United Kingdom and the United States leading the way in unhealthy snacki...
How to stop diarrhea and what NOT to do
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all wrestled with diarrhea at some point. It comes in many forms. And being able to read these differences can help us understand what’s goi...
The menstrual cycle decoded: Lifestyle tips to ease your symptoms, with Hazel Wallace
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How much do you know about menstrual cycles? About half of us are more informed than the other half. The menstrual cycle has great significance, affec...
Conquer IBS: 3 steps to healthier digestion
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a lot more common than you might think. In fact, it affects 1 in 10 people globally. Yet there are still a lot of qu...
Protein & exercise: The secrets of healthy aging?
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we age, our bodies undergo numerous changes, including a decline in muscle mass and cognitive function. For many of us, exercise and diet play cruc...
The surprising health impact of eating too fast
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve probably all been reprimanded for eating too fast at the dinner table or suffered the dreaded “itis” from eating way too much food at a fa...
HRT for menopause: is it safe?
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Menopause is a time of significant hormonal changes which can lead to a range of symptoms that can severely impact quality of life for many women. So,...
Omega-3 supplements: why you're (probably) wasting your money
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Omega 3s,” - we’ve all seen the name Omega 3s advertised on labels from nuts to seeds and even eggs! But are these fats healthy for us, or is t...
How ultra-processed foods wreak havoc on your body
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ultra-processed foods have become ubiquitous in modern diets. Many of us eat them regularly without understanding their potential impacts on our healt...
Why eating nuts makes you healthier, according to science
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: If nuts are so full of fat, can they really be good for us? There is no...
Protein: are you getting enough?
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Proteins, carbs, and fats … most people understand what the last two are. Carbs are sugars, and fat is, well, fat. It's protein that’s so importa...
Trans fats: how worried should you be?
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Trans fats have a bad reputation. But we now know a lot more about these fats than we did when the first horror stories about them emerged. So, base...
'Miracle' weight loss drug Ozempic is approved. But does it work?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A miracle weight loss drug that’s approved in the US and the UK and has few side effects? Ozempic is going viral on social media. Users are posting ...
Nightshade vegetables: hazard or health food?
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nightshade vegetables — even the name is ominous. Some people believe they exacerbate arthritis and can cause inflammation. So, should we avoid the...
Michael Mosley: 4 habits that changed his life
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you had to do just one thing to improve your health, what would it be? Our busy lives mean it can be difficult to keep up healthy habits, and with ...
Everything you've heard about lactose is wrong
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lactose is usually only discussed in the context of intolerance. This intolerance can make us feel bloated, gassy and uncomfortable. But from cow’s ...
Best of gut health - anniversary edition
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gut health is a topic we talk about a lot at ZOE. The gut doesn’t just fight disease, it boosts our mood, processes energy and so much more. Today’...
The future is here: AI and personalized healthcare with Eric Topol
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you were to ask Siri, Alexa, or ChatGPT for medical advice right now, that would be a terrible idea. But with recent developments in technology, ...
Eggs: are they good for me?
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eggs are nutrient-dense and have a long shelf life. Compared with many other protein sources, they’re on the cheaper side. But they’re not as popu...
How to maximize health in your later years
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some people remain fit and healthy in their later years while others become increasingly frail? Researchers from Kings College London have ...
The ultimate guide to constipation
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How to eat well on a budget
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 shocki...
Signs of an unhealthy gut
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How to improve blood sugar control with exercise
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
Foods to lower your cholesterol
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More than half of us have high cholesterol — and new research suggests that having even slightly raised levels in our 30s could significantly incre...
Should we be worried about strep A?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 S...
How to make New Year’s resolutions stick
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 resol...
The health benefits of eating together
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Tim Spector’s journey from health crisis to healthy eating - a chapter from Food for Life
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 scientif...
Should you worry about gluten?
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 glute...
The secrets of good sleep
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 as...
Heartburn: why it happens and what you can do
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The truth about vitamin supplements
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 n...
Menopause: Does diet play a part?
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's a condition that affects half the population, but there are countless unanswered questions about menopause. The symptoms vary significantly from ...
How your gut affects your mental health
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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. Hi...
Cooking oils: what to use and when
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Will fermented foods improve my gut health?
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fermentation is a hot craze in fancy restaurants around the world. And fermented foods, like kombucha and kimchi, are even sold in corner stores. Li...
How fasting affects energy and mood - The Big IF Dailies
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
3 meals a day VS little and often - The Big IF Dailies
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 m...
Gut bacteria & fasting: meet the night crew - The Big IF Dailies
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Does calorie counting work? - The Big IF Dailies
23 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 tha...
Should you avoid late-night snacks? - The Big IF Dailies
22 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 disrup...
What breaks a fast? - The Big IF Dailies
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fasting has been shown to improve our metabolism, slow disease and potentially increase our life span. While world religions have practiced fasting fo...
5 foods I got wrong - Tim Spector
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 glob...
What does science say about intermittent fasting?
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Fiber: Why it’s important and how to get more of it
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 m...
Heart health and aging
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Gas & Bloating: the causes & how to stop it
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 mo...
How your food choices affect the planet
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
High cholesterol foods: what really happens when you eat them?
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Cholesterol in our food has a bad reputation. Many of us think of it as something to try to cut it out of our diet completely. Yet new research coul...
How to make your body clock work for you
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s world, we increasingly live our lives late into the night. Whether it's work obligations, socializing, or being glued to a screen, we ign...
Artificial sweeteners - worse than sugar?
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial sweeteners are everywhere. Not only in diet soft drinks but in many foods that you wouldn’t expect. You’ve probably eaten some today wi...
Can spices improve your health?
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kanchan Koya grew up in a house filled with wonderful fragrances from the spices simmering on her grandmother’s stove. In India, it was a common bel...
How healthy are meat and dairy alternatives?
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vegan diets are increasingly popular. As more of us reduce our animal product consumption, countless new meat and dairy alternatives appear on our sup...
How food can improve your mood
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all felt the effects of food on our mood, so it would stand to reason that dietary intervention for mental health would be well studied and a ...
Can you reverse damage from a bad diet?
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A recent study claims that eating a hotdog reduces life expectancy by 38 minutes, and eating salmon could extend it by 70 minutes. At face value, this...
How to control blood sugar spikes
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Biochemist Jessie Inchauspe heads into work one morning at a genetics lab in California. During the morning meeting, management offer staff the chance...
Saturated fat: Monstrous or misunderstood?
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're confused about the health effects of fats, you are not alone. You've probably read the headlines - fats are killing us! Then found claims th...
This is what the Keto Diet does to your body...
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Keto has been promoted as a magic bullet for weight loss by its supporters and slammed as dangerous by its opponents. It's no surprise - completely re...
Processed foods - convenient or catastrophic?
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The word ‘processed’ has become synonymous with being unhealthy. The mainstream media encourages us to detox from processed food or offers us ‘1...
Our ancestors’ diet: surprising discoveries from a 5000 year old iceman
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A mummified man found in the mountains of Italy on a nutrition science podcast? Have we gone completely off track? We haven’t - we promise. This...
Introducing: ZOE Shorts
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re excited for you to hear our NEW bitesize podcast: ZOE Shorts. Some of you requested some short-form episodes, so we delivered! In between the ...
Superfoods
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From blueberries to salmon, kale to acai, it seems like anything and everything can be classed as a superfood these days. Supposedly they can prevent ...
Inflammation, aging and disease. What's food got to do with it?
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a biological process that we need to stay alive. Yet too much of it leads to disease and a shorter life. Inflammation is the immune system’...
Can bread be healthy?
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no exaggeration to say that bread shaped modern humanity - it was the cultivation of wheat for flour that transformed our ancestors from hunter...
Is Coffee Healthy?
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coffee’s earliest consumption dates back millennia when the tribesmen of Ethiopia used its ground-up berries to help aid concentration during prayer...
Your Gut is Full of Bugs: Why This is Great News
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard there are bugs in your gut. But do they matter? Today, the evidence shows the answer is a resounding yes. This ecosystem of tiny ...
Fats and oils: What’s the real story?
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re talking about fat, a delicious component of our food with a terrible reputation. Fats have been broadly associated with weight gain ...
Is exercise or nutrition more important for weight loss?
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our transformation into coach potatoes happened in the blink of an eye. Only 100 years ago, most people relied on manual work to make their living. ...
Menopause: How your body changes and what you can do
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's a condition that leads to an increased risk of heart disease, dementia, and early death that's been affecting people for as long as they've ex...
Alcohol: Can it ever be healthy?
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us, it's a ritual to help us wind down after a long day, an excuse to catch up with friends, or a lubricant to an awkward social situation...
Is Dark Chocolate Good for Weight Loss?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This plant has been used by human beings for thousands of years with samples found in 5000-year-old pottery discovered in the upper Amazon. The Mayans...
Food Intolerances: What's the Story?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
1 in 5 people suffer from food intolerances, a figure that’s growing each year. As a result, people are eating increasingly restricted diets, removi...
Welcome to ZOE Science & Nutrition
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the brand-new podcast from ZOE, the people behind the world's largest scale nutrition study. ZOE Science & Nutrition is the podcast where t...