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How quickly can you improve your gut health? Can diet help lower your risk of dementia? And what should you know about food labels and healthy weight loss? In this special live Q&A, Prof Tim Spector, Prof Sarah Berry and Dr Federica Amati answer your biggest nutrition questions and share practical, evidence-based advice you can use today.
Drawing on decades of research and data from hundreds of thousands of people, they explain how diet can influence the gut microbiome, brain health, hunger, energy levels and long-term health. They discuss dementia risk, healthy snacking, intermittent fasting, ultra-processed foods, plant diversity, breakfast, food labels and the latest science on weight loss.
You’ll learn how quickly the gut microbiome may respond to dietary change, why some foods keep you fuller for longer, how to build a healthier breakfast, and simple ways to make better food choices. The team also explain why small dietary changes can have lasting benefits.
If your daily food choices influence your gut health, brain health and future wellbeing, which change is worth making first?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
01:56 The first ever live ZOE podcast
09:14 How long does it really take to improve your gut microbiome?
12:56 Can you feel healthier before your gut microbiome changes?
14:15 Which foods should you always buy organic?
16:33 Are oats actually healthy?
18:36 The overnight oats trick that may improve blood sugar
19:28 Resistant starch: the hidden nutrient most people miss
21:32 Always hungry at 3pm? Sarah’s evidence-backed fix
27:17 The food industry trick that makes you eat more
29:44 Why ultra-processed foods leave you hungry
30:50 Does chewing more food really help you lose weight?
33:23 What does gut health have to do with depression and anxiety?
37:45 Is your gut controlling your brain?
39:34 Are fermented foods the most underrated brain-health food?
41:46 Starting Ozempic or Wegovy? Do this first
42:40 What do GLP-1 drugs do to your gut microbiome?
45:20 Tim Spector’s plan to fix Britain’s health crisis
47:55 Why governments still aren’t acting on ultra-processed foods
50:50 Have US food guidelines changed—and is the UK falling behind?
53:08 Is intermittent fasting safe for women?
56:15 What’s the healthiest breakfast to break a fast?
58:20 The science breakthroughs that could change nutrition forever
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
Daily Sampling Reveals Personalized Diet-Microbiome Associations in Humans, Cell Host & Microbe (2019)
ZOE’s PREDICT studies: What we’ve learned
ZOE snacking study: What should you do?
The Big IF Study: What did we find?
Diet and Dementia, Neurology (2024)
Daily30: Does it work?
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here. -
Today, we’re talking about supplements.We’ve all seen them; the multivitamins, the fortified foods, the neatly packaged powders promising improved energy, immunity and longevity. Supplements boast bold claims, however, it’s hard to know if they’re genuinely helpful or just well-marketed.Professor Tim Spector and Professor Sarah Berry join me to unpack why supplements exist, what the science really says about their benefits and risks, and how to decide if supplements deserve a place in your daily routine.🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOEFollow ZOE on Instagram.📚Books by our ZOE ScientistsThe Food For Life CookbookEvery Body Should Know This by Dr Federica AmatiFood For Life by Prof. Tim SpectorFerment by Prof. Tim SpectorFree resources from ZOEEating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprintHow to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term healthLive Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & NutritionGut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks Better Breakfast GuideHave feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know hereListen to the full episode here
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Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro can help people lose weight. But what should you eat on GLP-1 drugs to avoid side effects, protect muscle, and maintain results long term?
In this episode, Dr Federica Amati, ZOE’s Head Nutritionist and author of The Appetite Reset, explains how these drugs work, why many people struggle with side effects, and why losing weight does not automatically mean better health.
You’ll learn why the weight lost may not be fat, why nutrient deficiencies, dehydration and muscle loss can become a risk, and what to eat before, during and after treatment. Federica shares four practical principles to help reduce side effects, protect lean mass, improve diet quality and support long-term health whether you stay on these medications or eventually stop taking them.
Millions of people are now using GLP-1 drugs. But if these medications reduce appetite so effectively, how do you make sure your body still gets the nutrients it needs?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:23 What Ozempic actually does inside your body
06:00 Are Ozempic and Mounjaro really miracle drugs?
10:53 Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Mounjaro: what’s the difference?
11:40 The step almost everyone skips before starting GLP-1s
13:16 Why do some people get worse Ozempic side effects?
15:20 The surprising brain effect changing people’s lives
18:20 The appetite system most people never learn about
21:25 How fibre helps your body make more GLP-1 naturally
24:24 Why ultra-processed foods never keep you full
27:20 Why staying a healthy weight is harder than ever
30:11 The hidden risk nobody mentions when losing weight
32:11 The 4 rules to protect muscle, bones and brain health
34:24 The side effect that can make life feel less enjoyable
35:26 What happens if you stay on Ozempic but never change your diet?
38:16 Can Ozempic cause malnutrition? Warning signs to know
39:35 Why some people suddenly stop craving junk food
41:15 What should you eat before starting Ozempic?
42:50 What should you eat while taking Ozempic?
44:01 Why meal timing matters more than you think
46:25 The eating mistake that triggers nausea and vomiting
47:18 The best protein foods for GLP-1 users
49:15 Can Ozempic cause muscle loss? The protein myth explained
51:40 What should you eat when coming off Ozempic?
53:15 Why some people keep the weight off for years
57:45 Why do most people quit Ozempic within a year?
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati
GLP-1 Discontinuation Among Patients, Diabetes and Endocrinology (2024)
How much protein do you need? ZOE’s new guide
Managing Gastrointestinal Adverse Events in Patients Treated with GLP-1s, Journal of Clinical Medicine (2022)
Neurological complications following GLP-1 use, BMC Neurology (2025)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here. -
Today we’re talking about what causes ageing.
Here’s an important term you may not have heard before: inflammaging. It describes the link between chronic inflammation in the body and accelerated ageing.
While it’s relatively unknown, this process is one of the most important concepts to understand if we want to live longer, healthier lives.
I’m joined by Professor Janet Lord to break down what inflammaging is, why it’s one of the biggest threats to healthy longevity, and the surprisingly simple, science-backed habits we can all use to slow it down.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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 -
Could inflammation be causing low mood, anxiety, depression, or even affecting your risk of dementia?
Emerging science suggests that inflammation in the body may change how the brain works. In this episode, Ed Bullmore, a Professor of Psychiatry at King's College London and a leading voice in brain research, explores why feeling low, emotionally flat, foggy or exhausted may not always be “all in your head”.
Ed explores emerging science suggesting that inflammation in the body may alter how the brain works. He explains how inflammation can influence the brain and discusses why obesity, gut health, gum disease, menopause, ageing and stress may all play a role. He also examines why medicine has traditionally separated physical and mental health, and what this may mean for understanding the root causes of low mood.
By the end of the episode, you’ll have some practical ways to support both brain and body health. Ed shares the evidence behind which exercise and diet matter most, and why discussing mental and physical health together may help you get closer to the causes of your symptoms.
If your mood, energy and brain health are shaped by more than what’s happening in your mind, what might your body be trying to tell you?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram. -
Today we’re talking about skin and sunlight.
Skin and sunlight have a complicated relationship. Sunlight helps our bodies produce vitamin D, which is essential for overall health. However, too much exposure can accelerate skin ageing and increase the risk of skin cancer.
So how much sun is enough? Are most of us getting too little, or too much? And where does sunscreen fit into a healthy daily routine?
I’m joined by Professor John McGrath to explore how sunlight affects our skin, and how to strike the perfect balance
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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 -
Could mushrooms hold the secret to better gut health, lower cholesterol, and can they protect your brain?
Today, Professor Robin May, a leading microbiologist and the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Officer, explores why our interest in mushrooms has exploded. He explains why they are not just another vegetable but could hold the key to better gut health, brain health, immune health, and lower cholesterol.
By the end of the episode, you’ll know which health claims about mushrooms are real, which are exaggerated and where the science is just too early to trust. You’ll have a solid understanding of what mushrooms are really doing inside our bodies and how to unlock the secret health powers they hold.
Should mushrooms become a regular part of your weekly shop rather than an occasional side dish? And if fungi have evolved alongside humans for millions of years, what else might they reveal about the future of nutrition and health?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:32 Are mushrooms closer to humans than plants?
06:20 What is a mushroom, really?
10:46 Why we’re eating more mushrooms now
12:14 The hidden nutrients inside mushrooms
13:56 Can mushrooms boost vitamin D?
15:35 The sunlight trick for healthier mushrooms
17:27 How many mushrooms give you enough vitamin D?
18:01 The mushroom with 500x more vitamin D
20:25 The mystery compound found in mushrooms
22:00 Should you take mushroom supplements?
24:30 Do all mushrooms contain this rare compound?
26:22 Can mushrooms help you live longer?
28:35 Can lion’s mane protect your brain?
30:24 Do mushrooms really boost IQ?
34:21 Can mushrooms affect your immune system?
36:40 How mushrooms feed your gut microbes
38:20 Should fungi live in your gut?
39:45 The fungus that lives on your head
41:50 Can mushrooms lower cholesterol?
43:21 Are you cooking mushrooms wrong?
45:25 Should you eat raw mushrooms?
47:21 How to make mushrooms taste better
49:25 The easiest way to eat more mushrooms
52:17 Robin’s top mushroom tip
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
A Review of Mushrooms as a Potential Source of Dietary Vitamin D, Nutrients (2018)
Ergothioneine: an underrecognised dietary micronutrient required for healthy ageing, British Journal of Nutrition (2023)
Ergothioneine: A Stress Vitamin with Antiaging, Vascular, and Neuroprotective Roles?, Antioxidants and Redox Signaling (2022)
Mushrooms & longevity, Nature (2025)
Lion’s mane & nerve growth factor, Journal of Biological Engineering (2023)
The Relationship between Mushroom Intake and Cognitive Performance, Nutrients (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 of ultra-processed foods on young people.
One of the big reasons ultra-processed foods have become so widespread is convenience. They offer quick, easy meals for people short on time - and few groups are more time-pressed than parents trying to feed young children.
But does this convenience come at a cost?
I’m joined by Harvard professor Dr Andy Chan, whose research is helping us understand how early exposure to ultra-processed food can shape future health.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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 -
If you feel like you can’t stop eating, constantly crave junk food, or struggle with overeating, this episode will change how you see food.
Michael Pollan, one of the world's most influential science writers, joins Professor Tim Spector to explain how ultra-processed food may drive food addiction, override fullness signals, and keep us craving more. Together, they explore why foods high in sugar, salt, and fat can feel so hard to resist, and what we can do to fight back.
Michael and Tim unpack how the modern food system changed over the last 50 years, and why many ultra-processed foods are designed around “craveability.” They explain how these foods may stimulate the brain’s reward systems, why fibre and plants help us feel fuller, and why cooking more meals at home may help reduce overeating without calorie counting.
The episode includes practical ways to regain control of your eating habits, reduce cravings, feel better and live more healthy years.
If your cravings feel impossible to control, is it really a lack of willpower, or is modern food engineered to keep us coming back for more?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:04 How monoculture changed modern food
08:52 Are we basically made of corn?
12:58 The 3 ingredients engineered to drive cravings
14:32 Why ultra-processed food keeps you hungry
15:44 Why governments subsidize junk food
18:01 How fast food changed family cooking
20:00 Is ultra-processed food destroying family meals?
21:46 What happens when you stop eating plants? 22:55 Your gut microbes are eating too
25:31 Caffeine and the world’s most used drug
26:26 Michael Pollan quits caffeine for 3 months
28:35 Is caffeine addiction actually harmful?
29:11 Coffee and heart disease risk explained
32:34 Why workplaces normalized caffeine 33:40 The simplest way to stop overeating
35:30 Did food companies convince us cooking is hard?
37:02 How to identify ultra-processed food
38:25 Michael Pollan’s famous food rule explained
40:14 Why “plant-based” doesn’t always mean healthy
42:46 The Japanese habit that may reduce overeating
44:24 How food companies engineer craveability
45:25 Are food companies manipulating your cravings?
46:41 Why eating 30 plants a week matters
47:36 Eat food, not too much, mostly plants -
Today we’re talking about wellness trends.
Social media has supercharged the wellness world, with new trends popping up and spreading faster than ever. It feels like we’re constantly being sold the next must-have product - each one a guaranteed route to better health that you simply can’t live without.
But how many of these trends are actually backed by science? And could some of them actually be doing more harm than good?
I’m joined by wellness expert Liz Earle and nutritional scientist Dr Federica Amati to separate evidence from exaggeration. From red light therapy to cow fat, they’ll reveal which trends are worth your time - and which are best left behind.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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 -
10 million deaths a year.
That is how many people are predicted to die from antibiotic-resistant infections if we do not find new treatments.
In today’s episode, Professor Martha Clokie and Professor Tim Spector explore the secret gut viruses, known as phages, being studied to fight deadly infection, target cancer cells, and to protect your gut microbiome.
Martha is a world-leading expert on the mysterious phage and, for the last 20 years, has pioneered research to revolutionise the treatment of infections without antibiotics. She explains why antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat, why everyday infections are becoming harder to treat, and how some bacteria are now resistant to every antibiotic available. We explore how the viruses in our gut may help solve this problem, and how scientists may one day use them to deliver highly targeted cancer treatment.
By the end of the episode, you’ll have some ideas to help support a healthier gut ecosystem and understand how to increase the number of friendly gut viruses that live inside you.
The science is still early, but the message is clear: the small choices we make every day are shaping our long-term resilience to disease.
If viruses can help protect us from infection rather than cause it, how much of human health are we only just beginning to understand?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
01:34 The gut viruses scientists say we need to survive
03:19 There are more gut viruses than stars in the universe
10:50 The billion-year war happening inside your gut
13:10 The hidden system controlling your microbiome
14:42 What healthy microbiomes have that unhealthy guts lose
16:33 The gut viruses that may protect you from infection
17:38 Why your immune system allows trillions of viruses to live inside you
19:25 The natural viruses that kill salmonella
20:52 Why ageing may weaken your gut’s viral defences
22:05 Scientists still don’t know what most gut viruses do
25:12 The strange origin story of phage therapy
27:22 Doctors are already using viruses to treat deadly infections
28:02 Why antibiotics are starting to fail
29:07 The deadly infection crisis bigger than cancer
30:38 How factory farming fuels antibiotic resistance
32:27 The antibiotic resistance emergency is already here
33:25 The forgotten treatment abandoned after antibiotics
35:50 Why phage therapy may spare your microbiome
36:37 The dying patient saved by experimental viruses
39:41 Could phages replace antibiotics in the future?
40:50 The viruses scientists are using to target cancer cells
44:35 How diet shapes the viruses living in your gut
46:05 The surprising link between coffee and gut health
47:25 The foods that may increase healthy gut viruses
50:34 The future of gut health, cancer treatment and infection prevention
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
How gut viruses shape your gut microbiome
Phages to the rescue, Trends in Microbiology (2024)
Compounds in the foods we eat can trigger phage production, Gut Microbes (2020)
Microbiomes of garden vs supermarket produce, Nature (2022)
Phage Therapy at Belgium’s Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Viruses (2019)
Habitual coffee intake shapes the gut microbiome, Nature (2026)
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 one of the most requested topics we’ve ever had: cold water therapy.
Cold showers, ice baths and wild winter swimming have exploded in popularity over recent years with supporters claiming a range of health benefits.
But are these claims actually backed by science, or is it all just another wellness fad?
I’m joined by Dr. Susanna Søberg and Proffesor Tim Spector to break down the studies and discover if we could all do with a bit more ice in our life.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Better Breakfast Guide -
Allergies have tripled - with hay fever, seasonal allergies, eczema and food intolerances now affecting millions of people. But why are allergy symptoms getting worse, and what does gut health have to do with it?
In this episode, Adam Fox, a world-leading allergy Professor at King’s College London, explains why allergies may be rising so fast, why many beliefs about allergies are wrong, and what new science reveals about your immune system, skin and gut.
Professor Fox explores why some foods are more likely to trigger reactions, and why modern allergy science is increasingly focused on gut health. Adam also discusses why 90% of people told they are allergic to certain things may not actually be allergic, the difference between allergies and intolerances, and why some antihistamines may be doing you more harm than you realise.
By the end of this episode, you will have some practical ways to manage hay fever and seasonal allergies, including which antihistamines experts now recommend avoiding, simple ways to reduce pollen exposure at home, and when allergy testing or desensitisation treatment may help. Adam explains how newer treatments are starting to retrain the immune system rather than simply suppress symptoms.
If allergies barely existed a few hundred years ago, what changed? And could your gut now be shaping the way your immune system reacts to the world around you?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:19 Why peanut allergies became so common in children
08:05 Why allergies are different in every country
10:00 The hidden link between eczema and food allergies
11:14 Your gut and skin train your immune system differently
12:42 What eczema actually does to your immune system
15:15 Did hay fever barely exist 200 years ago?
17:36 Why hay fever can seriously affect your life
18:11 Hay fever may affect exam results and work performance
20:20 Most people diagnosed with penicillin allergy may not have it
22:30 90% of penicillin allergies may be wrong
25:52 The hygiene hypothesis may not explain allergies after all
28:10 The microbiome connection scientists can’t ignore
31:24 The mouse experiment that changed allergy science
34:05 The eating pattern linked to fewer allergies in children
36:35 Food allergy vs food intolerance - what’s the difference?
39:51 What anaphylaxis actually feels like in the body
43:43 Gluten allergy, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity explained
47:49 Why allergy blood tests can give misleading results
49:46 The new treatment changing peanut allergy care
52:41 5 science-backed ways to reduce hay fever symptoms
55:16 The antihistamines some doctors now avoid
56:40 The future of allergy treatment is changing fast
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
Professor Adam Fox OBE uses Instagram to share clear bite-sized insights on children’s allergies, eczema & other allergic diseases - Follow at @DrAdamFox
Rising Trends in Food Allergies, The Lancet (2024)
Pollen exposure and exam performance, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (2026)
Almost nine in ten patients labelled allergic to penicillin had no allergy, The Lancet (2025)
Risk Factors for the Development of Food Allergy, JAMA (2026)
Food Allergy and the Microbiome, Current Research in Microbial Sciences (2025)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here. -
Today, we’re zooming out to look at the bigger picture.
On this podcast, we often talk about things that you can do to improve your diet. However, you're not the only one who has an impact on your health. The truth is, our food system - from government policy to supermarket placement - has a profound influence on what we eat, how we eat, and ultimately how healthy we all are.
So, what steps can we take to improve not just our own health, but the health of society as a whole?
Today, I’m joined by Professor Brian Elbel and Professor Tim Spector to explore the forces shaping our food system — and the changes that could benefit our collective well-being. -
What if boosting your immune system is the wrong goal?
Today, Dr Giulia Enders explains how boosting immunity may increase inflammation and why your symptoms are often part of your body’s defence. Your immune system is not failing when you feel sick. It is trying to protect you. So what should you focus on instead?
That’s the idea at the very heart of Giulia’s new book, Organ Speak. Giulia is a gastroenterologist and author whose previous book, Gut, sold eight million copies and helped convince the world that gut health was worth taking seriously.
She explains how the immune system really works and why symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or fever come from your body, not the infection itself. You’ll learn how sugar may push the immune system toward inflammation, how stress can weaken it, and why sleep is key for producing immune cells. This episode also explores how exercise helps regulate your immune response. The core idea is simple: health is not about making your immune system stronger. It is about keeping it balanced.
By the end of this episode, you will have practical ways to support that balance and habits to help your immune system respond in the right way.
If the sneezing, runny nose, fever - all of it - are actually the whole point, how much energy should you spend in suppressing them?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
02:45 Why being sick feels like failure
04:30 The problem with only treating the gut
07:16 Why your body is not broken
10:25 When your immune system gets overprotective
13:28 The virus may not cause your symptoms
15:36 Should you stop cold symptoms?
16:40 When diarrhoea medicine can backfire
18:05 Should you take painkillers when sick?
18:52 Why immunity is not a war
20:46 The invisible microbe cloak protecting you
22:49 How your body clears bacteria from skin
24:10 Your microbiome is part of immunity
26:58 Is your immune system like AI?
28:00 Why boosting immunity can go wrong
30:36 Are immune supplements worth taking?
31:45 How stress weakens your gut barrier
34:25 The one-minute breathing reset
37:48 Why sleep builds immune cells
39:27 The most important half of sleep
44:16 Do naps help your immune system?
46:40 What to eat for immune balance
48:00 How exercise moves immune cells
49:10 Why exercise when sick can be risky
54:26 Strength vs cardio for immunity
56:00 The immune system takeaway everyone needs
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
Organ Speak: What it really means to listen to our bodies by Giulia Enders
Gut by Giulia Enders
Association of Stress-Related Disorders With Autoimmune Disease, JAMA (2018)
Sugar-sweetened soda consumption and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, AJCN (2014)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here. -
Today, we’re shining a light on a lesser-known form of depression.
When we imagine depression, we often think of someone unable to get out of bed, someone who struggles to complete daily tasks. However, many people with depression are the exact opposite. They meet deadlines, achieve goals and appear successful. Yet, on the inside, they feel disconnected and distant from joy.
This quieter, harder-to-spot condition is known as high-functioning depression.
I’m joined by psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph and Professor Sarah Berry to unpack what high-functioning depression looks like, why it’s so frequently missed, and how we should approach it. Sarah starts by asking for clarity on a word that is closely connected to this condition.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Better Breakfast Guide -
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are now everywhere. But what do they actually do beyond weight loss? And what do you need to know before starting them?
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Ania Jastreboff, a world-leading researcher at the forefront of GLP-1 treatments and writer of the New York Times bestselling book Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like To Be Free, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey.
Dr Jastreboff explains everything you need to know about Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and other GLP-1 medications for 2026. You’ll learn how GLP-1s may reduce the risk of heart disease, improve blood sugar control, and support conditions like sleep apnoea. We also explore why weight often returns after stopping, and what you need to know about Ozempic side effects and long-term use.
If these drugs can change how your brain controls hunger, what does that mean for willpower, weight gain, and how we treat obesity long term?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:25 What these drugs are really treating
06:42 The hunger problem nobody could name
10:57 The diabetes side effect that changed everything
12:15 Why Ozempic isn’t just “more GLP-1”
15:51 Why Mounjaro works differently to Ozempic
17:56 The part everyone gets wrong
20:15 Can these drugs protect your heart?
21:25 The 94% diabetes finding
22:09 Why the weight can come back
23:50 Do you have to take them forever?
25:30 Can you trust pharma-funded trials?
27:46 The risk of microdosing GLP-1s
31:41 Are these drugs becoming surgery-level?
34:10 The health effects beyond weight loss
37:22 The side effects people should expect
40:15 Could stopping leave you worse off?
41:35 Who should actually take GLP-1 drugs?
43:40 The biggest mistake when starting treatment
46:28 What to eat when your appetite drops
50:03 Why these are not weight loss aids
51:52 Should healthy people take small doses?
53:14 The exercise rule people miss
54:24 What comes after Ozempic and Mounjaro?
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like To Be Free by Dr Ania Jastreboff & Oprah Winfrey
Retatrutide for Obesity, The New England Journal of Medicine (2023)
Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined, The New England Journal of Medicine (2021)
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients, The New England Journal of Medicine (2016)
Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention, The New England Journal of Medicine (2025)
Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity, The New England Journal of Medicine (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 brain-gut axis
We’ve all heard phrases like “gut instinct” or “trust your gut”. These sayings hint towards a sort of mind in your midriff - and it turns out there is some truth to it. Emerging science reveals that the brain and gut are, in fact, closely connected, constantly exchanging signals through this intricate network of nerves.
So, the question is: if they’re so tightly intertwined, can treating one help heal the other?
I’m joined by gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to unravel the mystery of this connection - and find out how we can use it to our advantage.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Better Breakfast Guide -
You have around 10,000 cancer cells in your body right now, but most never become dangerous. The science suggests cancer risk is not just about genetics, but how your body responds to these cells. So what can you do, day to day, to support your body’s natural defences?
In this episode, Dr William Li, a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and two-time NYT Bestselling author, explains how everyday foods can fuel cancer growth or help your body keep it under control. We explore how cancer starts, why it is part of normal biology, and explain why lifestyle and environment are more important than genetics when managing your cancer risk.
Dr Li shares simple guidance on eating patterns that support your body’s defences, including increasing plant-rich foods and reducing ultra-processed foods. He also highlights everyday habits such as staying active, supporting gut health, and limiting toxin exposure as ways to tip the balance in your favour.
If your body is already managing cancer cells every day, what small changes could help it do that job better?
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
02:26 Almost everyone has microscopic tumours
08:15 We all have cancer right now?
10:45 Why most cancer cells stay harmless
13:40 The hidden trigger that fuels cancer growth
14:35 What makes cancer turn deadly
16:35 Cancer cells behave like seeds
19:05 How sunburn can lead to cancer
20:55 What smoking really does inside your body
22:20 The new way to fight cancer
24:20 Why genes matter less than you think
26:00 Is vaping worse than smoking?
27:05 The drinking habit that raises cancer risk
29:25 The environmental risk we can’t ignore
33:47 The diet pattern linked to cancer risk
35:10 Why processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen
37:25 How processed meat affects your gut
41:50 A simple way to reduce BBQ toxins
43:40 Does sugar really feed cancer?
45:51 The truth about soy and cancer
47:25 The soy study that shocked scientists
49:05 How tomatoes may lower cancer risk
51:00 Why berries are more powerful than you think
54:40 How tea and coffee support your defences
56:05 The gut link to cancer risk
57:40 Dr Li’s simplest rules to reduce risk
📚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
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
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
Eat to Beat Disease: The Body’s Five Defence Systems and the Foods that Could Save Your Life by Dr William Li
Eat to Beat Your Diet by Dr William Li
Huge microbiome breakthrough from ZOE, thanks to community science
Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, JAMA (2009)
The Anti-Cancer Activity of Lycopene, Nutrients (2022)
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here. -
Today we’re talking about some foods that can change your life.
Fatigue, disease, gut problems and weight gain. Many of the issues we discuss on this podcast can be linked back to one thing: chronic inflammation.
However, you don’t need drugs or detoxes to quell this fire. One of the most powerful tools we have to control inflammation is right in front of us: food.
I’m joined by Dr. Federica Amati and Professor Tim Spector to spotlight three inflammation-fighting foods - and explain why these small changes to your plate can make a big difference to your body.
🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+
Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Better Breakfast Guide - Visa fler
