The latest research into nutrition and gut health
Are modern habits around cleanliness, parenting, and social contact shaping your gut health more than you realise?
In this episode, Professor Tim Spector explains how gut microbes are shared between people - through relationships, daily contact, and the environments we live in, and why this matters for long-term health. You’ll learn how human contact may be influencing your gut in ways most of us never consider.
Tim explains why supporting gut microbiome is less about control and more about balance, and you’ll learn simple ways to support a healthier gut through food, social connection and lifestyle habits.
If your gut reflects the people you live with and the places you spend time, what small change could you make this week - in your home, your habits, or your social life - that might support your gut for the long term?
🌱 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
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Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:12 Why birth is designed to be messy
08:32 Why your first microbes shape everything later
10:46 Can you replace microbes after a C-section?
13:05 Why the first few years matter more than the rest
15:54 Why antibiotics always come with a hidden cost
17:42 How families swap microbes without realising
19:06 Why microbes survive in some places — and not others
21:25 Why bigger social groups protect your immune system
22:30 How scientists can tell who you live with
24:15 Why closeness matters more than genetics
25:38 Can you catch bad gut bugs from other people?
26:29 Can anxiety spread through gut microbes?
27:55 How scientists now rank “good” and “bad” gut bugs
31:05 Why countryside living changes your gut health
33:49 Why getting dirty may improve mental health
35:33 Why sterilising everything can backfire
38:05 Why pets — especially dogs — boost gut health
42:18 Can your partner improve your health without dieting?
43:25 Why loneliness harms your gut microbiome
45:25 The shared habit of long-living communities
52:01 Why fighting germs may be harming your health
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Today, we’re exploring circadian rhythms.
Did you know you could eat the exact same meal at two different times of day and your body would respond drastically differently? It sounds like a riddle - but it actually comes down to your body clock.
Every cell in your body has one. A tiny internal ticker, shaped by evolution over thousands of years, to keep you in sync with the phases of the day.
So, how can we ensure we’re doing the right things at the right times? I’m joined by Professor Russell Foster to help us all stay in time with our natural rhythm.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
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
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for deaths globally. But what if your blood pressure numbers were only part of that story?
In this episode, we’re joined by leading cardiologist Dr Sanjay Gupta, who explains why blood pressure is not a disease, but often a scream for help.
Together with ZOE’s Chief Scientist, Professor Sarah Berry, he explores when blood pressure is a harmless response to stress, food, or movement, and when it signals real, long-term damage. You’ll learn why blood pressure targets aren’t universal, why worrying can make things worse, and why quality of life matters as much as numbers.
This episode also breaks down what you can do to lower your blood pressure. Not quick fixes. Not pills. But everyday lifestyle changes that address the root cause.
If your blood pressure is your body sending a message, what might it be asking you to change?
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:40 What blood pressure really is
09:10 The damage builds slowly (and you won’t feel it)
11:00 The two numbers explained in plain English
13:05 Why the ‘right’ number depends on you
15:04 Why doctors can’t agree on ‘high’
16:35 The first rule: don’t panic
17:45 The clinic reading problem
20:20 The misdiagnosis issue
22:02 What high blood pressure can damage
23:40 Why problems show up years later
24:30 How common is high blood pressure?
27:00 The ‘silent killer’ warning signs
28:10 The bigger cause most people miss
29:10 Salt: why it helps some people more than others
33:30 The age effect most people ignore
35:11 How stress can push blood pressure up
36:35 The gut microbiome link (and the new research)
39:15 Why treatment can still fail
40:10 The uncomfortable numbers on medication benefit
41:15 The simple home-measurement routine
44:05 Sugar vs salt: what surprised the cardiologist
46:45 Where most salt really comes from
49:25 The exercise effect (and why it matters)
51:05 How fast lifestyle changes can show up
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
Gut microbiome diversity and hypertension, Journal of Hypertension (2021)
Ultra-processed food raises risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, BHF (2023)
Potassium and blood pressure, British Journal of Nutrition (2010)
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 fat.
Since founding ZOE, I’ve actually started eating more fat. That might surprise you. Because for decades, we’ve been told to fear it. “Fatty foods will clog your arteries and send your cholesterol through the roof.” Right?
Well, it’s not that simple. How ‘fat’ affects your health depends on a number of factors, including the type of fat, the food matrix and even how it’s produced. One thing is for sure, that single number on the front of a food packet, isn’t going to give you the full story.
I’m joined by Professor Sarah Berry to dig deeper into fat. Uncovering which will harm us and which can help us heal.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
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
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
Heart disease, dementia, depression, diabetes: what do these conditions have in common? Dr Will Bulsiewicz, a gastroenterologist and New York Times bestselling author, says the answer is inflammation. In today’s episode, Will explains the four nutrition workhorses that can reduce inflammation, heal your gut and supercharge your immune system - in as little as 24 hours.
We explore discoveries in Will’s new book, Plant Powered Plus, that explain the central role inflammation plays in health. You’ll learn which symptoms that seem unrelated, such as fatigue, skin breakouts, bloating, headaches, and joint pain, all share a common driver. You’ll also hear why he believes the gut and the immune system rise and fall together, and how a weakened gut barrier may keep the immune system on constant alert.
By the end of the episode, you will have a clear understanding of what inflammation is, how it can cause damage, and practical, food-first ideas to wrestle yourself from its clutches.
What’s one small change you could try this week? In your meals or your routine to help your body switch off “fight mode”?
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
02:22 Is inflammation always bad?
05:00 The 130 health conditions linked to inflammation
08:40 The difference between good and bad inflammation
10:50 Surprising signs of chronic inflammation you might ignore
13:40 Why your doctor might be missing the root cause of your illness
17:50 Why you shouldn't take anti-inflammatory pills every day
19:55 70% of your immune system lives here
23:30 What is ‘leaky gut’ and does it really exist?
25:20 How toxins sneak into your bloodstream
31:35 The massive impact of time-restricted eating on mood and energy
37:30 Why eating earlier in the day reduces inflammation
41:05 The #1 nutrient deficiency destroying our gut health
44:10 How fiber protects against heart disease and cancer
47:30 Why you need to ‘eat the rainbow’ to find your pot of gold
51:35 Your body can’t absorb these nutrients without microbes
52:50 The truth about healthy fats versus low-fat diets
55:05 The specific fat that beats a low-fat diet for heart health
58:00 How fermented foods reduce inflammation in just 10 weeks
01:00:35 The physical reaction your gut has to mental stress
01:06:25 The modern lifestyle mistake sabotaging your immune system
01:08:35 The simple morning habit that boosts energy and sleep
01:10:45 You can build a new gut barrier in just 5 days
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
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
Mentioned in today's episode
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 habits.
Every January, millions of us set ambitious goals for the year ahead. Maybe you want to eat better, move more, stress less. But by February, millions of those well-intended resolutions are already in the bin.
So why is changing your habits so hard?
Neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart joins me and Sarah Berry to explain how to implement small, consistent improvements that will set you up your success.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
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
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know hereListen to the full episode here
Would you like to stay healthy until you're 100? For most of us, the answer is, of course, yes. But why do some people live longer, and is it achievable?
In this episode, best-selling author and longevity expert Dan Buettner, explores what decades of studying the people who live the longest reveal about health and lifespan.
Instead of chasing hacks, the science suggests that a longer life is shaped by everyday food, social habits, and the places people live. We’ll look at practical habits seen across the world’s blue zones, rare global hotspots where celebrating your 100th birthday is common. Rather than relying on willpower, Dan explains why changing your routine and environment may be easier and more effective. By the end of the episode, you’ll have some simple tips to help you start your day like you live in a Blue Zone - and increase your chances of living healthily to 100.
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
01:24 What people who reach 100 actually eat
03:28 Why genes only explain 20% of longevity
07:20 What all Blue Zones diets secretly have in common
08:10 The high-carb pattern that shocks most people
09:20 Why grains and beans work together
10:50 The protein food that beats beef
11:55 Why plant protein comes with an extra benefit
12:15 Why fiber is the closest thing to a super nutrient
13:00 Why ‘fiber is sexy’ but ignored
15:05 A bathtub of meat vs how centenarians eat
15:50 You don’t have to be rich to eat well
17:25 Why deliciousness matters more than discipline
18:30 How many extra years diet can add
20:20 Why chasing longevity usually fails
22:40 What breakfast looks like at age 100
24:20 Why eating earlier helps your metabolism
25:45 The blood sugar crash that drives overeating
28:15 When ‘healthy’ yogurt has more sugar than Coke
31:15 How breakfast rules were shaped by food companies
33:30 The fasting window most people can manage
34:40 The overlooked habit: Blue Zones don’t snack
38:15 Why grumpy people don’t make it to 100
42:00 Why environment beats willpower
55:50 The five forces shaping long life
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 by Dan Buettner
The ZOE BIG IF Study, MDPI (2024)
Breaking Bread: the Functions of Social Eating, Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology (2017)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Inside each of us lives a bustling community of microbes; tiny organisms that outnumber our human cells. They’re there from the very moment we’re born, shaping our immune system and influencing our long-term health.
The science of the microbiome is evolving rapidly, but one thing is clear: We need to take care of these microbes so that they can take care of us.
Today, I’m joined by Dr. Suzanne Devkota and Tim Spector to explore how our gut bacteria protect us from disease and what we can do to strengthen this vital partnership.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
Dry January often raises big questions: how much alcohol is actually safe, and do you need to stop drinking altogether to protect your health? In this episode, world-leading alcohol expert Professor David Nutt explains why alcohol ranks as one of the most harmful drugs to society, how even “normal” drinking can affect your health, and what the science really says about cutting back without giving it up completely.
David, a neuropsychopharmacologist and former UK government drug adviser, explains why alcohol was ranked the most harmful drug overall in a landmark comparison of 20 drugs, how harm rises sharply as drinking increases, and unpacks common beliefs like red wine being “good for you”. The conversation also covers the social benefits of alcohol and why the goal isn’t necessarily to stop drinking, but to drink with awareness.
If you drink at all - whether it’s a glass most nights or more on weekends - this episode helps you understand where the real risks begin, and how to make alcohol work for you, not against you. And for listeners using dry January as a reset, David shares practical, science-based advice on how to cut down safely and sustainably.
If you’re pausing and reflecting this dry January, what might change when you start drinking again? And which habits are worth leaving behind for good?
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
01:45 Humans have been drinking for 40,000 years - here’s why
07:20 Why your first drink feels good - and the next ones don’t
11:45 You don’t need addiction to be harmed
12:45 Alcohol ranked worst out of 20 drugs
13:10 Why alcohol beats heroin on total harm
14:05 Alcohol is toxic — in the same way disinfectant is
15:00 The ‘pickling’ process happening inside your body
15:30 How alcohol quietly damages your arteries
17:30 The fastest way to lower blood pressure
18:25 Will your cholesterol drop if you stop drinking?
19:35 The red wine myth people still believe
20:45 Is any amount of alcohol actually ‘worth it’?
22:10 When alcohol may still make sense socially
23:05 What a ‘unit’ actually looks like
24:25 Why harm rises much faster than you expect
24:55 A bottle a day can cost you years of life
25:30 Why alcohol helps you fall asleep - then wrecks it
27:45 What a hangover really is (it’s not dehydration)
31:20 Does alcohol actually shrink your brain?
32:25 The long-term brain study people ignore
39:30 When stopping suddenly can be dangerous
41:05 The single rule that stops most people overdrinking
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis, The Lancet (2010).
Obesity trajectories and risk of dementia: 28 years of follow-up in the Whitehall II Study, The Alzheimer's Association (2018)
Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health by Professor David Nutt (2020)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Change is difficult. Our routines can feel locked in, our habits on autopilot, and the idea of a major lifestyle overhaul can seem impossible.
However, Rich Roll is living proof that this isn’t the case. Once struggling with addiction and poor health, he transformed his diet, rebuilt his body, and completely rewrote his future.
In today’s conversation, Tim Spector and Rich Roll discuss why midlife is a crucial turning point for health, what happens to your microbiome when you change your diet, and why it’s never too late to make a dramatic shift.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE:
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
What really happens when you stop dieting and start eating healthy? In this episode, we hear from two real people who spent years trying to “do the right thing” with food and still felt stuck.
Today, we’re joined by Becky and Mark, two ZOE members sharing their personal journeys. Each of them has spent the past two years consistently applying ZOE nutrition principles. Instead of relying on rules or restrictions, they embarked on a science-led journey with ZOE, focused on understanding their bodies. The results? Truly remarkable - ZOE became such an important part of their lives that, alongside 18,000 other members of our community, they became ZOE owners through our crowdfunding. So what changed, and did it last?
Alongside Professors Tim Spector and Sarah Berry, we explore how Becky and Mark stay motivated and on track, the lessons they have learned, and the strategies they have used to feel more in control and more confident in their everyday choices. As well as some unexpected shifts along the way.
It’s a conversation about long-term change, not quick fixes, and you’ll leave it with real-life examples of how to make healthy eating a part of your everyday life.
If healthy eating wasn’t about willpower or perfection, what small change would you start with? And what would help you take that first step this week?
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
05:20 The artificial sweetener trap no one talks about
08:20 The test result that caused panic
10:00 The stat that explains why diets “work”… then fail
12:05 Why calorie advice was “nice and easy”… and wrong
15:55 The “Mars bar” moment
17:10 The simple trick that stops you feeling deprived
18:10 Your biggest barrier might be the service station
19:25 Is bacon really that risky?
21:10 “Accidentally” becoming vegetarian
23:15 From three foods per plate to fifteen
24:15 The moment this turns into “poo in the post”
25:10 What actually happens to your sample in the lab
26:45 From 44 to 88 in one year
27:30 Why the magic starts after results day
29:10 The foods avoided for entire lives
30:00 The part of ZOE people underestimate
33:25 The meal-combining hack that changes everything
35:45 The daily score that keeps it sustainable
38:55 The claim people don’t believe: same weight for two years
44:05 The fatigue link your GP probably won’t ask about
45:47 The “nut box” rule (and what to drink instead)
52:05 How to make this last forever
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
Gut micro-organisms associated with health, nutrition and dietary interventions, Nature (2025)
Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes, BMJ (2024)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.