The latest research into nutrition and gut health
Is gut health just about taking a probiotic? Or could the bacteria in your gut be shaping your body fat, inflammation and cholesterol?
In this episode, Professor Nicola Segata, a pioneer of new gut technology, and ZOE’s Chief Scientist Professor Sarah Berry, explain a major breakthrough in gut science. After analysing more than 34,000 microbiomes, the team identified 50 gut bacteria strongly linked to better health. Even more striking, many of them were previously unknown to science.
Nicola explains how his team ranked hundreds of gut bacteria to define the “top 50” linked to better health, and explore how these bacteria group into patterns connected to inflammation, blood sugar, heart health and body fat.
We uncover how you can improve your overall health in weeks by optimising your microbiome, ask whether probiotics do what we think they do, and examine why plant diversity may matter more than any single supplement. This episode also reveals what happened when these findings were tested in trials, and why the results surprised even the scientists.
Are you feeding the right gut bacteria? And, if not, what will happen to your health if you start today?
🌱 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.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:00 The biggest microbiome breakthrough in a decade
08:20 The problem with most gut research
10:25 Scientists identified the top 50 gut bacteria
11:05 The first real way to measure gut health
13:45 The “dark matter” scientists found in our guts
15:50 Why bad gut bacteria love sugar
16:30 The red meat chemical your microbes can create
18:30 The microbiome score out of 1,000
21:10 Why your microbiome is easier to change than your body
23:15 Old microbiome tests can reveal new discoveries
25:30 The 4 microbiome clusters linked to health
26:40 The gut clusters linked to inflammation, cholesterol and body fat
28:05 Why one “good bug” isn’t enough
31:25 Can diet really change your microbiome in weeks?
32:25 What happened when people changed their diet
35:10 The gold-standard trials behind this research
36:10 Why you can’t just take good bacteria in a pill
40:35 Probiotics vs prebiotics: the surprising result
41:50 The 30-plant result that shocked scientists
44:05 Why modern diets may starve our microbiome
46:10 You can pick up gut microbes from other people
47:45 Why one fibre supplement won’t fix your gut
50:35 The menopause example that shows gut bugs matter
54:30 What happens to your microbiome after antibiotics
58:35 The simple resistant starch gut health hack
📚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
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
Mentioned in today's episode
Huge microbiome breakthrough from ZOE, thanks to community science
Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiomes, Nature (2026)
The foods you must avoid to live longer | Dan Buettner
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 carbohydrates.
Pasta, potatoes, fruit and beans - carbs crop up everywhere. However, few topics in nutrition cause as much confusion. Are they essential fuel or the enemy of weight loss? Should we cut them down, or just choose our carbs more carefully?
I’m joined by Professor Tim Spector to help untangle the truth and answer your biggest carbohydrate questions.
Stick around to find out if freezing your bread makes it healthier.
🌱 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
What health habits actually protect your brain and long-term health?
In this episode, Professor Tim Spector shares the seven health ideas he has changed his mind about after reviewing new research. From oral health and inflammation to vitamin D, sleep, and exercise, Tim explains the daily habits he now prioritises and helps us understand what we should do differently if the science changes.
Tim revisits 7 common health beliefs and explains how new evidence has shifted his thinking. He explores the link between oral health, inflammation and brain ageing, and discusses vitamin D, sunlight and omega-3s. The conversation also looks at sleep timing, exercise and how everyday habits interact with our biology.
Tim also shares the small changes he now makes in his own routine and provides practical ideas for incorporating them into your daily life.
We all know that science evolves as new evidence emerges, so if the research changes, should our daily health habits change too?
🌱 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.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:00 The nutrition advice scientists completely reversed
08:30 How scientists decide if a health trend is real
10:30 The vitamin D discovery that fooled scientists for years
12:35 The one health belief Tim is more convinced about than ever
14:00 The public health threat Tim says may be worse than smoking
15:20 The new research linking oral health to dementia
17:05 How mouth bacteria may affect your brain
18:20 The test that revealed plastic in Tim’s blood
20:15 The simple changes Tim made to reduce microplastics
21:40 The omega-3 test most doctors still don’t use
23:05 Why Tim chose food over omega-3 supplements
24:50 The omega-3 measurement scientists now care about most
26:40 Should vegans worry about omega-3?
29:25 The vitamin deficiency Tim has had since he was 18
31:20 The surprising brain benefits of folic acid
33:10 Why supplements should be personalised
34:30 Why Tim changed his mind about vitamin D
36:15 The simple way sunlight doubled his vitamin D
38:10 Why we shouldn’t fear winter sun
39:45 The exercise change Tim made this year
42:05 The muscle supplement Tim thought was “complete rubbish”
43:30 The sleep rule Tim now follows every night
45:30 The unusual sleep experiment Tim tried
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life 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
Mentioned in today's episode
What is your gut-brain connection and what role does nutrition play?
Oral Health and Dementia, Journal of Dental Research (2025)
Neuroinflammation: A Distal Consequence of Periodontitis, Journal of Dental Research (2022)
Vitamin D Supplementation and the Incidence of Fractures, JGIM (2024)
Does a good diet reduce your heart disease risk?
Vitamin B12 and Age-Related Cognitive Decline-Dementia and "Alzheimer's Disease", FNB (2024)
Vitamin D and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes, Annals of Internal Medicine (2023)
Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training, Nutrients (2024)
Why you're probably breathing wrong (and what to do about it) | James Nestor
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Today we’re exploring one of the most ambitious self-experiments in human history.
Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson has spent over $2 million in an attempt to slow - or even stop - the ageing process. From diet and supplements to sleep and skin care, every part of his life is measured, analysed and optimised.
So what does his daily routine actually look like? And what can the rest of us learn from it?
I’m joined by Professor Tim Spector to dissect Bryan’s data-driven diet, discuss the future of personalised health, and hear Bryan’s top five tips for a better night’s sleep.
🌱 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
Hormones control almost every system in your body. They are like an orchestra playing, so when one instrument is a little off-key, it affects the whole system. If you feel tired, anxious, or are gaining weight, your hormones may be involved.
In this episode, leading reproductive expert Dr Helen O’Neill explains how hormone health affects fertility, metabolism, and mental health for both men and women.
The core question is simple: if hormones run your body, how much influence do you have over them?
Alongside ZOE’s head nutritionist, Dr Federica Amati, Helen explores the links between hormones and fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, fertility, and metabolic health. The episode covers thyroid health, chronic pain, sperm health, and why gut hormones play a central role in appetite and weight regulation. We also examine why some female-specific conditions remain misunderstood or undiagnosed, and how better data may help change that.
Most importantly, this episode focuses on what you can do to take back control. With emerging science suggesting that diet plays a key role in hormone regulation, you’ll hear how fibre, plant diversity, healthy fats, and key micronutrients support gut hormone production and fertility. You’ll also learn why changes made over three months may meaningfully influence fertility, and why conception is always a shared responsibility.
Help keep your hormones in tune with this guide to the relationship between gut, diet and hormones, produced in partnership with the hormone experts at Hertility.
🌱 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.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:50 One hormone can change everything
09:50 Injecting testosterone can shut this down
12:30 You were born with all the eggs you’ll ever have
15:15 The subtle signs your hormones are off
17:55 The most common thyroid problem no one spots
20:30 ‘Balancing hormones’ — myth or medicine?
23:10 The condition affecting one in 10 women
25:40 Why PCOS impacts weight and mood
28:10 Why women were excluded from medical trials
30:25 The data breakthrough changing women’s health
32:30 The devastating disease that mimics cancer
35:15 It takes nine years to diagnose this
37:00 The symptom doctors often miss
39:15 Your gut is a hormone factory
41:00 As powerful as a drug?
43:00 The ‘gourmet meal’ your hormones love
44:05 The flash of zinc at fertilisation
46:15 A handful of walnuts improved sperm health
48:50 Your sperm affects your child’s future
50:30 The fertility habits that really matter
52:40 The biggest takeaway about hormones and food
📚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
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
Mentioned in today's episode
Effect of Walnuts on Male Fertility, Current Developments in Nutrition (2019)
Sperm health and risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, Nature (2023)
Interplay of Gut Microbiota in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Pharmaceuticals (2023)
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 strength.
Building muscle doesn’t have to mean lifting heavy weights in a fancy gym. In fact, you can do it from the comfort of your living room. No expensive memberships, no extra long workouts, no excuses.
To prove it, I asked human performance expert Andy Galpin to design an at-home strength session for someone who’s never lifted a weight before - my sister. It’s quick, cheap, and a sure fire way to add years to your healthspan.
If you’re new to strength training, this episode is the perfect place to start.
🌱 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 healthLive 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
Most of us never question how we breathe. Yet many of us over-breathe or mouth-breathe without realising it. In this episode, investigative journalist and international bestselling author James Nestor shares four breathing techniques to retrain your nervous system and support better health.
This episode is for anyone who feels stressed, snores, wakes up tired, or wants a simple way to improve their health. James, who has spent over a decade researching breathing science with leading respiratory experts, guides us through daily breathing habits to help calm your body, improve oxygen efficiency, and support long-term wellbeing. We explore why nasal breathing is more efficient, how slow breathing can influence the nervous system, and how modern lifestyles may have reshaped our airways.
If breathing is something you do 20,000 times a day, what might change if you retrained it?
🌱 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.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:15 The change that fixed my sleep and energy
09:55 Could your headaches start with your breath?
11:40 Are you telling your brain you’re stressed?
15:25 Is this the junk food of breathing?
17:30 Snoring isn’t just annoying
19:35 Can you strengthen your airway?
23:35 The moment modern food changed our faces
27:10 How early habits shape how you breathe for life
28:10 Why your nose is more powerful than you think
30:20 Why slower breathing gives you more oxygen
32:35 The molecule you activate just by using your nose
35:20 The 10-day mouth breathing experiment
37:05 One night of mouth breathing changed everything
39:15 The surprising asthma connection
42:35 The fix is boring — and that’s the point
43:00 The one rule that changes everything
44:45 The truth about mouth taping
47:05 The safe way to try mouth tape
48:05 The five-minute breathing reset
49:25 Can you calm your nervous system in 20 seconds?
52:30 How fast will you feel a difference?
📚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 taking a closer look at one of the world’s favourite breakfasts - oats.
Depending on who you ask, oats are either a superfood or source for concern. Either a great way to get fibre or a worrying blood sugar spiker. An all natural ally or pesticide riddled wrong’un.
So what’s the truth? Are oats a smart start to your day or something to be cautious about?
Professor Sarah Berry joins me to dig into the science. What does the literature say about oats?
🌱 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
Snacks make up a quarter of what most people eat. Yet most of us never question them.
In this episode, Professor Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist, explains why snacking is not the problem and how seven snack swaps can lower cholesterol, support gut health, and reduce heart disease risk.
Most snacks are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, and many carry “health” claims that hide this. Sarah breaks down how to spot this, explains what makes a good snack and why snack timing matters.
You’ll walk away with seven simple snack ideas that help improve cholesterol, blood sugar, and heart health in weeks.
If you’re a snacker, this may be the easiest place to improve your diet.
🌱 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.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:31 95% of us snack every day
06:33 The 9pm rule that changes everything
12:43 Why late snacks keep you less full
16:33 The breakfast mistake that adds 320 calories
21:35 The ‘bliss point’ that makes snacks hard to stop
25:37 Should you worry about sugar?
29:32 How to actually read a snack label
33:45 Why sugar appears under 42 different names
35:30 The simple snack most people overlook
38:15 The protein-packed food we don’t eat enough of
41:26 The one swap that cut heart disease risk by 30%
43:22 Why this high-fat snack doesn’t cause weight gain
46:26 The fermented food that supports your gut
48:20 The creamy fruit that keeps you full
50:30 The sweet treat that may help your heart
52:55 How quickly you’ll feel the difference
55:35 Why most snacks quietly drag your diet down
56:32 Why timing may matter more than frequency
01:00:20 Can you snack and still stay healthy?
📚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
ZOE snacking study: What should you do?
The ZOE Big IF Study: What did we find?
Whole Fruits Versus 100% Fruit Juice, Nutrition Bulletin (2025)
What are added sugars, and where are they hidden?
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Today, we’re asking how we can boost our brain.
Our brain is a living, morphing organ that is constantly responding to the stimuli we feed it. So the big question is: what sort of stimuli will keep our brain strong and healthy? Is it brain puzzles? Supplements?
Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki believes the most powerful way to support your brain is by simply moving your body. She’s joining me today to explain why.
🌱 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
Chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are killing more people than ever before. Could your diet be the biggest driver of this risk?
Today, Dr Mark Hyman explains why food matters more than genetics for long-term health, and how one diet change can make the biggest difference.
Alongside Professor Tim Spector, Mark, a 15-times New York Times bestselling author and a practising family doctor, explores how modern eating is linked to chronic disease and what the science says reduces risk.
We break down how food is designed to make us eat more, how this affects metabolism, insulin and inflammation, and why this matters more than your genes.
By the end of the episode, you’ll understand the single most important dietary change Mark believes can lower chronic disease risk, based on clinical experience.
If the modern world is driving these conditions, what’s one small change you can make to take back control of your 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.
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
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.