ZOE Science & Nutrition

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Healthier holiday eating with smart food swaps | Dr Federica Amati

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Dec 4, 2025

Guest

Federica Amati

In this enlightening discussion, Dr. Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE and a gut health expert, unpacks how holiday feasting impacts our bodies. She offers smart food swaps to enjoy festive treats without guilt. The conversation dives into the myths around Christmas eating, the effects of processed foods on gut health, and the importance of moderation. Federica also shares delectable, healthier recipe ideas that keep the joy of tradition while nurturing our wellbeing. It's a guide to indulging wisely this holiday season!

46:12

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Episode notes

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INSIGHT

Christmas Is Heavily Commercialized

Christmas food marketing heavily drives overindulgence through novel, hyper-palatable products.
Federica Amati warns these commercial festive foods are engineered for profit, not nutrition.

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ANECDOTE

How Coca-Cola Shaped Modern Christmas

Federica recounts Coca-Cola's role in shaping modern Christmas imagery and marketing.
She explains Coca-Cola popularised the red-clad Santa and seasonal advertising that signals the start of Christmas.

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ADVICE

Limit Bingeing To Occasional Days

One or two indulgent days are fine, but a month of poor eating takes longer to recover from.
Federica recommends enjoying flavours, watching portion sizes, and prioritizing company over excess.

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Quickfire: Is Christmas eating harmful?

01:23 • 2min

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Commercialisation drives festive junk food

03:05 • 3min

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How often and how long matters

06:07 • 5min

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Foods that damage the gut microbiome

11:17 • 3min

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Enjoy mince pies and traditions sensibly

14:03 • 1min

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Myths: Turkey, sugar and kids

15:26 • 5min

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Eggnog and calorie‑dense treats

20:37 • 2min

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Detoxes are unnecessary and risky

22:39 • 2min

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Evidence‑based post‑Christmas reset

24:32 • 6min

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Healthy festive recipes and swaps

31:00 • 2min

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Global traditional gut‑friendly foods

33:27 • 3min

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Non‑food tips: environment, sleep, movement

• Mentioned in 16 episodes

Every Body Should Know This

The Science of Eating for a Lifetime of Health

Federica Amati

In 'Every Body Should Know This', Dr. Federica Amati explores the real science behind nutrition, offering insights into what foods work best for the bodies and minds of individuals at various life stages. The book covers topics such as the truth about superfoods and ultra-processed foods, the role of nutrition from before conception to senior years, and how food choices can support longevity. It provides practical, evidence-based strategies for men, women, and children to make informed dietary decisions.

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• Mentioned in 36 episodes

Food for Life

The New Science of Eating Well

Tim Spector

In 'Food for Life', Tim Spector draws on over a decade of cutting-edge scientific research and his own personal insights to deliver a new approach to nutrition. The book empowers readers to make informed food choices, highlighting the importance of food for health, mental well-being, immunity, and the environment. Spector challenges conventional diet myths and provides practical, science-based advice on how to eat well in the age of ultra-processed foods.

#2387

• Mentioned in 16 episodes

Food for Life Cookbook

Tim Spector

#13882

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Ferment

Tim Spector

Ferment is a comprehensive guide to understanding the science behind fermentation and its transformative role in human health. Drawing on cutting-edge research, Tim Spector demystifies fermented foods and their benefits for the gut microbiome, mood, and energy levels. The book includes practical tips for buying and making fermented foods such as kombucha, kefir, sourdough, miso, and kimchi, along with five fundamental dietary principles for optimal health.

Christmas is a time of celebration, when friends and family gather to enjoy meals together. However, many of us overindulge, which leaves us feeling tired, bloated, and guilty.

What actually happens to our bodies when we overeat, drink more, and swap fibre for sugar? And is there a way to enjoy the season’s pleasures without starting January full of regret?

In this episode, ZOE’s Head Nutritionist, Dr Federica Amati, joins Jonathan to explore how festive food traditions shape our health and how to navigate them without guilt or restriction.

Dr Federica shares practical suggestions for gut-friendly food swaps, festive traditions worth reviving, and the one ingredient she always includes on her own Christmas table.

This episode is full of helpful advice on how to care for your body in a season that often asks us to do the opposite.

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Recipes mentioned:

Roasted Aubergine Traybake
Juno’s Lasagne
Super-simple kefir dressing

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

01:13 Do we really need a detox?

02:19 Quick-fire myths: What’s truly bad at Christmas?

10:27 Can one indulgent day really damage your gut?

11:46 The foods that harm your gut most

13:20 What actually happens to your gut when you overeat for weeks?

15:13 Can you still eat mince pies guilt-free?

16:57 Does sugar really make kids hyperactive?

18:54 Why sugary drinks cause a post-Christmas health crash

21:14 Is eggnog the worst festive drink?

23:05 The truth about detox products

25:02 The evidence-based reset after Christmas

27:55 Why Zoe focuses on gut health first

29:52 Should you restrict food after Christmas?

31:39 The easiest way to eat better without trying

33:24 Healthy swaps that still feel festive

36:48 The global festive foods that support your gut

39:10 The surprising link between houses and gut health

41:55 Christmas stress, family arguments & the gut

44:55 Should you feel guilty about Christmas indulgence?

46:12 How bad is Christmas for your health?

46:25 Are we being manipulated by Christmas food marketing?

46:38 Coca-Cola changed Christmas?!

📚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

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks

Better Breakfast Guide

ZOE’s Holiday Hosting Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

The effect of sugar on behavior or cognition in children. A meta-analysis, JAMA (1995)
Effects of sugar ingestion expectancies on mother-child interactions, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (1994)
The ZOE BIG IF Study, MDPI (2024)
Snack quality and snack timing are associated with cardiometabolic blood markers: the ZOE PREDICT study, European Journal of Nutrition (2024)
Exploring the relationship between social jetlag with gut microbial composition, diet and cardiometabolic health, in the ZOE PREDICT 1 cohort, European Journal of Nutrition (2023)
Effects of a personalized nutrition program on cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial, Nature Medicine (2024)

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Episode transcripts are available here.

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