Get science-based nutrition advice delivered straight to your inbox. https://bit.ly/46BPTYz Are you trying to eat less sugar? If you are, you might have tried a natural sugar alternative.Stevia, robinia honey, coconut sugar, agave… the list of these table sugar replacements seems to be growing day by day. But what even are these alternatives? Are they really natural? And do they offer us a healthier way of getting that sweet taste?In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah ask: What are natural sugar alternatives, and are they healthier than table sugar? Follow ZOE on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideMentioned in today’s episode:The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk from Nature Medicine          Effects of D-allulose on glucose tolerance and insulin response from BMJ Open Diabetes Research & CareEffects of stevia on glycemic and lipid profile of type 2 diabetic patients from the Avicenna Journal of PhytomedicineAgave syrup: Chemical analysis and nutritional profile from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthAre natural sugar alternatives healthier? from Harvard Health PublishingAlternative sugars - agave nectar from British Dental JournalEpisode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Decades ago, there were reams of adverts instructing us to drink our milk so we don’t break our bones. But in the decades since, public opinion toward dairy is very different, and the scientific community has largely debunked these ideas. Many of the health-conscious among us choose to avoid it altogether. Our reasons range from a belief that dairy leads to inflammation, to acne, or even to an increased risk of heart attack due to high levels of saturated fat. But have we fallen into the same trap we often do, bouncing from one extreme to another? Could cutting out dairy mean we miss out on vital nutrients? Or could it hold the secret to a healthy gut microbiome?Today, Jonathan is joined by ZOE regulars and renowned experts, Dr. Sarah Berry and Prof. Tim Spector.In this episode, you’ll not only find out whether you should eat dairy or cut it out, but you’ll also hear two leading nutritional scientists try to reach an agreement on how to translate the latest research into actionable advice. And hopefully, they’ll still remain friends afterward. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideTimecodes:00:00 - Intro00:13 - Jonathan’s Intro01:38 - Quickfire round02:45 - Biggest myth about dairy04:15 - Does dairy cause inflammation? 10:38 - Bone fragilaty16:03 - Cheese and Yogurt16:59 - Full fat vs semi skinned17:27 - Milk and cholesterol21:03 - Fermented dairy23:00 - dairy and microbes26:03 - Saturated fats26:51 - Cheese quality 31:15 - Summary33:03 - Goodbyes33:14 - OutroFollow ZOE on Instagram.Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

More than half of women who go through menopause find its symptoms distressing. In fact, 10% leave their jobs because of the burden.It’s no wonder that a huge selection of supplements claim to relieve menopause’s unpleasant effects. But do they actually work? Which products are backed by clinical evidence, and which are just “menowashing”?In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah Berry ask: What’s the evidence behind menopause supplements?Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideMentioned in today’s episode: Introduction to menopause from John Hopkins Medicine What is menopause? from The National Institute on Aging What you should know about hormone therapy and menopause from the Columbia University Irving Medical Centre Menopause symptoms in depth from the National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health Menopause supplements: Effectiveness, side effects, and safety from Medical News Today The role of diet in managing menopause symptoms from Nutrition Bulletin Revealing the evidence-based diet solutions to managing your menopause symptoms from Nutrition Bulletin Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Evidence shows that all over the world, people are snacking more — with the United Kingdom and the United States leading the way in unhealthy snacking habits. But what exactly counts as a snack? And is all snacking unhealthy?Snacking can be a confusing and controversial topic. There are various opinions and myths about what's good for you. Many people struggle to make healthy choices, while others may be unaware of the impact of snacking habits on their gut health and overall well-being.In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by ZOE regulars and renowned experts Sarah Berry and Tim Spector for an enlightening discussion that will help you snack smarter. Armed with the latest scientific research, they unravel the complexities of snacking and share evidence-based insights on what's truly beneficial for your body. Along the way, they cover healthy options, snack timing, and what we should all be avoiding.Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideTimecodes:00:00 Introduction01:23 Quick Fire Questions04:03 What is a snack?04:55 How much energy comes from snacks?05:40 Cultural differences with snacks08:33 What happens when we snack?10:29 Are some healthy looking bars actually bad for us?12:16 Do ulta-processed snacks make us hungrier?13:57 What effect do additives and emulsifiers have?15:04 Results of study on healthy vs unhealthy snacks15:22 What impact does snacking have on our gut?18:00 Why could snacking be unhealthy?18:56 What are the concerns around snacking frequency?19:50 Does the quality of your snack make a difference?21:31 Could skipping breakfast be healthy for us?23:17 Does timing of snacking have any influence on our health?28:42 How could time-restricted eating benefit us?32:20 What is the impact of snacking on weight gain?34:15 What impact does snacking have on blood sugar?36:25 How people on different routines react to snacking38:27 What does the recent ZOE research show us on the topics of snacking?40:16 How bad is late night snacking for our health?42:19 How should we be snacking?46:30 How has snacking changed over time?47:26 Actionable advice on snacking52:52 How much do your meals impact snacking?56:50 Summary59:40 Goodbyes59:44 OutroIn today’s episode:Meal patterns across ten European countries – results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/meal-patterns-across-ten-european-countries-results-from-the-european-prospective-investigation-into-cancer-and-nutrition-epic-calibration-study/A662BDB7A9AD3631BD6AD98946FE765F# What is a snack, why do we snack, and how can we choose better snacks? A review of the definitions of snacking, motivations to snack, contributions to dietary intake, and recommendations for improvement https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4863261/Snacking on whole almonds for 6 weeks improves endothelial function and lowers LDL cholesterol but does not affect liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adults: The ATTIS study, a randomized controlled trial https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7266688/ Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Get in touch and we’ll do our best to cover it.

We’ve all wrestled with diarrhea at some point.It comes in many forms. And being able to read these differences can help us understand what’s going on inside us and how we should treat it. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Will ask: What are the health risks associated with diarrhea, and how can we treat it? Follow ZOE on Instagram.If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get10% off your personalized nutrition program.Mentioned in today’s episode: Diarrhea, a global overview from the World Health Organization (WHO)  Key takeaways from a University of Oxford analysis of the global impact of antimicrobial resistance Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.

How much do you know about menstrual cycles? About half of us are more informed than the other half.The menstrual cycle has great significance, affecting various aspects of health. And more than 90% of people who get their periods experience premenstrual symptoms.However, misconceptions and limited understandings abound, leaving many people in the dark.In today’s episode, we’re joined by Hazel Wallace. She’s a medical doctor, nutritionist, and author of The Female Factor. She’s here to give us an education about the menstrual cycle.  Dr. Hazel Wallace describes how the cycle affects almost every aspect of the body, from heart health and sleep to metabolism. She also explains whether there’s scientific evidence behind “cycle syncing.”Whether or not you’ve had a menstrual cycle, you’ll learn a lot from this episode. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinZOE.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.Timecodes:00:00 Introduction00:36 Quick fire questions03:49 What is the menstrual cycle?05:42 What is the luteal phase?06:54 When does the menstrual cycle begin?07:43 How regular are menstrual cycles - Do they change over time?08:29 What is actually happening during the menstrual cycle?09:41 What role does oestrogen have in hormonal changes?10:48 How does the menstrual cycle affect performance in athletes12:05 How does the menstrual cycle affect women?16:30 Are cravings real? Why do they happen?18:21 What is PMS and what do people experience?20:11 Is there much research behind PMS?21:40 What is PMDD?23:16 How do you identify PMDD?26:17 What is cycle syncing?27:43 What role does nutrition have in reducing symptoms during the cycle30:22 Can regular exercise improve symptoms?33:52 How is sleep impacted by the menstrual cycle?37:41 How does this impact our immune system?38:56 Why is there such little research into this area?41:13 How has the exclusion of women in research impacted us?44:14 Menstrual cycle tracking - what is it and how can you do it?46:31 How can tracking help?47:26 What diet can help symptoms?49:31 How does the menstrual cycle affect the microbiome?52:07 How can intermittent fasting affect the menstrual cycle?54:59 Summary58:00 Goodbyes58:11 OutroMentioned in today’s episode:The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32661839/Hazel’s book is available to buy hereFollow Hazel: https://twitter.com/ThefoodmedicFollow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Get in touch and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a lot more common than you might think. In fact, it affects 1 in 10 people globally. Yet there are still a lot of questions about why it occurs and how best to treat it. Could new research connecting gut health to mental health help us unravel its mysteries?In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Will ask: What exactly is IBS, and how does it connect to our brains? Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideReferenced in today’s episode: FODMAP Diet: What you need to know from Johns Hopkins Medicine Large-scale genetic study reveals new clues for the shared origins of irritable bowel syndrome and mental health disorder from the University of Cambridge Irritable bowel syndrome: A chronic sequelae of acute gastroenteritis from Gastroenterology William Olser: Biographical overview from the National Library Of Medicine   IBS: What you need to know from the National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) overview from Johns Hopkins Medicine Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

As we age, our bodies undergo numerous changes, including a decline in muscle mass and cognitive function. For many of us, exercise and diet play crucial roles in maintaining our health and well-being. But how can the protein we eat affect our abilities to exercise and stay healthy as we age?It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the effects of protein. How much do we need? Is it better to eat protein before or after exercise? And what roles do protein and exercise play in brain function?In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by Prof. Ben Wall, an expert in nutritional physiology at the University of Exeter. Together, they unpack the latest scientific research on the connection between protein consumption and exercise. Prof. Ben Wall shares his insights into the optimal amount and timing of protein intake for building and maintaining muscle mass, as well as the potential impact of exercise on cognitive function and brain health into later life. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideTimecodes:00:12 Introduction28:21 Quick Fire Questions02:54 Do we need to eat proteins right after exercise?03:34 What is protein?04:45 Why should we care about exercise?05:36 How does exercise help with healthspan?07:41 What are the benefits of exercise?07:57 Does exercise improve brain function?11:23 Where do our muscles come into this conversation?12:09 What constitutes an unhealthy muscle?13:00 What's the difference between a healthy and unhealthy muscle?14:18 How does protein fit into the idea of healthy muscles?16:03 What about the concept of breaking muscle. Is it good for us?18:13 Do we need more protein to help build muscle?20:07 What is the anabolic window and Is it a myth?21:54 Is it fine to listen to our hunger pangs post exercise?23:01 How does protein impact menopause and bone health?25:04 Is there a maximum amount of protein our bodies can absorb?28:14 What is the right amount of protein to eat?30:02 What is an 'adaptive response' to exercise?31:17 How much higher RDA do we need if we are exercising?33:31 Are we already eating enough protein?35:51 Why does muscle mass change as we age?36:18 Do we put on weight when we age?36:59 How do our bodies respond to protein as we age?41:38 How to balance protein and exercise42:33 Where should we get our protein from?46:43 Plant vs animal based protein products51:26 Summary55:12 Goodbyes55:27 OutroMentioned in today’s episode:Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19056590/Anabolic signaling deficits underlie amino acid resistance of wasting, aging muscle: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15596483/Food for our future: The nutritional science behind the sustainable fungal protein — mycoprotein: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10131050/Follow Ben on Twitter : https://twitter.com/benjamintwallFollow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Have an idea for a podcast? Contact Fascinate Productions to bring it to life.Episode transcripts are available here.

We’ve probably all been reprimanded for eating too fast at the dinner table or suffered the dreaded “itis” from eating way too much food at a family gathering. Our society and the systems we’ve developed to feed it have ballooned to such a point that they easily override our natural bodily systems that tell us when we’ve had enough to eat. When nearly 50% of the United States population is projected to have obesity by 2030, can something as simple as changing the speed with which we eat really be an effective tool for weight loss and sustaining a healthy body?In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: What is eating rate and does it have any impact on our health?Studies referenced in the episode: Does Eating Fast Make You Gain More Weight? Eating slowly increases the postprandial response of the anorexigenic gut hormones, peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1  Association between eating rate and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis  Eating too fast may lead to weight gain, heart disease  Is eating too quickly bad for your health?  How Important Is Eating Rate in the Physiological Response to Food Intake, Control of Body Weight, and Glycemia?  A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of eating rate on energy intake and hunger  Effects of eating rate and eating topography on meal size and satiety  The effect of eating rate on satiety in healthy and overweight people – A pilot study  Association between Self-Reported Eating Rate, Energy Intake, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population  Association between Self-Reported Eating Rate, Energy Intake, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population Control of overweight and obesity in childhood through education in meal time habits. The ‘good manners for a healthy future’ programme* Eating slowly led to decreases in energy intake within meals in healthy women Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideEpisode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Menopause is a time of significant hormonal changes which can lead to a range of symptoms that can severely impact quality of life for many women. So, a drug that promises to reduce these symptoms is incredibly welcome, but it has been steeped in controversy.HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) has been widely debated, with conflicting information about its effectiveness, with some suggesting HRT is outright dangerous. In fact, a massive study twenty years ago linked it to an increased risk of breast cancer. As a result, the numbers of women taking HRT plummeted. So should HRT be avoided at all costs? In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by the author of that very study and esteemed Professor JoAnn Manson, alongside Dr. Sarah Berry to explore the science behind HRT. Professor JoAnn Manson is a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the world's most experts on HRT and menopause having run multiple enormous studies to uncover the effects of hormone replacement therapy on women’s health.With the help of ZOE regular Dr. Sarah Berry, they delve into the science behind HRT, empowering listeners to make informed decisions about treatment for symptoms of the menopause.Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideTimecodes:00:00 Introduction00:12 Jonathan's introduction01:33 Quick Fire Questions03:27 What is the menopause?04:10 What is the perimenopause?05:46 What is the state of the current conversation on the menopause?07:13 Should women seek help about the menopause?07:58 Why do some women have symptoms and others not?09:15 Yougov and ZOE study results on the menopause11:35 Why is the menopause getting more attention now?13:39 Should we be taking these symptoms seriously?17:10 What else can be done asides from HRT?18:49 Studies on the relationship between diet and menopause symptoms19:35 What can help alleviate symptoms?21:23 Are there any specific foods that can help improve symptoms?23:37 Are menopause specific supplements effective?24:50 How does HRT work?26:26 Is HRT just oestrogen?30:59 Does testosterone have a use for menopause?31:58 What is the controversy behind HRT?35:56 What's the latest advice and health risks?38:11 When should you stop hormone therapy?40:43 Do symptoms persist when you come off of hormone therapy?42:00 How long does HRT take to start working?43:07 How does HRT affect weight management?45:15 Summary48:04 Goodbyes48:25 OutroCheck the trials mentioned in today’s episode: MsFlash: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4731298/ZOE Menopause Study: https://joinzoe.com/learn/menopause-metabolism-studyPEPI Trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7807658/Follow Sarah: https://twitter.com/saraheeberryFollow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/Episode transcripts are available here.Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Get in touch and we’ll do our best to cover it.