ZOE Science &amp; Nutrition

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5 threats to your immune system–and how to fight them | Prof. Daniel Davis MBE Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

Many supplements claim to “boost” your immune system. Now, we all want to avoid getting sick during the winter months, but do any of these products really work? And is trying to “boost” your immune system even a good idea?

Jonathan speaks with Professor Daniel M. Davis, MBE — a leading expert on immunology and Head of Life Sciences at Imperial College London. Daniel has published 145 scientific papers, authored four best-selling science books, and spent 25 years researching how our immune system works. He even helped discover the immune synapse, a breakthrough that changed our understanding of immunity.

Daniel explains how your immune system really works, why it’s connected to mental health, and how it can even detect cancer cells. He also clears up common myths and shares what genuinely helps keep your immune system strong through the winter months — and what won’t make a difference.

By the end of the episode, you’ll know the practical, science-backed steps you can take to reduce your risk of colds and flu this winter without wasting money on products that don’t deliver.

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Timecodes

00:00 Your body’s surprising, built-in cancer defense

02:07 What is the immune system?

03:55 Why ‘boosting’ your immune system can be dangerous

05:28 Are allergies a sign of an overactive immune system?

07:53 The 'hygiene hypothesis': Does being too clean make us sick?

11:05 The unintended global experiment of the COVID pandemic

12:40 How your immune system is constantly fighting cancer

14:20 The revolutionary new therapies that unleash your immune system on cancer

16:05 Is your immune system killing cancerous cells right now?

17:12 Your immune system is the most unique thing about you

19:25 Why you shouldn't blame yourself for getting sick

21:18 The myth of vitamin C and the Nobel prize winner who started it

23:55 The truth about vitamin C and colds

25:06 Does being cold actually give you a cold?

26:15 The powerful link between your immune health and mental health

28:06 Cytokines: The secret messengers you’re going to hear more about

29:00 Could inflammation predict teenage depression?

33:40 What is inflammation, really?

40:33 The double-edged sword of personal health data

42:06 Are there any immune supplements that actually work?

43:35 The one thing that directly harms your immune health

45:05 Why 'fight or flight' is bad for your immune system

47:08 How much exercise is best for your immune system?

48:16 The two most practical pieces of advice for a healthy immune system

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Recap: The truth about seed oils | Prof. Sarah Berry Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

From Instagram reels to viral tweets, seed oils have become one of the latest nutrition villains. And the fear’s getting real. People are emptying their cupboards, terrified these everyday oils are silently wreaking havoc on their health.

So is this panic justified? Or does the science require further scrutiny?

Well, ‘scrutiny’ is Professor Sarah Berry’s middle name! She’s going to cut through the confusion, dig into the data, and tell you whether it’s time to rethink your next stir-fry.

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Top Doctor: The hidden dangers in your daily multivitamin | Dr David Seres Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

We’re told vitamins are essential for our health. That they boost our immune systems, fight fatigue, and protect us from disease. But what if most of it isn’t true?

In the 20th century, vitamin supplements were hailed as a breakthrough, curing diseases like scurvy and rickets. But that success story took a turn. In the US, a law passed in 1994 — helped by a Hollywood ad campaign — removed almost all oversight from the supplement industry. Since then, a $40 billion business has grown in the shadows. One where marketing beats science, and health claims are made with barely any evidence.

Dr. David Seres is Director of Medical Nutrition and a Professor at Columbia University’s Institute of Human Nutrition. David is known for calling out pseudoscience and misinformation, and promoting critical thinking and an evidence-based approach to health. For over 25 years, he’s worked as a physician nutrition specialist, caring for critically ill patients who rely on life-saving nutrition support. He received the Excellence in Nutrition Education Award from the American Society for Nutrition. On this episode, he helps us debunk the vitamin supplement industry.

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Timecodes:

00:00 The marketing trick vitamin companies use to fool you

02:03 Did Mel Gibson really help deregulate vitamins?

03:57 How vitamins went from miracle cures to a $40 billion industry

06:06 The shocking story of the anti-regulation ad that beat the Vietnam War

07:40 The legal loophole that lets supplements claim they 'support heart health'

08:38 Why supplements don't need the same proof as drugs

11:10 In the US, there is no one checking supplement claims

12:14 Can you just make up a health claim and sell a pill?

14:42 How companies twist 'petri dish' science to sell you products

16:40 The vitamin that unexpectedly increased cancer risk by 18%

18:41 An easy way to understand why most health studies are wrong

20:30 How a memory supplement company manipulated its own study for 7 years

22:50 The only type of study you should trust for health advice

26:31 Why does scientific advice on health keep changing?

30:25 The popular diet advice I used to give that was completely wrong

32:14 The only time you should be taking a vitamin supplement

33:40 Does vitamin C actually do anything for you?

34:37 The truth behind vitamin D 'insufficiency'

36:29 Can taking too much vitamin D be dangerous?

37:50 Do vitamins help even the most critically ill patients?

42:42 What about taking a multivitamin when you get older?

45:35 Are probiotics a waste of money?

48:25 What is the single best way to eat for your health?

51:12 Why we still don't have perfect evidence for the 'best' diet

52:57 The one thing you should do tomorrow for your health

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Recap: Make the most out of EVERY meal | Christopher Gardner & Sarah Berry Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

Today, we’re asking: What should you eat?

This is the million-dollar question, one that we at ZOE have spent countless hours of podcast episodes trying to answer. However, all of this information can be overwhelming, turning breakfast, lunch, and dinner into a daily dilemma.

So, are there any simple tips we can keep in mind to reduce the stress around mealtimes?

I’m joined by nutrition experts Professor Christopher Gardner and Professor Sarah Berry, who will share their approach to this complex question and offer practical advice on how to make the most of every meal.

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How to beat heart disease: 8 habits you must fix | Dr. Nour Makarem Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

Heart disease is the world’s biggest killer—and it often strikes without warning. It’s responsible for around 1 in 5 deaths in the US. While these figures are deeply worrying, heart disease is not inevitable.

Decades of research have unearthed many of the risk factors associated with heart health, like poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. In this episode, Dr. Nour Makarem outlines the latest scientific discoveries in this field and unveils some less-familiar risk factors. Drawing from large-scale population data and the latest wearable tech, she uncovers what makes heart disease so hard to spot, and what we can do today to prevent it.

Nour is a cardiovascular epidemiologist at Columbia University, whose research focuses on how our behaviors—like sleep, stress, and daily rhythms—impact heart disease risk. Her research has helped shape the American Heart Association’s Essential Eight guide to heart health.

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Timecodes 00:00 What is heart health? 01:50 Can poor sleep make you age faster? 03:25 What is heart disease? 06:01 Why high blood pressure is called the ‘silent killer’ 07:44 Heart disease is the leading cause of death, but it’s highly preventable 08:54 How good lifestyle choices can add an extra decade of healthy life 10:32 Good heart health can make you biologically 6 years younger 12:19 The 6 pillars of good sleep you’ve never heard of 13:54 The shocking sleep habit that can double your risk of heart disease 15:02 How much can your sleep schedule vary before it becomes a risk? 16:19 Why how you feel about your sleep is a key health metric 19:43 The surprising link between not sleeping enough and gaining weight 22:02 Are sleep tracking devices actually helpful? 24:19 It's never too late to improve your heart health, even with bad genes 27:32 The best time to eat breakfast for a healthier heart 32:20 The American Heart Association's 8 essential habits for a healthy heart 33:39 The recommended amount of exercise you need per week 34:17 Is vaping a risk for your heart? 36:30 The growing health crisis almost 40% of people are facing 37:54 Cholesterol isn't the only number that predicts your heart attack risk 39:50 Why sleeping in is also bad for your heart health 40:55 Avoid these stimulants before bed for better quality sleep 42:12 The single most surprising risk factor for your heart

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Mentioned in today's episode

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Recap: Davina McCall's menopause experience Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

For Davina, menopause wasn’t just a transition - it was a quiet crisis. She felt like a stranger in her own body, overwhelmed by symptoms she wasn’t prepared for and didn’t fully understand.

But she didn’t stay silent. Her book ‘Menopausing’ has helped millions of women feel supported and seen during this transformative stage of life.

In this episode, Davina joins us to share her personal journey, and we share ZOE research that shows how diet can be a powerful tool for managing menopause symptoms.

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Food additives exposed: The artificial dyes and chemicals to avoid | Marion Nestle Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Those long, unpronounceable ingredients at the bottom of food labels—what are they really doing to your health?

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Marion Nestle, a world-leading nutrition expert and author of the groundbreaking book ‘Food Politics’. Marion has spent decades exposing how powerful food companies influence what ends up on our plates — and how little regulation may stand in their way.

We dive into the hidden world of food additives and the regulatory systems meant to protect us. While the U.S. allows companies to self-certify ingredients as “safe” without independent FDA approval, Europe and the UK take a stricter approach. But does stricter always mean safer?

Marion unpacks how these systems differ, which substances might be harming our health, and what consumers can do to reduce their risk. We explore what the science says about additives, inflammation, gut health, and more.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Are common food additives tested for safety?

02:44 The shocking number of additives in a simple loaf of bread

04:14 The real reason your bread is so soft

05:55 The loophole that allows 10,000 additives into our food

07:24 How companies get to approve their own additives

08:46 Why it's so hard to prove an additive is harmful

10:27 The concerning difference between US and European food regulations

12:30 When the FDA revoked an additive's "safe" status

14:23 You won't believe where this common food dye comes from

15:36 A study linking food dyes to behavioral problems in children

18:59 Are the thousands of other food additives safe to eat?

22:51 Why we can't trust food companies to police themselves

26:45 The US state that just banned 44 common additives

28:52 Why food companies say they can't get rid of artificial colors

31:42 The hidden additives you'll never see on a food label

34:21 The surprising reason farmers use antibiotics to fatten animals

36:16 Why your chicken is probably contaminated

40:39 The hidden health and environmental costs of cheap food

43:51 How food companies use the "pester factor" to market to your kids

47:56 The one regulation that would fix our broken food system

51:36 The simple 7-word rule for a healthy diet

55:13 The childhood discovery that shaped my diet for life

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Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

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Mentioned in today's episode

Navigating the U.S. Food Additive Regulatory Program Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2011)

Oral administration of potassium bromate induces neurobehavioral changes, alters cerebral neurotransmitters level and impairs brain tissue of swiss mice Behavioural and Brain Functions (2016)

Safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive EFSA Journal (2021)

Food Dyes a Rainbow of Risks Center For Science in the Public Intrest (2010)

Health risk assessment of exposure to ractopamine through consumption of meat products International Journal of Advanced Research (2014)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Recap: The healthy way to feed your kids | Rhiannon Lambert and Dr. Federica Amati Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Today, we’re tackling the challenge of feeding our children.

Getting kids to eat a balanced meal can often feel like an uphill battle, especially when they’re surrounded by eye-catching marketing campaigns that aim to lure them into unhealthy habits.

So, how can busy parents help their children build a better relationship with food?

In this episode, nutrition experts Rhiannon Lambert and Dr. Federica Amati share straightforward strategies to guide your children away from processed foods and towards a lifelong love of healthy eating.

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