Most replayed moment: Can you really boost your immune system? | Professor Daniel Davis

More from ZOE Science & Nutrition All episodes →

1. 

   10 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 14 min

   The science behind food that isn’t food, why you love it and why you should not fear it all | Prof Tim Spector & Prof Sarah Berry

   Are some of your "healthy" foods actually high-risk ultra-processed foods? For decades, nutrition advice seemed relatively straightforward. Eat less sugar. Less salt. Less saturated fat. Then it all fell apart. In today’s episode, we examine the research that has forced us to rethink what makes food harmful in the first place. Two of the world’s leading nutrition scientists, Professor Tim Spector and Professor Sarah Berry, tell their own story of why they’ve changed their minds about it. We explore why sugar, salt and fat aren’t the whole story, explain why ultra-processed foods are making…

2. 

   8 Sep 2026 · 12 min

   Most replayed moment: The hormone that controls your weight | Dr Andrew Jenkinson

   Floating through all of our bodies is a complex network of hormones. You can think of it as an internal postal service, delivering vital messages and instructions to different organs and systems. But what happens if these messages get intercepted, mixed up, or worse, not delivered at all? In this episode, Dr Andrew Jenkinson tells us about a hormone that plays a crucial role in weight regulation and the undesirable consequences when it isn’t functioning properly. He also shares three simple tips you can do tomorrow to make sure your hormones support your health. 🌱 Try our science-backed and…

3. 

   3 Sep 2026 · 1 hr

   The secret to coping with stress - how to protect your brain and body, and feel calmer now | Prof Carmine Pariante

   Growing up, many of us were taught to just stay calm and carry on - as if stress was all in the mind, with no real effect on the body. But chronic stress can change your brain, raise your risk of heart disease, and even shorten your life. In this episode, we ask: what happens when a stress response built to last minutes never switches off? Today, Professor Carmine Pariante, one of the world's leading researchers on stress, helps us understand what’s happening in your body during a stressful moment and why chronic stress disrupts sleep, appetite, and energy levels. Carmine also explains how…

4. 

   1 Sep 2026 · 15 min

   Most replayed moment: The hidden battle inside your gut | Tim Spector & Nicola Segata

   Today we’re talking about gut microbes. Professor Tim Spector often refers to the microbes in our gut as ‘mini pharmacies’. This is because they provide us with powerful chemicals that help support our health. But not all gut microbes are on our side. In fact, there’s an ongoing battle in our digestive system between the beneficial bugs and those that wish to do us harm. I’m joined by Tim Spector and microbiome researcher Nicola Segata join me to explore this microscopic war, and explain how simple changes to your diet could help tip the balance toward the good guys. 🌱 Try our science-backed…

5. 

   27 Aug 2026 · 52 min

   The 5 best food swaps to lower cholesterol, protect your heart and to live longer | Dr. Alice Lichtenstein

   Is fat good or bad for your heart? For decades, we blamed fat and cholesterol for clogged arteries and heart attacks. Now you choose low-fat yogurt to protect your heart, while others cook with beef tallow. In this episode, Dr. Alice Lichtenstein, a world-leading expert on dietary fat and heart health, helps settle the debate. Dr. Lichtenstein explains which fats protect your heart and which to cut back on, you'll learn what raises your cholesterol, and why the type of fat you eat matters more than how much of it you eat. You’ll leave the episode with some practical food swaps to protect…

6. 

   20 Aug 2026 · 56 min

   5 ways to control your blood sugar, reverse insulin resistance, and reduce your heart disease risk | Prof Rob Semple

   1 in 4 people have insulin resistance, which quietly raises your risk of heart disease and cancer, often without any change in your blood sugar. And most of those who have it have no idea. It can remain completely hidden for years, with no obvious symptoms and no warning signs… But it can be reversed. Today, Professor Rob Semple, a world-leading expert on insulin resistance, explains what insulin does in your body, why you need it to live, and what happens when it stops working properly. By the end of this episode, you will understand how to spot the warning signs and have practical steps…

7. 

   18 Aug 2026 · 15 min

   Most replayed moment: The things hiding in your food? | Professor Marion Nestle

   Today we’re talking about food additives. Take a look at the back of some ultra-processed packaged food and you’ll see a long list of unfamiliar ingredients. Complex, sciencey sounding names that most of us can barely pronounce. These are called additives. But what exactly are they? How are they tested? And, most importantly, are they truly safe for us to eat? Food policy expert Professor Marion Nestle joins me to explore how additives became so deeply embedded in modern food production — and why, now more than ever, it’s essential for you to understand the things that are hiding in your…

8. 

   13 Aug 2026 · 59 min

   How to shrink the dangerous fat linked to heart disease and cancer in 12 weeks | Prof Jimmy Bell

   There's a hidden fat that matters more for your health than your weight. This is visceral fat: it wraps around your organs, raises your risk of heart disease and cancer, and builds up even in people who look slim and healthy. In today’s episode, Professor Jimmy Bell, a world-leading expert in measuring visceral fat, explains how we can shrink this dangerous belly fat in just 12 weeks. Jimmy explores why two people can weigh exactly the same and carry completely different amounts of this hidden fat, what it is, where it hides and why it matters. By the end, you'll have a completely new…

9. 

   11 Aug 2026 · 13 min

   Most replayed moment: Why sleep may be the key to heart health | Dr Nour Makarem

   Today we’re talking about sleep. The more scientists study sleep, the clearer it becomes that it’s not just about resting our bodies - it’s much more than that. In fact, sleep is the foundation upon which a healthy diet, exercise, and overall wellbeing are all built upon. So what happens when that foundation is shaky? Recent research suggests that poor sleep quality may significantly increase your risk of heart disease and even heart attacks. Dr. Nour Makarem joins me to explore the powerful connection between sleep and heart health - and why both too little and too much sleep is a cause for…

10. 

    6 Aug 2026 · 53 min

    The evolutionary science behind why you can’t lose weight and how to avoid 5 modern food mistakes | Prof Daniel Lieberman

    Why can’t you lose weight, and why do modern diets fail? Today, Harvard professor Daniel Lieberman explains how evolution shapes hunger, body fat, food cravings, and modern food mistakes. You will learn why eating well can feel so hard in today’s food world. Using themes from Daniel’s new book, Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals about Food, Diet and Eating Well, we explore how our modern food environment explains weight gain, failed diets, and confusion about what to eat. We discuss calorie counting, ultra-processed food, hunger, and why there may be no single “best” diet for everyone. By the…