What if small changes to how you eat in 2026 could help you feel more energetic, less hungry, and more in control of your health? In this episode, we ask Professor Tim Spector and Professor Sarah Berry a simple question: which everyday food habits make the biggest difference to how we feel?
Tim and Sarah outline the eight key principles that inform their approach to eating well and share clear, practical science in a way that’s easy to follow.
You’ll hear simple tips you can try at home, like how to build a balanced breakfast, add more plants to your meals, and choose small habits that are easier to stick to over time.
What is one easy change you could try in 2026 to feel a little better?
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Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:20 How changing your diet at 40 adds a decade of health
07:25 Why mindful eating isn’t a wellness fad
12:40 Why ‘30 plants’ beats five a day
14:10 Feeding your gut like a living ecosystem
16:35 Can adding plants cancel out an unhealthy meal?
17:40 Why 30 plants is the sweet spot
19:30 What makes processed food high risk?
21:40 How processing tricks your brain into overeating
23:45 Why ultra-processed foods make you eat 25% more
25:05 Why diet drinks aren’t as harmless as they seem
26:50 How ZOE measures processed food risk
29:35 How to spot risky processed foods without the app
30:20 Simple food swaps that make a big difference
31:40 Why calorie counting fails long term
33:40 How adding calories can reduce hunger
35:00 Can you lose weight without counting calories?
38:40 What is an eating window?
41:10 Why a 12-hour overnight fast works
42:30 Why consistency matters more than perfection
44:15 What ‘eat the rainbow’ actually means
47:00 How food diversity shapes your gut microbes
52:00 Why protein quality matters more than quantity
59:00 Why fermented foods are so powerful
01:06:20 The eight principles that tie everything together
📚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
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
Better Breakfast Guide
ZOE’s Holiday Hosting Guide
Mentioned in today's episode
ZOE’s protein guide
Reducing Calorie Intake May Not Help You Lose Body Weight, Perspectives on Psychological Science (2017)
The ZOE BIG IF Study, MDPI (2024)
Fermented Food Consumption Is Associated With Improvements in Bloating, Hunger, Energy and Mood in the General Population, CDN (2025)
Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review, BMJ (2024)
ZOE ferment study
New microbiome breakthrough from ZOE, thanks to community science
Butter vs. seed oils: New evidence
Are all heavily processed foods bad? What you need to know
ZOE’s gut bug clusters
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.