Meat consumption continues to be high in both the US and the UK. Yet many governments advise reducing meat consumption, particularly red meat, due to both environmental and health concerns.

In this episode, we delve into the sizzling world of meat alternatives. They promise sustainability, animal welfare, and better health. Buzzwords like "plant-based" and "meat-free" proudly adorn their packaging. But are they actually healthy? Or should we consider them as ultra-processed foods and avoid them?

Christopher Gardner is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Prevention Research Centre, and a world-leading expert in how the food that we eat impacts our health.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:25 Quickfire questions

03:50 What is a meat alternative?

05:22 What's driving the trend for more alternatives?

07:47 Should you eat less red meat?

08:38 What is in meat alternatives?

10:22 Traditional meats vs meat alternatives

13:41 Are meat alternatives ultra-processed?

14:47 Latest scientific studies

23:56 What were the findings?

29:48 Is the quality of the protein as good as real meat?

34:00 Are meat alternatives healthy?

38:53 Are whole food based meat alternatives healthier?

40:05 What are the practical tips around meat alternatives?

43:21 How do ultra-processed foods come into this?

45:23 What are other ways people can transition away from red meat?

50:33 What are the differences between bad and good quality meat?

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Studies referenced in today’s episode:

• Study With Appetizing Plantfood—Meat Eating Alternative Trial (SWAP-MEAT), published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• SWAP-MEAT Athlete (study with appetizing plant-food, meat eating alternatives trial) a randomized crossover trial, published in Nutrition Journal.

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Episode transcripts are available here.

Periods are taboo! Despite the fact that half of the world’s population experience them. This taboo has led to countless myths around the topic. “The internet’s gynecologist” Dr. Jen Gunter is here to usher in a new era where people understand – and can advocate for – what they need as their body changes each cycle.

Jonathan is joined by Dr Sarah Berry and Dr Jen Gunter to get a better understanding of our body's behavior during the menstrual cycle. Jen will provide you with her period toolkit and offer solutions to the most common problems of modern-day period health.

Dr. Jen Gunter is a gynecologist and pain medicine physician at the Permanente Medical Group in northern California. Her books ‘The Vagina Bible’ and ‘The Menopause Manifesto’ were both New York Times bestsellers. Her 2024 book ‘Blood’ tackles the science, medicine and mythology of menstruation.

Learn how your body responds to food. Take our FREE quiz and get 10% off here.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Quickfire questions

02:31 Shame culture around menstruation

04:20 The evolution and purpose of the menstrual cycle

06:30 Menstrual cycle mechanics

11:08 Understanding heavy periods and iron deficiency

14:01 Addressing period pain and discomfort

21:39 Diet, appetite, and periods: what's the connection?

26:09 Understanding PMS and PMDD

27:55 PMS causes and symptoms

30:52 Treatment options for PMS and PMDD

31:51 Demystifying polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

35:42 The role of diet and obesity in PCOS

37:32 Advice for managing PMS

40:19 Menstrual cramps and pain management

47:08 Iron supplementation strategies

📚 Dr. Jen Gunter’s books:

• The Menopause Manifesto
• Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Recipes for a Better Menopause by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Studies related to today’s episode:

• Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in US Females Aged 12-21 Years, 2003-2020, from the Journal of the American Medical Association
• The Role of Estrogen in Insulin Resistance: A Review of Clinical and Preclinical Data, from The American Journal of Pathology

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

55 million people suffer dementia worldwide with numbers expected to double every 20 years. Understanding the link between our heart health and brain function is critical, illuminating the profound impact that heart health has on preventing dementia.

Dr. William Li, an expert in cardiovascular and metabolic health. He reveals how caring for our heart is not just about longevity but maintaining sharp, effective brain function as we age. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than seventy diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Dr. Li is also a New York Times best-selling author.

In today’s episode, Dr. Li explains how simple lifestyle choices in diet, exercise and sleep can drastically shape our brain's health and stave off dementia.

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:23 Quickfire questions

03:30 Understanding dementia and Alzheimer's disease

04:50 Dementia versus ageing

06:35 The role of blood vessels in brain health

07:55 How circulation affects brain function

09:23 What causes blood clots and strokes?

11:06 The importance of maintaining healthy blood vessels

12:15 The impact of lifestyle choices on brain health

15:01 What happens in our brains when we sleep?

19:35 What is the glymphatic system?

22:40 Vascular dementia may be the most common form of dementia

24:35 The role of glucose in brain function

27:10 What causes dementia and why does it happen when we get older?

29:00 Preventing dementia with lifestyle changes

31:10 What are healthy blood vessels like?

37:50 The surprising role of EPCs in brain repair

41:30 Can you slow down or reverse dementia?

52:08 The connection between gut health and brain health

51:40 The importance of exercise for brain health

56:30 How to avoid dementia

01:01:16 The link between mental health and cardiovascular disease

📚 Dr. William Li’s books:

• Eat to Beat Disease
• Eat to Beat Your Diet

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Relevant studies:

• A human brain vascular atlas reveals diverse mediators of Alzheimer’s risk, published in Nature
• Heart-brain connections: Phenotypic and genetic insights from magnetic resonance images, published in Science
• Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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