Snacks make up a quarter of what most people eat. Yet most of us never question them.
In this episode, Professor Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist, explains why snacking is not the problem and how seven snack swaps can lower cholesterol, support gut health, and reduce heart disease risk.
Most snacks are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, and many carry “health” claims that hide this. Sarah breaks down how to spot this, explains what makes a good snack and why snack timing matters.
You’ll walk away with seven simple snack ideas that help improve cholesterol, blood sugar, and heart health in weeks.
If you’re a snacker, this may be the easiest place to improve your diet.
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Timecodes
00:00 Intro
03:31 95% of us snack every day
06:33 The 9pm rule that changes everything
12:43 Why late snacks keep you less full
16:33 The breakfast mistake that adds 320 calories
21:35 The ‘bliss point’ that makes snacks hard to stop
25:37 Should you worry about sugar?
29:32 How to actually read a snack label
33:45 Why sugar appears under 42 different names
35:30 The simple snack most people overlook
38:15 The protein-packed food we don’t eat enough of
41:26 The one swap that cut heart disease risk by 30%
43:22 Why this high-fat snack doesn’t cause weight gain
46:26 The fermented food that supports your gut
48:20 The creamy fruit that keeps you full
50:30 The sweet treat that may help your heart
52:55 How quickly you’ll feel the difference
55:35 Why most snacks quietly drag your diet down
56:32 Why timing may matter more than frequency
01:00:20 Can you snack and still stay healthy?
📚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
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
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
Mentioned in today's episode
ZOE snacking study: What should you do?
The ZOE Big IF Study: What did we find?
Whole Fruits Versus 100% Fruit Juice, Nutrition Bulletin (2025)
What are added sugars, and where are they hidden?
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.