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.