How snacking impacts your health | Tim Spector & Sarah Berry

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Evidence shows that all over the world, people are snacking more - with the United Kingdom and the United States leading the way in unhealthy snacking habits.
But what exactly counts as a snack? And is all snacking unhealthy?
Snacking can be a confusing and controversial topic. There are various opinions and myths about what's good for you. Many people struggle to make healthy choices, while others may be unaware of the impact of snacking habits on their gut health and overall well-being.
In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by ZOE regulars and renowned experts Sarah Berry and Tim Spector for an enlightening discussion that will help you snack smarter.
Armed with the latest scientific research, they unravel the complexities of snacking and share evidence-based insights on what's truly beneficial for your body. Along the way, they cover healthy options, snack timing, and what we should all be avoiding.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Timecodes:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:23 Quick Fire Questions
00:04:03 What is a snack?
00:04:55 How much energy comes from snacks?
00:05:40 Cultural differences with snacks
00:08:33 What happens when we snack?
00:10:29 Are some healthy looking bars actually bad for us?
00:12:16 Do ulta-processed snacks make us hungrier?
00:13:57 What effect do additives and emulsifiers have?
00:15:04 Results of study on healthy vs unhealthy snacks
00:15:22 What impact does snacking have on our gut?
00:18:00 Why could snacking be unhealthy?
00:18:56 What are the concerns around snacking frequency?
00:19:50 Does the quality of your snack make a difference?
00:21:31 Could skipping breakfast be healthy for us?
00:23:17 Does timing of snacking have any influence on our health?
00:28:42 How could time-restricted eating benefit us?
00:32:20 What is the impact of snacking on weight gain?
Buy Tim's book, Food For Life, here: amzn.to/4amZinu
00:34:15 What impact does snacking have on blood sugar?
00:36:25 How people on different routines react to snacking
00:38:27 What does the recent ZOE research show us on the topics of snacking?
00:40:16 How bad is late night snacking for our health?
00:42:19 How should we be snacking?
00:46:30 How has snacking changed over time?
00:47:26 Actionable advice on snacking
00:52:52 How much do your meals impact snacking?
00:56:50 Summary
00:59:40 Goodbyes

[@latristessdurera8763]

I’m with Tim on this one. Last July rather than yo-yo dieting, I gave up snacking and stuck to the standard 3 meals a day and added just a little more exercise. By Christmas, I was 12 pounds lighter which I’ve successfully managed to maintain. I now rarely snack and I feel so much more in peace with my body.

[@littlevoice_11]

Many don't realise a snack can be a drink - processed coffee drinks are so common now - frappoccino, lattes, coffees with shots of syrup, milkshakes, bubble tea!

[@nicolaboulton9336]

Last week I had 2-3 meals per day and didn’t eat anything after 7. If I did snack before 7 it was a piece of fruit apple, peach and sometimes nuts. I literally lost 8.5lbs in 7 days. I used to eat whilst watching tv. I feel so much more energetic and not napping in the daytime

[@helenamcginty4920]

I dont tend to snack during the day but always snack just before bed or even in bed. Cheese and biscuits. Nuts. Piece of dark chocolate. Occasionally biscuit. Sometimes I even have a midnight feast of cheese and biscuits and drink of milk because I feel hungry. Mind you I snack on less healthy snacks if I havent had a very filling meal. Eg I've had one of my vegan, lentils and fresh veg, meals rather than a bit of meat. I somehow want more sugar or fat if I have a meal with no meat or cheese.

[@ianseward9928]

Nonsense you went to the toilet or sweated a lot . You won’t lose that much in fat . It’s impossible regardless what these scientists say

[@boxerdogmum583]

Woohoo!❤

[@littlevoice_11]

Amazing progress. Well done 😊

[@bitter_roman]

Most of it was water, sorry

[@sandracastro5453]

I am Spanish and a nutritionist. I would like to correct Tim Spector in his statement about Spaniards and Breakfast. As you all know, Spaniards follow the Mediterranean Diet. For us, the key success of the Mediterranean diet is BREAKFAST. It is not true that most Spaniards skip breakfast, quite the opposite. Eating breakfast is the most popular habit in Spain. We love our savoury breakfasts and this is very immersed in our culture. Unfortunately, the influence of the Standard American diet, introduced some unhealthy habits in Spain such as the popular Kellog CornFlakes or other similar processed cereals for breakfasts. I understand that Tim Spector has a personal preference about skipping breakfast and that might be convenient to make such a statement since people in the Mediterranean countries seem to live longer: At some point in the 1960's many Mediterranean countries had the highest life expectancies in the world. However, this was precisely because they DIDN'T skip breakfast. This was the case for my 2 great grandmothers who lived 103 and 104 respectively. One due to a car crash accident. Spaniards are also well known for having late dinners. That is true. However, we also go to bed quite late compared to other countries - allowing 3 hours between dinner and bedtime. According to many studies, eating breakfast within 2 hours of awakening lowers cortisol levels, helping with weight loss in the belly area, and balancing your hormones at the right time of the day. Since the majority of people are stressed, feeding the ‘adrenal glands’ in the mornings just makes sense. Supporting the adrenal glands will also benefit women at a later stage when reaching menopause - since the adrenal glands will take over the ovaries and partially function as such. Most of my clients skipping breakfast for many years seem to have elevated markers on their blood tests for insulin resistance or have other health issues compared to those clients who eat a healthy savoury breakfast with vegetables. This is the type of breakfast that keeps Spaniards satiated until 15:00 (our lunch time) without the need of eating a snack in between - keeping insulin resistance at bay. Skipping breakfast means you are also missing the fibre content of one meal of the day. Fibre helps get rid of excess hormones in the GUT such as oestrogen and since we are exposed on a daily basis to synthetic oestrogen (endocrine disruptors) in food, breakfast couldn't be a better way to increase the intake of fibre. The Mediterranean diet is the most studied diet in the world. It has been studied for many decades, not something that can be said about Intermittent fasting or other 'New Diets' - some which have been supported by EXPERTS in the field and proved at a later stage to be FAD DIETs. This is becoming very frustrating, especially for us nutritionists. There is so much contradictory advice out there right now, that food habits are getting worse in the world. Ex: Teenagers skipping breakfasts when they shouldn't. As a nutritionist, I BEG YOU SCIENTISTs to stop telling people to skip breakfast as a general advice. As you know, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. Therefore, one diet does not fit all and is not suitable for everyone. Skipping breakfast can negatively affect children's physical and mental health. A parent should eat breakfast and be a role model to their children just as my great grandmothers were for me. You do not need to skip breakfast to be healthy or to be slim or to live past 100. From my own experience, and having been eating a Mediterranean style breakfast for 48 years, I get perfect blood test results, a flat belly and still use the same clothes as when I was in my 20s (55 kilos). I attribute this to the longevity of my 2 great grandmothers who were my role models: eating only 3 meals a day with a 4 to 5 hours gap between main meals. Allowing their digestive system to rest. What my great grandmothers never did was snacking 2 hours after a main meal or eating over their current ongoing digestion. Certainly never drank water from plastic bottles or had food stored in plastic. And of course never went to the gym! But kept an active life until the end. My great grandmothers were not scientists, but had an ability to come to conclusions by themselves and didn't need to rely on the internet to be healthy. They were, however, great observers of their surroundings and had a special connection with nature.

[@Bubu_Lover]

Thanks for writing that rich in details👏! And best greetings from Berlin...

[@joannasheldon2146]

Thank you! Well said. I grew up in countries around the Mediterranean. My favorite breakfast was in Turkey: fabulous bread, white cheese, olives, and soup.

[@OverdrivePacing]

I am from the Island of Crete where the very concept of " Mediterranean Diet " was created. Breakfast has always been a part of the Cretan diet as well. 90 year old Grandmother hunting her grandchild in the streets of the village holding a soft boiled egg in one hand and a piece of wet barley rusk in the other for breakfast before play is quite an archetype ...

[@Debbieanne51]

I find I eat more the rest of the day if I eat breakfast. What do you suggest eating for breakfast? It's a very interesting case you put. Thank you.

[@Zenjohnny]

I think the reason why they feel the need to snack is that most people don't eat enough fiber in each meal. Fiber delays stomach emptying, leaving us feeling full longer.

[@GrowBagUK]

Sarah is looking fantastic at age 54 she is obviously a testament to healthy nutrition.

[@normanbell-br7nf]

deffo doesn;t look that

[@monikab3413]

Bit of fillers too, but discrete, definitely looking good 😊

[@wojtek1582]

Well, I think the problem with being hungry every 1-2 hours is because organism is expecting getting food every 1-2 hours. I was eating almost all the time for many years (i.e snacking almost every hour). It took me 3 years of implementing small changes and I have moved from this pattern to the situation in which in most days I do not eat for 20h and I do not feel hunger. My organism got used to having food much less often. I lost 18kg during that change and still going down in mass. In most days I do not snack at all - I just eat 2 meals - brunch around noon and dinner around 3pm (with dessert). I almost never eat after 4pm (I make exception only when I am really forced by social obligations). So I am pretty sure Sarah Berry could switch progressively from her snacking to just 2-3 meals a day.

[@joannasheldon2146]

I've had a very similar experience. Used to graze all day and I was often hungry -- plus, if I didn't eat within a couple of hours of going to bed I couldn't get to sleep. Now I eat a hefty breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a bowl of fruit/yoghurt/nuts at 3 or 4 pm -- by which means I lost 11 kg, maintained the loss, and I'm almost never hungry. And that's the weirdest bit. As you suggest, the body has to be trained to expect food less often, and once trained, it's fine with the new regime.

[@AW-uv3cb]

When I grew up in Poland in the 80's and 90's, our usual snacks were carrots and all sorts of seasonal fruits, or a piece of bread and butter, maybe with jam, if we were really hungry. Later on, things like western chocolate bars etc appeared but it still wasn't something you'd eat all the time (we couldn't afford it haha), it was a treat, not a regular snack. As a sugar-hungry teenager, I and my brother could regularly go through a small jar of Nutella before dinner together, but we were both moving a lot, doing sports, walking 2 km to the bus stop etc, so we didn't put on weight. Later in life, when I became more aware of what's unhealthy, it was really easy to wean myself off this type of thing (I basically only ever ate it if someone else bought it). I do like some crisps or chocolate or cake from time to time, but again, it's a treat, not a regular snack (and if there's lots of cake to eat, it's usually after Christmas or Easter and it was homemade from good ingredients, and I'll have two pieces with my coffee as my lunch, not an extra, so everything evens out haha). Even sodas like Coke never really appealed to me because they were too sweet compared to what I was drinking regularly. I think I can credit my parents and the early healthy eating habits they instilled in us (plus there wasn't any external factor, like peer pressure or temptation, at an early age, since those things were just not available here when I was a small child). Thank you, parents!

[@valerielambert7922]

I have two squares of dark chocolate, two slices of organic mature cheddar and two glasses of wine on Friday evening when I'm watching Gardeners World. That changes to Saturday when Strictly Come Dancing appears in the autumn. No food till lunchtime for me every single day though, and only two meals a day.

[@mosfet500]

I listen to several sites on health, yours is the most balanced and the quality of information is the highest. I haven't eaten meat in over 50 years, I do eat fish occasionally though and I do snack but only on high quality foods, never late at night. I'm very healthy at 78, no meds, no diseases. I do walk two miles a day most days.

[@tootstweet]

Since drastically cutting my carbs i dont feel the strong cravings for snacks anymore

[@CAIrondad]

Are you serious? A high carb diet is clearly the healthiest, wouldn’t you agree? It seems the science is clear.

[@gracebateman777]

One meal a day (OMAD) is a breeze on Keto or carnivore. Our sugar addiction had me a binge eater, and Keto taught me it was all the carbs, not me being a failure. I don't have cravings for anything now except extra hungry the day before my period. That's it. Everyone should do cut starchy amd grainy carbs and see how good they feel! 🤩

[@cassieoz1702]

In my experience, snack foods are more likely to be made with/cooked in 'vegetable oil' not traditional saturated fat. Industrial seed oils are much cheaper than lard or butter.

[@almor2445]

I've been pretty strictly on Zoe for about 3 weeks and had to meet a friend in Cardiff yesterday to discuss something. We ended up eating and drinking the most processed crap donuts, bacon filled muffins and coffee. I thought it would be great but it tasted like plastic to me. So today it's back to hummus, nuts, home-made sauerkraut and kefir! I'm not going to claim I've lost a lot of weight because I love my food but following Zoe's plan I feel 5x fitter and healthier. No reflux, no stomach pain, no digestive issues, no brain fog, hardly any hunger and plenty of variety so I can keep this up forever!

[@michaelstreeter3125]

I _know!_ Walking around the Tesco Express looking at the stuff I won't eat any more. Even wholemeal bread is not exactly great. Kefir (or Fage Greek yoghurt) is good with raspberries for me.

[@almor2445]

@user-sn8pm7vt4v I didn't know kefir with raspberries was a problem ! 😳

[@denisemc607]

Very helpful deep dive - thanks. So much eating and snacking has become a 'leisure activity' instead of nutrition. Getting enough healthy fat and protein before 7pm is key for me. I grew up in the 70s with no snacks and so glad I don't have that habit/mindset. My mom grew up on a farm and always said they were empty calories and waste of money. We didn't like it but now I am so grateful for her wisdom!

[@munkami]

There was talk about Mediterranean cuisine so what about olives, pickles (gherkins), and cheese as snacks? These can also be healthy options with a glass of beer or wine. Crisps and chocoloate bars are horrendous choices for health. We should try to encourage Brits to normalize eating olives, cheese, and nuts with a beer or wine in the pub and not just crisps.

[@ErikaLucas-wv1ub]

It's all very well Tim saying skipping breakfast but when I do, by mid morning I am feeling dizzy and that is because my I have low blood sugar so I always eat porridge and fruit for breakfast. Also, what about people working in physical manual labour jobs such as on a building sites etc., you cannot expect them to do their job without breakfast.

[@pheart2381]

Teachers are bringing in food for children because if they had no breakfast they cant study properly. No breakfast is fine if you sit in an office all day.

[@ianseward9928]

Looking at Tim I can see a small pot . Needs to reduce his calorie intake . These experts who are being paid by Zoe , live and work in a different universe to most of us . They have time to make these foods . I take on board the UPF comments though , so snack nuts and fruits reduce your calories and move more. All obvious . Don’t spend £24.99 per month you don’t need to

[@littlevoice_11]

Wish you'd do a dedicated video on diet and osteoarthritis. So many arent informed about how food can help or hinder pain and mobility.

[@trees5338]

I was eating over 200g of chocolate daily plus other snacks, i could eat a packet of 4 mars, double deckers, Kitcat, flakes and most times eating on the way home (5 minutes walk) i changed to 85% chocolate. This was interesting as I've not had dark chocolate before, 1 line was satisfying, by the time i purchased my second bar of 90% i was only needing ½ a portion, by my 3rd bar i only sniffed the chocolate and didnt need to eat it each time. So over the space of a fer weeks, I've not wanted regular chocolate at all. Easy on my body and pocket. Thanks for the video.

[@martinpaul6146]

Definitely seems to confirm the idea that more commercial styles/UPF is more addictive, as you moved closer to a more natural product your addiction slowed dramatically. By the way well done!

[@trees5338]

@@martinpaul6146 thank you, modern 'food' in all it's disguises is bad. Especially the oil's and fat. My mum cooked in lard, everything was cooked from fresh, lately I have wandered away from proper food so now rushing back to it. I was not overweight and had no health problems, that is also for my 3 siblings, my dad was never sick, not even a cold.

[@vera_6779]

I traveled by train through Wales (from Manchester to southern England) many years ago, and was amazed when people entered the train, sat down, and promptly - no matter their age from toddler to elderly - brought out a bag of crisps. And then munched their way through bags of crisps the entire journey. Never seen that in Sweden before or after. Sure, people snack in the trains but it's usually more like a regular "can't afford the restaurant prices" brought meal.

[@lynchs2441]

Crisps are clearly the biggest surprise in England as you mentioned. But I also have experience with Sweden, what surprised me extremely was the amount of sweet things (like bilar or sockerbitar). Another surprise was the very sweet bread that people took with the main meal (in the cafeteria) - the bread was so sweet for me that it was enough for dessert :)

[@99hels]

Can you please put a summary of the findings?

[@ZsuzsaKarolySmith]

@20:07 that’s definitely good news for me. I tend to eat often and little - mainly whole foods. I usually delay breakfast until 11 but once I start eating I have to eat every 2-3 hours up until 8 or 9 pm.

[@Tyler-ko8dp]

just discovered this channel...obsessed

[@escapeyourchains5730]

I love your format of quick fire questions

[@bubblybull2463]

Being „hungry“ is not feeling hunger ! What we call being hungry is just a sugar rush or hypoglycemia. Go on a keto or paleo diet, meaning : cut all your sugar intake (fast and slow ones, including fruits) and you‘ll see that you won‘t ever feel „hungry“. Which in turns will help you regulate your eating habits, help you with your body weight, inflammation, etc. It‘s all about getting rid of our sugar addiction, that’s the hard bit : the rest is easy 😘

[@wendymarples8388]

I'm never hungry on Keto either. Sometimes in the late afternoon I think that I really MUST eat something so I have one part of what I would have for dinner (maybe the salad). Then later, I'll have the rest of it. Getting together with friends always meant a 'food event'. When I started Keto, I explained to my friends that I wasn't going to have any food to serve and for people not to bring any. Really, if everyone has just finished lunch, why do they need to eat again? If it's there, they eat it anyway. What has happened is we just don't BOTHER with food at our gatherings unless it's actually dinner.

[@auntyjo1792]

Eating little and often has been pushed so far at parents and carers for young kids that eating virtually continuously has been normalised. With an eight year gap between children i saw the difference over time in practice through the toddler years and into school age activities / sports coaching etc.

[@johnmusgrove9295]

Excellent discussion, nice to see Sarah more than holding her own and poor old Johnathan still eating dark chocolate late in the evening. I have learnt so much from these guys and passed on the information to friends and family as well as many podcasts (take note Johnathan). I also love lots of nuts and varieties and the definitely aid the glucose peaks. Cheers guys 👍🏻

[@nmn1335]

Is it bad to eat dark chocolate in the evening?

[@kevincook8888]

There is no such thing as "skipping breakfast" It's impossible to do. Breakfast is the first time you eat anything after a long period of not eating, essentially "breaking the fast." It does not matter what the food is, or what time of day it is eaten. It is still "breakfast."

[@littlevoice_11]

Agreed. But most people think breakfast is in the morning and has to consist of juice, cereal, toast or pastries. Or if on the go a cereal bar! 😢

[@Heidi123]

Ha you know what they mean. Skip eating in the morning.

[@suecoo66]

​@@littlevoice_11people are fixated on eating 3 times a day that consists of certain foods. Then also eating snacks between each of those meals.

[@jobl5505]

Indeed, ‘skipping breakfast’ for me is eating my first meal at midday and only eating twice. No snacks; works for me.

[@juliedrake6279]

Pedantic!

[@gilllondon8617]

Enjoyed this. Great to see you all together.

[@mehmetcakir4231]

As usual it’s a great discussion and thank you to all of you. Choice of the topic is spot-on as I do strongly believe that one of the major causes of metabolic disorders is having morning and afternoon teas and continuous snacking with high sugar food. At about 45:00 min you make recommendations regarding snacking frequency. In my view is that recommendations should be personalised (as Zoe’s mission) and should be depending on the metabolic health of the people. People who already have metabolic issues certainly should not be snacking as much if any. I do like the view Sarah mentioned (first then Tim agreed!!) that people should listen their hunger and fullness hormonal signals. As recent studies indicates I do think that breakfast is so critical for healthy eating. Particularly a breakfast with high-protein content keeps one full much longer period, easily allowing the person to skip lunch or have a late lunch then perhaps skip the dinner or have a very lite dinner. Therefore my suggestion would be to an average person to have either two or three meals in a 24 hour period. If people can squeeze their eating window to 6-8 hr period (at least once every 2-3 days) then that would even make it better.

[@inawertzberger2580]

I never leave the house without my food/snacks. And I follow Broccoli Mum. A UK treasure. Thank you ZOE for this informative video. (Apples, carrots, cucumbers, Yukon gold and sweet potatoes are my favorite snacks.)

[@evasell7732]

Interesting to see the group sitting around a table and discussing this topic - And an interesting topic selected. I am personally working on changing my snacks habits and trying to select more healthy options - eg having something before my meal - or fruit after my dinner since listening to the Zoe podcasts/videos. However it is hard to deny an ice-cream whilst the weather is so warm ;-)

[@ZsuzsaKarolySmith]

Home made frozen yoghurt is my ice cream replacement!

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Me too, not that me too, the ice cream me too 😂

[@sharinaross1865]

There is always fruit smoothie.

[@shinebrightandbethelight]

Eat more fruit during the day honestly gets rid of sweet cravings I've lost weightand I don't feel like sweet junk food anymore it's life changing I use to binge on sweets stuff after dinner like I would often make cupcakes or cookies after dinner but I have no interest anymore it's like magic

[@yassennikolov3519]

Could you please make an episode on most used unhealthy food additives - preservatives, emulsifiers, etc (seen on labels)?

[@rdo1231]

excellent data! Thank you!

[@cassieoz1702]

Eat whole foods, don't eat between meals, don't drink your calories

[@auntyjo1792]

Sums it up really.

[@mayamaker8841]

Five years ago, I decided to have 3 meals a day, all very low carbohydrate. I am vegetarian but have eggs and dairy. I lost weight easily, my Hba1C is down to 5.7 and my high blood pressure has normalized. If I feel hungry, I start with a glass of water before a meal, or between meals to. If that doesn't do the trick, then a mug of sugarless coffee or tea helps.

[@AnneThompson-dg3mx]

Lovely Jonathan with his Velcro trainers - so sweet!!!

[@shinebrightandbethelight]

I started eating more fruit during the day sometimes just fruit for a whole meal and I've lost weight, sugar cravings have completely stopped, no more blood sugar spikes an crashes, and less hungry overall. I now do a wholefoods plant-based diet so only real foods 100% of the time and I've never felt better. I sleep so deeply and have so much energy just to list a few improvements I've experienced.

[@sherrygaley4675]

In my experience, I snack when I’m hungry and the key to stopping is to increase the satiety of my meals. I do that by making sure I eat enough protein and healthy fats. Eating an egg and vegetable and cheese scramble with nutritional yeast around 11 am to noon means I don’t have to eat again until 5 ish. Then I have a balanced meal with protein fat and fibre and I’m good for the evening. When I divert from this pattern and eat too many refined carbs or potatoes, pasta or rice, my appetite spikes and I’m tempted to snack. So why tempt myself? Life is simpler when you’re not always hungry.

[@rebeccasomerscales3156]

Hi Tim et al I fiund it really interesting about healthy eaters having naughty snacks. I eat 100% homecooked, vegetarian, organic, wholefoods at home. I'm not a snacker for thr most part, but if i occasionally have a coffee out, then I'm always keen to get the cake/pastry too. Also have you looked into the Ayurvedic rules around eating. They agree so much with the IF idealogy and balancing meals according to a persons constitution. They have different ways to categorise peiple but it wiuld be fascinating to see how Ayurvedic assessment compares to modern monitoring and the recommendations for diet.

[@victoriasmith1897]

Well I would absolutely LOVE to join the ZOE study but you don’t have it in New Zealand. This was so interesting and I am with Tim. 2 meals a day & no snacks, but I would love to know more about about what I should be having. Thanks everyone!

[@Avagardner2608]

I did went trough Zoe testing, and I think that this program is a waste of time and money. Never got personal fit back about my health, not even a real analysis of my stool and blood. They just compared me with some other people they tested. The info I got is, probably the same for thousand of other people, although our realities are very different and we live in different parts of the world. For all my time and efforts I put in their study , I should be paid not billed. Zoe is good only if you are 100 Lb . overweight and you have no idea what food is healthy.

[@Kwippy]

How often do you hear people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day? I have been ignoring this for ever since I don't feel hungry in the morning and so I routinely don't eat breakfast. Glad to hear that this is not only not an unhealthy habit but could even have health benefits.

[@lourdesmurilloquintana5123]

I was told, by my mother, do not go food market when hungry...or you will end up buying thinks that you would normaly buy. And it is true, when not hungry I more choose what I buy...quality not quantity.

[@musicman5075]

Purely/production technical comment. I like the format with all of you around the table. I suggest you put some thought into camera and microphone positioning so we see more of the face while speaking - particularly Tim

[@Ron-rk6iz]

I do not think that most people "do not realize" that they eat junk food, it is much more about ignorance and/or addiction to fat and sugars. The food industry knows this for a fact. People seek socially acceptable "excuses" for their addictions.

[@angusmcmillan8981]

Thanks, enjoyable as they all are. I often go out to evening concerts or plays, leaving the house around 6.30 and getting home after 10pm. Too early to dine before 6.30 and hard to resist the pleasure of a late supper. Altogether a pleasurable way to spend the day, but what does Dr Berry say?

[@simontemplar404]

2.7g fibre 101kcal 3g protein 0.3g salt for 24g bag of Twiglets. I think it is probably the least worst one

[@wolfgangscheurer8601]

when we lived in south of france or spain, the people had dinner very late BUT there was no breakfast; even when my father in-law had to go to work as a railway worker.

[@christinejames6803]

Thank you for a fascinating discussion and also for the Zoe trial which I have done and found fascinating. I would love to know why there are these differences between people. Why Tim’s body works so differently to Jonathan and Sarah. Is this genetic or could it be gut microbes or some thing? Christine

[@littlevoice_11]

Genetics, hormones, age/demographic, and gut microbiome. Plus... activity level, stress, sleep quality, underlying health conditions, digestive health/gut permeability/food sensitivity, hydration, how long they take to chew their food, food pairing throughout the day... there are so many biological, physiological, and life context factors to consider.

[@nazeeniranfar2616]

Great discussion ! This is the first time that I have listened to Zoe podcast and it s a great support since I am now booked on Zoe’s program from September 2023 ! Btw is tea and coffee between meals considered as snack?

[@EconMBAStudent]

I am currently half way through Zoe program. Tea and coffee are not considered snacks, but there is an assumption you are not adding dairy or sugar, if you do you’ll need to log.

[@StratsRUs]

I appreciate the amount of information around today.I do get confused about the many caveats. However, I think it is about finding which methods suit the most. I've found the nearest-to Intermittent Fasting works well with me, with the added mood boost.

[@tartaifel]

Please extend the Zoe program to other countries! I’ve been waiting to sign up forever! 🙏

[@Rosegarden327]

As long as the chips, crisps, chocolate ... are much cheaper than nuts, veggies and fruits, there will be no chance of changing the unhealthy food choices for many of us. Also: Why do we need to be brainwashed with advertising for crappy snacks in TV and movie centres. I never saw advertisements for🍒🍐🍊🍎🍇🍉🥝🥕🫛🍅🫑during sport events.🤔😉

[@lynchs2441]

In small shop at my work place the organic apple cost same as the KitKat ch. bar. But people are sugar adducted and nobody buys apple :)

[@oceanfambam8105]

I'm with Tim, snacking does not allow the body time to switch to fat burning and keeps you in sugar burning and cravings mode. I changed my food at meal times. I start my meal with vegies, then protein then fats and carb/sugar in form of whole fruit and i no longer crave snacks and totally full for another 4-5 houra. Being the biggest chocoholic in the world i no longer crave it. I have 2 meals a day and feel 150% more energised and no longer have bloating, more regular. I don't feel rubbish. I am also able to do 16 hour IF everyday but I prepare my lunch before work just steaming vegies like broccoli, cabbage and then add some protein, take a small tub of Greek yoghurt with berries and walnuts then a piece of fruit and a couple of homemade bliss balls (cashew/almond cocoa and dates) and its a winner for me 🥰 my snack comes directly at the end of me meal.

[@derekyounger2021]

Lower the mics

[@nicoledejonge2808]

Eating once a day was a very positive game changer for me. No snack needed.

[@franciscoucl]

Hello Guys, love your content - would it be possible to do a show on food introduction for babies?

[@minkapinka12]

I used to get in some much trouble because I never wanted breakfast. Every morning it was a drama. I haven't eaten breakfast in years. I'm sometimes not hungry till 4pm. I'm a total convert to Tim's eating . Often I only eat 1 meal a day. This is my natural eating rhythm. I rarely snack. Lots of vegetables and salads, nuts Kim chi, a tiny amount of meat, maybe once a fortnight. My love is blue veined cheese. Its music to my ears that I have been listening to my body. I have recently stopped eating sugar and found that I'm not missing it now. I prefer a late lunch early dinner. That's what my body usually likes. I've always been fascinated that people can eat breakfast.

[@minkapinka12]

I wish I could join Zoe but live in Australia.

[@TamaEnergy]

So interesting how different we all are! I eat 5 meals a deal and snack and feel I live a very energic fulfilled life working full time and competing in sport events 😊

[@martindawes7336]

Really helpful

[@nichlcoaching]

Really interesting discussion thank you

[@user-uj2eg1bu5j]

Are dried fruits a healthy snack? Specifically dried figs and dates (no added sugar). Also, can one eat too much fruit?

[@kc218]

My bottom tells me when I’ve eaten too many cherries. But cherries are too delicious to worry about details like that.

[@uncleelias]

Is it eating late that's an issue, or eating closer to sleeping that's the issue, or either? If a person eats at 5pm and sleeps at 8pm, is it different from someone who eats at 9pm and goes to sleep at 12am?

[@lindaripp5902]

Thanks

[@RSkyCar]

Hi guys! U r looking pretty good in the studio! Best regards!

[@nicolaslade6733]

It bears remembering that years ago people were a lot more physically active so a biscuit (made from good ingredients) helped them through the morning. When I was a teenager it was a cup of black coffee and a cigarette- definitely kept the weight down.

[@jj9501]

Can you guys link the research that is being discussed? Would like to read more about IF

[@michaelstreeter3125]

38:42 small sample sizes. Sarah Berry, have you read _Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux?_ It's a very famous book. Chapter 10 (p109 on my copy) called *"The Law of Small Numbers"* talks about sample sizes. How do you choose a sample size? Do you get as many as you can, or do you compute the necessary size in order to produce the desired error? Most researchers do not compute sample size using statistical methods. 😞 PS. I'm not saying your sample size is wrong, I'm just drawing attention to the fact I often see small numbers in nutrition research!

[@KathysFlog]

Watching this after my midday (main meal) at the end of 16 hour fast. Have been IF since 2016. I never thought I'd be able to do it as I was frequently hangry back before 2016 and sometimes found myself struggling to finish the meal prep and cooking due to low blood glucose. I rarely get hangry now. BUT! I am morbidly obese, I have been on steroids for PMR also since 2006 and wonder how much more obese I would have been without the IF. Snacking in France......a few years ago my neighbours 8 year old plus friend came to the door around 15h. Being an old person I felt I should off them something. I can't now remember what I offered but they both politely declined. I asked why. They said, we're not hungry.

[@mikinswales]

I was surprised the other day to discover someone I talked to didn't think bacon was processed. More education needs to be given on what defines processed foods.

[@Sprinklesofjoy]

Can Sarah Berry please provide some sources for the snacking stats she's quoting? 14% snacking in Mediterranean countris vs 30% in Northern Europe - where is the research study that supports this? I'd like to see the underlying study, it sounds fascinating

[@dontfencemein.6125]

Anything that says don't buy Walkers or Cadburys get my vote!

[@46metube]

The idea of 'snacks' suggests the wrong diet anyway. Get rid of the 'need' for snacks and you're on the right track.

[@GrowBagUK]

Is the timing issue directly related to time before sleeping rather than a particular time of day? e.g. I could be snacking/main dinner after 9pm but not sleeping til 1am...would that 4 hour period be enough of a gap? Is there a recommended time period between eating and sleeping?

[@gianfrancobenetti-longhini8192]

My doctor has been surprised, that at my age of 85, I have values that few 60 year olds can better. We eat three meals a day, never in excess, breakfast between 8:00 and 9.00, lunch at 13:00, and supper at 19:00. Due to an intolerance to dairy products, I avoid these, and use almond milk instead with my natural cereals followed by fresh fruits. We have very little red meat, using fish or chicken more with many fresh vegetables, dressed Italian style, the oil being "extra virgin olive oil". We do not snack, do not smoke, rarely touch alcoholic drinks. Walk a lot each day and sleep a minimum of 8 hours. Are always active. My wife cooks mostly Mediterranean dishes, and varies them often. My oxygen level is between 97 to 99% with a pulse at rest around 50 and the high blood pressure around 110 and the low around 60. The doctor wishes that all his patients would follow a similar style of life. Maybe some of your readers should try as well.

[@asathora1819]

I am Bulgarian by birth, but spent the latter half of my life in the 🇺🇸. My metabolism is screwed up and unless radical changes are made, won’t get better. Now for my 8 year old, who’s born and raised here, though started off on habits I developed while I was growing up, whenever she brings a lunch at school - a sandwich with sourdough bread, avocado, greens, tomato, beef, and no snacks, she’s bullied and belittled at school. She doesn’t like snacks and doesn’t like breakfast. So her first meal is around 11am and a full meal at that. The majority of counterparts at school start off by having chips and candy as a snack at 9:30am for first 15 mins of recess. Then their lunch consists of processed carbohydrates mixed with Nutella or chocolate and more chips and possibly m&ms. She’s told she eats irregularly and unhealthily. We had to move away from fully cooked meals mainly consisting of meat and veggies in glass container to sandwiches in order for her to have some semblance of acceptance amongst her peers. That’s unacceptable.

[@emh8861]

WoW , very sad.

[@actyrrel]

Snacking is always emotional. Your body can last the 5 hours between meals.

[@JLH63]

even much longer!

[@emh8861]

Depends on what your meal is.

[@suecoo66]

You can go far longer than 5hrs. If you district yourself and don't obsess about eating at certain times

[@TamaEnergy]

It can but if I've run a half marathon in that time. I'm hungry 😅

[@sabinekoch3448]

True - just ate coconut freshly cut up - completely unnecessary, but felt like it😂

[@francisimanuel8824]

My mom got me hooked on snacking as a child. But the snacks she would give us were things like fruit, veg, dried fruits and nuts. So after a couple of years of bad eating as twenty something, it was easy to go back to healthier snacks. I think it was easy to go back to what I was thought. I am a Dutchy living in London. They love eating snacks as a seperate event. And are very attached to three meals a day, which does make you snack less. Although they love eating fruit on the go while walking. And if they really want something quick that is more filling they usually go for a sandwich with butter, veg and a protein.

[@avicenna1977]

As usual - lots of food for thought. It would be wonderful to have more research on sex differences, age, as well as exercise (and type of exercise) one engages in and the influence of food consumption (meals/snacks) and its frequency on specific health outcomes. The beauty of Zoe is underscoring one prescription is unlikely to fit all. Like Tim, I am a massive consumer of nuts - but I like them completely natural (raw, unsalted). Most research on nuts and health outcomes doesn't specify how the nuts being consumed are processed - and there aren't many studies I have been able to find that look at different types of processing (roasting, boiling, raw) of different nuts and the effects on antioxidants, oils, phytonutrients, and bioavailability of macromolecules (eg resistant starch).

[@JLH63]

I buy them still shelled, and have to open them.. no 'treatment' and no 'overeating' 😊

[@janeschade7875]

I eat wfpb 2 large meals a day no snacking and I do a 18/6 intermittent fasting and I have remained at the same weight for 11years

[@mynamejeb8743]

im a bit wary of snacks, because the moment i portion them i'd keep taking more and more. im a big sucker for salt

[@darylhalsey4206]

Please can I ask if all nuts count as ‘one plant’ or do walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, cashew nuts all count individually so that would be 4 of my daily ‘plant’ intake?

[@bea1365]

But does the Zoe Study not show things like plant based milks as "Green". There's much, much more sugar (different forms of sugar such as Maltose) in those milks than there is in a can of coke.

[@patinazir8673]

I wake up 7am drinking water for gut for empty stomach, around 9am breakfast - green smoothie with toast bread- it can be peanut butter and yogurt with tomato ,lunch I like to eat pasta with lentils or chicken or scrambled egg sandwich with avocado ,snack overnight oats or granola with yogurt nuts or fruits dinner it can be hummus with something, I feel so healthy daily ,throughout the day I try 2 litres of water plus ginger tea .

[@lenakstudio]

Thank you for the great videos you are producing with all the useful information. I am a great fan of Zoe and really looking forward to order the glucose monitor and all the kit when it becomes available in Greece. I live in Greece (I am Greek) and here as well the Greeks have diner when they go out very late. Every single person I know is snacking between meals cause they think it speeds up their metabolism. They learned this from the dietitians and nutritionists they go as they all give these diets with protein bars, rice cakes and digestive cookies.. it makes me mad. Also Greeks love their red meat in a daily basis and every time I hear Mediteranean diet I am secretely smiling.. if they only knew.. We do love our olive oil though and our legumes that we use in a daily basis (the olive oil) 🙂

[@zoewhite7705]

Yes! Every time I see an American video espousing the "Mediterranean diet" and saying it's all fish and veg and no red meat I wonder if they've ever even been to a Mediterranean country. Loads of red meat eaten there, the difference is it tends not to be real not processed.

[@vatsmith8759]

I'd be interested to know just how we 'know' that our ancestors didn't snack. Would they have eaten whatever they came across or put it in a bag for later?

[@amandajane8227]

I agree. women especially would have been snacking on fruits and seeds as they foraged. You just have to harvest your own raspberries to know that not all of them go into the basket for others to eat.

[@littlevoice_11]

One study cited by Dr Greger found that 1 apple before a meal made study participants consume less calories during the meal and over the course of the day.

[@harryturnbull1884]

I snack at 10 every night - salad and pichards typically - and it works abs fine till 1 pm next day. Each to his or her own.

[@patredman3733]

@zoe Please, please change the app so that fluid intake can be recorded as dinks rather than snacks!

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Does all this apply to all ages. I am 70 and my daughters 41,43 and 47.

[@deborahatkins9727]

Please could you tell me if nuts and seeds are still ok to eat if you have divaticular disease. Thank you.

[@robinwright531]

I really struggle not to snack in the evenings and then I don’t want breakfast in the morning. Even when I eat a healthy dinner with lots of fibre until I’m full.

[@caroldoyle70]

Great if Zoe could get those in studies signing up to My Fitness Pal and returning the diary nutritional data to Zoe.

[@boxerdogmum583]

I think a restricted feeding window works best if you increase fibre and decrease white carbs at the same time.

[@MelodieMassicotte]

If we have a healty snack later in the day, is it worst because of the sunlight or it is related to the time we go to sleep?

[@stuartpalmer5340]

I snack regularly every day because no matter what i eat, i am always hungry two hours later. I snack on nuts, fruit, yogurt and peanut butter. My meals consist of unprocessed foods, real foods. Hope this is OK 🤞

[@jo4731]

Same.

[@alyshataylor5070]

Could I please get the citation to the study referenced by Dr. Barry in the chapter on "What effect do additives and emulsifiers have"?

[@Mialuvsveggies]

I enjoyed a small portion of unsalted mixed nuts between breakfast & lunch today.

[@Hildred6]

So any coffee shop has cakes and a whole range of unhealthy snacks and whenever someone has a coffee they often have the cake as well, how will things change when eating cake is so ‘normal’ and the portions are huge

[@majamartin5532]

What if I eat dinner and then have a large cappuccino after 10 hours. I’m not eating breakfast usually because I’m not hungry. But I do enjoy my morning coffee very much. I’m guessing a coffee with milk counts as ‘food’ right? So it’s not a 12 hour fast, or is it?

[@stephen_pfrimmer]

I have been hearing a lot lately about a process called gluconeogenesis. Perhaps the nut snack is boosting that process a little. The presence of a balanced amount amino acids and fatty acids in the blood 3 to 4 hours after a meal may take a load off the liver in that process. The process is probably active at that time, but may operate quite slow in producing glucose from amino acids. Perhaps there is a slight increase in blood glucose after the nut snack that benefits the nervous system. And please discuss glucose tolerance in future, and how to increase it. And do a special on increased protein needs for people as they age past 30 or so.

[@zenzenzenx]

Gluconeogenesis I woulf think is a switch when glucose become depleted from gastro source. This means, the body switches to Gluconeogenesis as a means of maintaining glucose levels. Snacking on food containing carbs, will not go into Gluconeogenesis until those carbs convert to glucose and becomes depleted: Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate carbon substrates. .. Wikipedia

[@ko.wildlifephotography]

I love to snack on raw broccoli and kale. Especially the red kale. Carrots are great too. Not much into fruit. Possibly some blueberries. And nuts. Love walnuts especially. Or tofu, the firm variety straight from the fridge. Kefir too. Probably eaten too much kefir at once.