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7 snacks for a longer & healthier life | Prof Sarah Berry

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Feb 19, 2026

Guest

Sarah Berry

Prof Sarah Berry, Professor of Nutrition and ZOE’s Chief Scientist, studies diet, metabolic health and the gut. She explains why snack quality and timing matter. Short tips on spotting hidden sugars and processing. Seven simple swaps are highlighted, from apples and chickpeas to yogurt and dark chocolate, plus why avoid late-night eating.

01:01:20

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INSIGHT

Snacks Are A Hidden Fourth Meal

Snacks make up about 25% of daily energy and act like a fourth meal for most people.
Quality of snacks, not frequency, drives health outcomes according to Sarah Berry's ZOE research.

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ADVICE

Stop Snacking Late Evening

Avoid snacking after about 9pm because late snacks associated with worse health markers.
Stop snacking by nine o'clock to reduce belly fat, inflammation and cholesterol risk.

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INSIGHT

When You Snack Changes Impact

Timing matters: snacks eaten later (post-3pm) keep you less full and are metabolised differently.
Consistent eating patterns are preferable to switching unpredictably between grazing and few meals.

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Is snacking always bad?

01:16 • 2min

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How common is snacking and calorie impact

02:51 • 2min

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ZOE snacking study methods

04:24 • 1min

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Key findings: quality over frequency

05:35 • 2min

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Typical snack profiles and nutrient gaps

07:15 • 2min

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Healthy meals vs unhealthy snacks

08:45 • 3min

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Why we snack and timing effects

12:00 • 3min

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Timing tips and eating consistency

14:49 • 2min

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Choose meals that stabilize blood sugar

16:44 • 1min

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Examples of poor-quality snacks

18:04 • 2min

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How to spot an unhealthy snack

19:39 • 2min

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ZOE processing score explained

21:27 • 2min

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Health halos and alternative 'healthy' snacks

22:57 • 2min

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Processing doesn't always mean unhealthy

25:14 • 39sec

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Should we worry about sugar?

25:53 • 1min

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Cakes, pastries, and homemade treats

27:12 • 51sec

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Cereal bars: assess ingredients not labels

28:03 • 3min

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Hidden names for sugar

31:10 • 2min

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Snack 1 — Whole apple benefits

33:39 • 3min

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Snack 2 — Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

36:25 • 2min

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Snack 3 — Nuts' heart and microbiome benefits

38:39 • 4min

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Snack 4 — Real yogurt advantages

42:18 • 3min

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Snack 5 — Popcorn as high-fibre snack

44:54 • 2min

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Snack 6 — Avocado for satiety

46:45 • 2min

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Snack 7 — Dark chocolate benefits

48:56 • 2min

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Avoid late-night snacking even if healthy

50:34 • 37sec

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How quickly you'll feel benefits

51:11 • 2min

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Practical advice for snackers

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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.

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

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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