How to reduce your heart disease, dementia and cancer risk with 12 everyday high-fibre foods | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Prof Sarah Berry

Could 12 everyday high-fibre foods really help lower your risk of heart disease, dementia and some cancers?

The world is obsessed with protein, but fewer than 1 in 10 people eat enough fibre. But this year, fiber is making an unexpected comeback.

In this episode, legendary chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and ZOE’s Chief Scientist Professor Sarah Berry ask whether fibre is another food trend or a powerful part of our diet that we have overlooked.

Taking inspiration from Hugh’s new book High Fibre Heroes, they explore how fibre feeds your gut microbes, helps you feel full and slows the release of sugar into your blood. And, by the end of the episode, you’ll know how to eat more fibre without costly ingredients or difficult recipes, and how to turn familiar foods into simple meals packed with flavour.

Are you buying more protein while overlooking the foods your body may need most? The answer could already be in your cupboard, freezer or fridge.

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Timecodes

00:00 Intro

00:57 Why the protein craze may be distracting us

04:51 How fibre may lower your disease risk

10:11 How much fibre do you actually need?

12:03 Why low-fibre food can leave you hungry

14:19 What 30g of fibre actually looks like

16:20 Why fibre diversity matters

18:51 Is fibre maxxing actually healthy?

21:08 The fibre mistake that can cause constipation

21:33 Has the world gone too far on protein?

23:25 Are most of us already eating enough protein?

25:42 How meat can push vegetables off your plate

28:20 Why healthy eating has to taste better

31:01 The 12 everyday foods that boost fibre

33:18 Why frozen peas are a healthy shortcut

35:00 Can frozen peas be healthier than fresh?

36:24 How to make frozen peas taste better

38:28 The mistake that ruins carrots

39:58 Why roasting makes vegetables taste better

42:24 What makes carrots so healthy?

44:31 Can cooked carrots be healthier than raw?

48:06 Kale vs cabbage — which is healthier?

52:18 How to make cabbage actually taste good

53:48 The easiest way to use more beans

54:24 How to start eating more fibre today

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

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

High Fibre Heroes: How to turn 12 everyday vegetables into 100 joyful, health-boosting recipes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

ZOE’s PREDICT studies: What we’ve learned

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Episode transcripts are available here.