Trust Your Gut: ZOE’s Approach To Achieving Your Health Goals Starts With Science

In partnership with ZOE. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.

I love words, and because I am a writer by trade that fact alone is not necessarily surprising. But, because I love words, it breaks my heart when they’re used irresponsibly, or when their meanings are deeply misunderstood. There’s one word in particular that I think gets a bad rap that it doesn’t deserve: Diet. Diet has a negative connotation, likely because it is all-too-often used to refer to a restrictive way of eating, and the expression, “I’m on a diet,” sounds just plain depressing. The truth is, we are all “on a diet.” Whatever we eat is our diet. And our diet can be a wonderful, diverse, exciting, and nourishing aspect of life that doesn’t have to feel confining.

Diets can– and in my opinion, should– be more about saying yes than saying no. Foods that make me feel good? Yes, please. Nutrients that help me stay healthy? I’ll take ‘em. But, I can’t help but wonder: since no two bodies are exactly alike, how can any two diets be exactly alike? How can I possibly find out how to eat to best fuel and nurture my totally unique, one-of-a-kind body?

When I first came across ZOE – the UK startup that is now blowing up in the US – I quickly began to suspect that the answer might come in the form of the brand’s bright yellow box and easy-to-use app. And now, after trying it out for two weeks, I am becoming increasingly more certain that I was right.

All About ZOE

ZOE is a science and nutrition company that helps you make smarter food choices. The world’s biggest and most detailed nutrition study, ZOE uses the latest technology and research performed by world-leading scientists to help you feel healthier. The end result? You get custom insights about your own biology that inform the best way to eat to fuel your body, boost your energy levels, and improve your overall health. 

TL;DR: It’s the completely custom, personalized, science-backed diet program I’ve always wanted.

To double click in even further on the science front: ZOE’s clinical trial published in Nature Medicine proves that eating the right foods for your body can improve your health in weeks, and the brand has conducted multiple RCTs to scientifically prove that it works. In fact, members have reported everything from improved gut microbiome health to better energy levels, reduced hunger, improved mood and sustainable weight management without restrictive dieting.

ZOE is made up of two distinct, but equally important parts: Test Kit and Membership. The Test Kit includes blood glucose testing, blood fat testing, and gut microbiome testing. After you get your results, the Membership helps guide which foods you should eat based on your own unique biology. In the ZOE app you can create meals and find recipes, and each food is given a ZOE score so you can easily keep track of how you’re progressing on your health journey. 

At-Home Testing

Once I decided to commit to giving ZOE a try, I got excited waiting for my test kit to arrive. Honestly, it didn’t take long, and I couldn’t wait to rip open the packaging and get started. I opened the box and inside there were four smaller boxes: a blood sugar sensor for the blood glucose test, a blood test, a gut health test, and a box of special ZOE cookies, which are part of the blood glucose test.  But, not so fast… I couldn’t just do all of my testing on the first day. There was preparation that had to be done to make sure my results were accurate.

I downloaded the ZOE app, which instructed me to choose a testing day from the in-app calendar. Though I was given a warning that I would need to make sure I had a whole day wide open, free from distractions, and in the privacy of my own home, I didn’t realize exactly how necessary that would be until testing got underway. I chose the following day, and was prompted to do two things: adhere my blood glucose sensor to make sure it’s up and running for test day, and fast for eight hours before beginning testing.

I will admit that I was mildly terrified to put on the blood glucose sensor because it’s essentially a small needle that is stuck to your arm for two weeks, but all of the instructions said it wouldn’t hurt, so I went with it. Spoiler: It did hurt. Not a lot, but it definitely did hurt. It wasn’t awful, but I felt it more than I thought I would. Once the sensor was securely on my arm, I connected it to the secondary app ZOE uses to track your blood glucose. Using two apps was slightly confusing at first, but I quickly got used to it, because you have to scan your blood glucose sensor every eight hours to download all of the data it collects.

I went to bed excited to get going with my tests and fasting was easy to do since I slept through it. In the morning, I broke my fast by eating the first of two packs of special ZOE Cookies  included in the Test Kit. These cookies are specially formulated so that the ZOE team knows exactly what they contain, allowing them to analyze how your body reacts. I didn’t think the cookies were particularly tasty, but they weren’t bad either. 

Then, I fasted for another four hours per the instructions, after which time I had to eat my second pack of cookies. After eating the cookies, it was time for the blood test. I was, once again, terrified that it would hurt, but surprisingly it didn’t bother me as much as applying the blood glucose sensor. Overall, the blood test was easy-peasy. I followed all of the instructions to safely package it up and sent it back to ZOE with the prepaid shipping label. After that, I fasted for another two hours before returning to business as usual food-wise.

The third and final test was the gut microbiome test, which basically means collecting a stool sample. You can do this part of the test any time during the 14-day testing window, which was good because I wasn’t able to make it happen the first day. And don’t worry, it’s not as gross as it sounds – ZOE makes it really easy and as clean and dignified as humanly possible. When I was done, I shipped it back to the lab, just like the blood test.

After that, all that was left was to log my meals in the ZOE app and collect the data from my blood sugar monitor every 8 hours for the next two weeks. Full disclosure: it’s more work than I thought it would be. But, it’s totally worth it if it means getting personalized results.