Frequently Asked Questions

The ZOE program is currently available to people living in the continental United States and Hawaii. However our testing & membership products are not currently available to people living in New York due to regulations in this state.

The ZOE programme is also available in the UK. For more information, read our UK FAQs.

If you're not from the UK or US, we'd love you to register your interest and join our waitlist so we can gauge demand as we expand.

We do not diagnose, prevent, or treat any diseases (including metabolic or inflammatory conditions). If you have any underlying health conditions you should consult your treating physician before joining the program.

This program is not appropriate for those with an eating disorder or a history of eating disorders.

Chronic conditions and diabetes

We do factor some conditions into our advice including many common medications for diabetes (e.g. metformin) and heart disease (e.g. statins).

To access the blood sensor you'll also need to consent to take part in our study, which excludes chronic diseases like diabetes. Read more about our entry criteria here.

Gut issues

Unfortunately, if you have a gut disease (e.g. Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease) then you are not eligible for the program.

If you have a sensitive gut (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome) then you may join the program. However, you should understand that our advice is for general wellness and is not specifically formulated for your condition. Some diet changes we recommend, such as increasing fiber and diversifying your plant intake, have been shown to trigger adverse responses in some people with a sensitive gut. While we give advice that is suitable for most people, following our advice could make your condition worse. We are actively researching how we might be able to adjust our advice specifically for people living with irritable bowel syndrome.

No, ZOE is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions. It is a tool that is meant for general wellness purposes only.

ZOE is the science and nutrition company leading a movement to transform the health of millions. Our research, backed by clinical trials, shows that eating the right foods for your body can help you feel better in weeks and be on track for more healthy years. Learn more.

ZOE runs PREDICT, the world’s largest nutrition study, transforming how we understand food and health. Our expert team includes:

• Prof. Tim Spector – ZOE Co-founder and Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London.

• Prof. Sarah Berry – Chief Scientist at ZOE and Professor at King’s College London.

• Dr. Federica Amati – Head Nutritionist at ZOE and author of Every Body Should Know This.

We’ve published over 60 peer-reviewed papers and collaborate with institutions like King’s College London, Mass General Hospital, and Stanford Medicine. Our research has peen published in Nature Medicine, including studies on individual food responses (2020) and our Randomised Controlled Trial (2024).

Learn more

The app uses world-leading nutrition science to help you make smarter food choices and improve your health. It encourages mindful eating—take a moment before eating to pause, snap a photo of your meal, and reflect on what’s on your plate—guiding you towards your health goals.

Meal scores are based on scientific research on how food affects your health. We consider factors like blood sugar and fat impact, macronutrient balance, and fiber content. Our scoring reflects the positive aspects of your meals and how they contribute to your health. Rewards are linked to consistent logging and making healthier food choices over time. Rewards, in the form of beans, encourage consistent, healthful choices that align with the latest science and support your overall health.

The yellow character represents one of the trillions of ‘good’ bacteria in your gut, crucial for your digestion, immunity, and overall health. This friendly bug guides you through your journey to better gut health.

Mindful eating is about pausing before you eat, reflecting on your food choices, and understanding their impact on your health. It’s the first step towards making smarter, more satisfying food decisions.

By joining ZOE Plus, you’re getting full access to all our premium features:

• Personalised scores to help you make smarter food choices

• Unlimited learning so you can explore as much as you want

• A completely ad-free experience

ZOE Plus costs $99.99 yearly or $15.99 monthly.

Just head to your App Store subscriptions in your phone's settings.

We’re sorry to hear you’ve had issues making a purchase in the ZOE app. All purchases in the ZOE app are handled through the app Store. If you're still having problems making purchases after following the steps below, please contact the application store's customer support.

If you've made purchases in the ZOE app or other applications before, the issue may be caused by one of the following:

1. Problems with your network connection. Your network connection needs to be stable in order to make purchases, so we advise using WiFi if you are able to, or at least 4/5G mobile network.

2. Temporary problems with the application store. All in-app purchases are processed by the app store, so there is a chance the store is overloaded and unable to process your request. In that case, just wait a few minutes and try again.

If you've never made purchases in the ZOE app or other applications, the problem may be one of the following:

1. Incorrect payment information. The easiest way to fix this is to cancel the payment method and start over.

2. Unsupported payment method. The app store may not support the payment method you want to use. The list of available payment methods can be found in the support section of your device's application store.

It’s great to hear you have been enjoying our free app & paid to upgrade your experience to ZOE Plus. Currently, our testing is a separate product to ZOE Plus. If you want to complete the full testing experience, you can head over to zoe.com and select “get started”. For assistance with signup and to ensure a smooth process, please contact our customer support team at hello@joinzoe.com before placing your order.

If you have a ZOE test kit but can’t find where to scan the barcode, you might be in the wrong version of the ZOE app.

Follow these steps to scan your test kit and get started:

1. Open your profile

2. Tap ‘Log out’

3. On the welcome screen, tap ‘I already have an account’

4. Sign in using the email and password you used when purchasing your test kit

If you have forgotten your password, here’s how to reset it:

1. Tap ‘I already have an account’ on the welcome screen

2. Tap ‘Forgot password?’ and enter the email you used for your purchase

3. Check your inbox (including your spam folder) and wait a few minutes for the reset email

4. Tap the link in the email and choose a new password

5. Use your new password to sign in

Once you're signed in, you’ll be able to scan your test kit barcode and get started. If you have further questions contact us at hello@zoe.com

To get a free blood sugar sensor with your test kit you must consent to our clinical study. The cost of the program does not include any study-related costs (including the blood sugar sensor) as ZOE covers these. To be eligible for the study you must meet the following criteria:

• You are at least 18 years of age (or at least 19 years of age if you live in Alabama or Nebraska).

• You live in the continental United States, but not in New York due to state regulations.

• You have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 16.5 kg/m2.

• You are not pregnant.

• You have not had a heart attack (myocardial infarction), stroke/transient ischemic attack, or major surgery in the last two months.

• You can safely eat our test meals.

• If you are being treated for chronic medical conditions (such as eating disorders, type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes), you have checked with your treating physician that this product is safe for you.

The poop test is easy to collect and comes with step-by-step instructions to help you. The sample goes into a solution that preserves it, so there is no need to store it in your fridge. Phew!

There's a variety of next-generation sequencing approaches for studying the human microbiome. We chose shotgun metagenomics as it is the most comprehensive approach at sampling the whole DNA content of a microbiome.

This technique can detect very low abundance members of the microbial community (i.e. those found in very small numbers) that may be missed using other methods and provides information about the metabolic processes and functions present within a microbial community.

You can learn more about how we analyse your gut microbiome here.

As of September 2023, we have reformulated our previous muffin test meal into a cookie form that is now suitable for vegans and vegetarians. 

They are also free of all major allergens and alcohol but have been made in a facility that handles tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and eggs.

The cookies are not certified gluten-free or kosher. 

If you received a test kit that contains muffins, please note that while our muffins do not contain gluten or dairy, they do contain egg. 

The muffins have been produced in a facility that also handles milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soy. 

You must complete your testing tasks within two weeks of kit delivery. If you do not complete testing and send off your samples in time, we may not be able to process your tests

Yes - there are some criteria that mean you can’t join the study and therefore will be unable to access the blood sugar sensor (also known as a continuous glucose monitor or CGM):

• Pregnancy

• If you’ve had a heart attack myocardial infarction) or stroke/transient ischemic attack

• If you’ve had major surgery in the last two months

• If you cannot safely eat our test cookies (See 'Are your test meals suitable for vegans or vegetarians?' above for ingredient list)

• If you’re being treated for chronic conditions including type 1 and type 2 diabetes

• If you’re unable to fast for four hours

• If you have a BMI of less than 16.5

To get a blood sugar sensor you must consent to our clinical study. There are no additional costs to you for having to do so. After purchasing a ZOE plan, you will be directed to a page where you are prompted to complete your order and consent to our study. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are at least 18 years of age (or at least 19 years of age if you live in Alabama or Nebraska)

• You live in the continental United States, but not in New York due to state regulations

• You have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 16.5 kg/m2

• You are not pregnant

• You have not had a heart attack (myocardial infarction), stroke/transient ischemic attack, or major surgery in the last two months

• You can safely eat our test cookies (See 'Are your test meals suitable for vegans or vegetarians?' above for the ingredient list)

• If you are being treated for chronic medical conditions (such as eating disorders, type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes), you have checked with your treating physician that this product is safe for you

The blood sugar sensor (also known as a continuous glucose monitor or CGM) is a blood sugar monitoring device manufactured by Abbott.

To collect data, it connects to an app on your mobile phone, LibreLink, via a form of wireless technology called near field communication, NFC. As such, it can only work with newer devices that have this function.

App compatibility

To check your device meets requirements, please download and attempt to install it as follows:

• iPhone users should attempt to download the LibreLink app here

• Android users should attempt to download the LibreLink app here

Device compatibility

iPhone

• The sensor is only compatible with an iPhone 8 or later / iPhone SE (2nd gen)

• Your phone will need to run iOS 15.5 or later

• We can't support iPads

Android

• You’ll need Android 8 or later

• The oldest devices we support are: Galaxy Note 8, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, S9, S10; Google Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL; LG Nexus 5X

• You need to be able to install apps from the Google Play Store - some recent Huawei phones cannot

You can shower or bathe while wearing the blood sugar sensor. However, it shouldn’t be taken below a depth of 1 metre (3ft) in water or submerged in water for more than 30 minutes as this could break or deactivate it.

That’s why we recommend that you avoid swimming or using saunas or steam rooms until you’ve finished your test.

The sensor comes provided with a plastic applicator. Cleaning the skin with the provided alcohol wipe, you place this firmly on the skin. With a firm ‘stamping’ motion, it gets applied. Some people may feel a slight pinching sensation, but this goes away soon after and the sensor should be painless to wear.

We recommend placing it on the back of your arm to avoid knocking the sensor and potentially dislodging it. We’ll also provide you with a latex-free sticker to cover the sensor, to keep it extra safe!

Absolutely! We actually encourage it to see how exercise affects your sugar response. If you play contact sports, plan to wear your sensor when you’re not playing a game, or position it somewhere that is unlikely to get hit.

No. ZOE covers any specific study-related costs, so you do not pay extra for the sensor.

The sensor lasts for approximately two weeks. We’ll gather the crucial information - your response to the test cookies - over a few days. For the remainder of the time, you’re free to experiment with different foods to get visual real-time feedback on how your body responds to sugar. You can also explore how different interventions can minimise the detrimental impact of sugar on your body.

No. Sensors are only available as part of the test kit and as such are limited to one per person.

You will receive one LibreLink sensor. This sensor is worn and collects data for up to two weeks. We are able to get all we need for your results from this time window.

To get your results you will first need to complete your tests at home and return your samples in the package provided. From there it currently takes about 6 weeks for our labs to process your samples. You will then receive an email as soon as your insights reports are ready to view.

In some cases, results will take longer to process due to retesting. If you need to retest due to issues with any of your samples, we will contact you via email immediately. From the point of retesting, you can expect to receive your results within 4-6 weeks.

No, we don't have sample reports that we can share.

Here's what you can expect to receive:

• A dietary inflammation profile (blood sugar & blood fat control), scored from 0-100, 'Bad' to 'Excellent'

• An introduction to our food scores

• Personalised food insights for your meals logged during your testing week

• The abundance of 50 "good" and "bad" microbes from your gut health sample

We recently made a breakthrough discovery in gut microbiome science, identifying the top 50 ‘good’ bugs associated with good health markers, and the 50 ‘bad’ bugs associated with bad health markers. This is based on our analysis of 35,000 stool samples, enabling us to identify thousands of bacteria that are entirely new to science. Read more here.

Yes. The ZOE app is currently available on both iOS (iPhone with iOS version 15.5 or later) and Android devices (Samsung, LG, Motorola etc. with Android 8.0 or later).

You'll also need to download and use the Abbott FreeStyle LibreLink app if you've opted-in to our study and will be using the blood sugar sensor.

If your phone is compatible with the Abbott FreeStyle LibreLink app, your phone will act as the reader to scan the study sensor:

• iPhone iOS 15.5 or later and an iPhone 8 or newer. / iPhone SE (2nd gen). We can't support iPads

• Android 8.0 or later. The oldest Android devices supported are: Galaxy Note 8, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, S9, S10; Google Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL; LG Nexus 5X. You'll also need to check you can install apps from the Google Play Store (some recent Huawei phones cannot)

If your device is incompatible, we will send you a separate reader device to scan your study sensor.

We take data security and your privacy seriously and your information will be stored securely. Our full privacy policy can be found here.

All sales are final and may not be cancelled unless your order has not been prepared yet. Preparation typically occurs within 24-48 hours after order completion. If there are any issues with quality or there are damaged parts, please get in contact with our support team and they'll be happy to assist you. If you are participating in the research study, you have the right to discontinue the study at any time. The cost of the program does not include any study-related costs as ZOE covers these, so you remain responsible for the cost of your order.

For the test kit & membership:

You can manage your membership in the ZOE app. In the menu, tap on ‘Settings’ > 'Account settings' > 'Membership'.

You can also cancel on zoe.com/account by clicking on the Manage button for the subscription you want to cancel, clicking on Cancel my plan and following the steps until confirmation.

For ZOE Plus, just head to your App Store subscriptions in your phone's settings. To avoid being charged, you must cancel at least the day before each renewal date. Your access to premium features will end when your subscription terms end.

We're sorry to hear about any disappointment, and we're eager to sort it out. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We want to ensure that we're aware of any issues so we can correct them, not just for you, but for others, too. We'll do our best not to make the same mistake again.

If you would like to raise a complaint, please email us anytime at complaints@joinzoe.com. Our complaints team will acknowledge your message within 48 hours and will review your case thoroughly within the following 5-7 working days.

For the Science and Nutrition free app, you can report bugs directly through the app’s feedback section or email us at userresearch@joinzoe.com.

Klarna is a payment service that allows you to pay for your purchase in interest-free instalments.

When you choose to pay with Klarna, your instalments will be automatically deducted from your bank account or credit card on a schedule determined at checkout. There are no additional fees or interest if payments are made on time.

If you miss an instalment, Klarna may charge a late fee. Klarna will also contact you with a revised payment schedule, so it's important to stay up to date with your payments.

Klarna conducts a soft credit check when you apply for an instalment plan, which does not affect your credit score. However, missing payments could potentially be reported to credit bureaus.

You can manage your payments and view your payment schedule by logging into your Klarna account. Klarna will also send payment reminders before each due date.

If you have questions or encounter issues with your Klarna payments, you can contact Klarna's customer support, which is available via their website or app for assistance.

Please forward any affiliate/partnership requests to social@joinzoe.com and our team will get back to you.

Daily30+ tastes like a nutty, savoury blend and includes herbs and spices like thyme and turmeric. It is complemented with functional mushrooms, seeds, and pulses (e.g., lentils).

Daily30+ is best used with savoury foods at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time. Unlike synthetic supplements, Daily30+ is designed to be enjoyed. Sprinkle it daily over eggs, yoghurt, hummus, salads, soups, grilled protein, and other meals to add a delicious taste and satisfying crunch.

You can see the full nutritional information.

Ingredients: Flaxseed, Red lentil flakes, Grape Seed, Chia seeds, Chicory Root Inulin, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Puffed Quinoa, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Seaweed, Nutritional Yeast Flakes, Hemp Seeds, White Mushroom, Thyme, Onion, Parsley, Turmeric, Cumin, Garlic, Rosemary, Baobab Fruit Pulp, Buckthorn, Chaga, Lion's Mane, Shitake, Maitake, Tremella, Reishi, Cordyceps

For allergens see ingredients in bold

With just one scoop a day (15g), you will get over 30 plants to help you reach the optimal amount of fibre and plant diversity for a healthier and balanced diet. Daily30+ has been designed to score 100 in the ZOE App.

The ingredients in Daily30+ support your gut health*, energy levels**, and daily nutrition***.


Gut health*: Incorporating just one scoop of Daily30+ every day will help you achieve the ideal fibre intake with 5g per scoop. This prebiotic fibre contributes to normal bowel function by increasing stool frequency. It also contains Omega 3 ALAs, plant protein, PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids), and polyphenols. Daily30+ contains over 30 plants, including 8 different nuts and seeds, 8 different herbs and spices, 1 wholegrain (quinoa), and 1 legume (red lentils).


Energy**: Daily30+ is a natural source of minerals, which helps support you throughout the day.

Daily30+ is a natural source of copper, which contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system. It is also a source of Omega 3 ALAs, which play an important role in brain function.

In addition, our carefully selected ingredients focus on maximising quality and whole plant consumption, with a blend that preserves the natural food matrix delivering texture and flavour.

* Gut health & digestion: Daily30+ is a natural source of calcium. Calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes.

 **Energy: Daily30+ is a natural source of copper, which contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system.

***Supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. Please use Daily30+ as part of a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the stated, recommended daily dose (15g).

Yes, it is completely vegan, with no added salt or sugar. It is also a source of plant protein and omega-3. Daily30+ is gluten-free and made in a gluten-free facility so there is no risk of cross-contamination.

While we try to source organic ingredients, this is not always possible for some of the plants in Daily30+, either because there is not a reliable source of organic options or because these options are not as high-quality. 

We are constantly working to improve the organic makeup of our product. Our ingredients are sourced to be of the highest quality, and all our suppliers must comply with strict sustainability standards.

Our study was done as part of the development process for Daily30+, and we have since made some small changes. This means the results apply to a slightly different recipe than the one we currently sell, but we think the changes we have made make it better! We will be retesting again later this year.

BIOME was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 399 people, with the final analysis on 349 people over 6 weeks. Participants were all healthy, 76% women, 24% men with a mean age 51 years recruited from the ZOE Health Study. The study had 3 arms: a functional control arm: consumed bread croutons (28g/day), intervention 1: consumed Daily30+ (30g/day i.e. 2 scoops) and intervention 2: took a daily probiotic (1 capsule/day).

The study found that the Daily30+ group saw significant change in gut microbiome composition to a healthier profile and higher score — an increase of 5 points on ZOE microbiome score in 6 weeks.

55% reported improvement in indigestion (vs. 36% in control)
35% reported improvement in constipation (vs 25% in control)
18% reported improvement in heartburn (vs 12% in control)
37% reported improvement in flatulence (vs 24% in control)
70% reported improvement in overall symptoms (vs 56% in control)
51% reported improvement in energy (vs 37% in control)
45% reported improvement in mood (happiness) (vs 30% in control)
35% reported improved sleep quality (vs 20% in control)
98.3% compliance — this is excellent for an RCT.

We have added North Atlantic seaweed into Daily30+ as it is a naturally rich source of calcium. We have also removed the carrot and beetroot. We were not happy with the consistent quality of these two ingredients so are looking for a new supplier.

You can manage your account by logging in here. You will be able to manage your address, payment methods, change your order dates, pause or cancel.

The total cost will depend on which tier you choose to purchase. If you have tested previously you will not need to buy a new test kit, returning members only need to pay the rolling monthly payment.

Start

• 4-month plan

• $294 upfront to cover the testing (test kit)

• $24.99 monthly as a rolling payment for 4 months

Core

• 12-month plan

• $294 upfront to cover the testing (test kit)

• $9.99 monthly as a rolling payment for 12 months

The new membership prices will be applied when your membership is up for renewal, starting with those renewing at the end of January.

When your current membership plan ends, you'll automatically transition to the new pricing plan without any action required on your part. We will email you two weeks before your plan ends with more details about your new plan (4-month plans at $24.99 per month, 12-month plans at $9.99 per month).

You only need to contact us if:

• You wish to switch to a different plan than the one you'll automatically transition to

• You need to update your payment details

If you're happy with the plan you'll automatically move to, there's nothing more you need to do. We're excited to continue supporting you on your health journey with our improved pricing structure.

If you were previously a member of ZOE, have completed a test kit and wish to rejoin, simply email us at hello@joinzoe.com or message us through the app and we'll get you set back up as soon as possible.

You will have two options to choose from when starting your membership:

• Start - $24.99 monthly as a rolling payment for 4 months

• Core - $9.99 monthly as a rolling payment for 12 months

Once your membership restarts, all your previous data and information will still be within the app.

• Go to zoe.com/account

• Click on the Manage button for the Daily30+ subscription

• Click on Change the next order date

• Select a new date and confirm

• Go to zoe.com/account

• Click on the Manage button for the Daily30+ subscription

• Click on Pause this subscription

• Select for how long you want to pause (1 to 4 months) and confirm

• If you have purchased products via our website:

  • Go to zoe.com/account

  • Click on the Manage button for the subscription you want to cancel

  • Click on Cancel my plan

  • Follow the steps until confirmation

  If you have purchased our ZOE Plus plan via the Science & Nutrition app, just head to your App Store subscriptions in your phone's settings. To avoid being charged, you must cancel at least the day before each renewal date. Your access to premium features will end when your subscription terms end.

• Go to zoe.com/account

• Click on Order history (or visit zoe.com/account/order-history)

• You will see the full list of your orders and their status

• Go to zoe.com/account

• Click on Order history (or visit zoe.com/account/order-history)

• You will see the status of your order (Scheduled, In Preparation, In Transit, Delivered)

• If available, you will see the tracking number of your order

• If you have purchased products via our website:

  • Go to zoe.com/account

  • Click on Payment Details (or visit zoe.com/account/payment-details)

  • Click on Manage payment methods

  • You will be redirected to our third-party payment site - Stripe - where you can change your card details

  • You will need to change your payment details for each of your subscriptions (Daily30+ / membership)

  If you have purchased our ZOE Plus plan via the Science & Nutrition app, just head to your App Store subscriptions in your phone's settings.

• If you have purchased products via our website:

  • Go to zoe.com/account

  • You can see there the next payment date for each of your subscriptions

  If you have purchased our ZOE Plus plan via the Science & Nutrition app, just head to your App Store subscriptions in your phone's settings.

• Go to zoe.com/account

• Click on Personal Details (or visit zoe.com/account/profile)

• You can change your name, address or phone number there

We’re preparing to launch the next generation of our testing experience. To make space for the new inventory and support this transition, we’re offering a limited-time discount on our current test kit. This is a unique opportunity to access our classic test kit, at a significantly reduced price, and gain an in-depth understanding of your metabolic health and gut microbiome.

The discount will be available on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last. We encourage customers to act quickly, as there will be no more test kits available in this version once the remaining stock is sold.

The discount applies only to the testing, as we prepare to roll out our next generation tests very soon. Membership pricing remains the same, but we’re excited to offer savings on the test kit to help you understand your metabolic and gut health more affordably.

Once you receive your test kit, you will need to complete your testing tasks & return your samples within two weeks. This means you will need to:

• Apply & set up the blood sugar sensor the day before your testing starts

Then, on your main test day, you will need to:

• Collect your stool sample

• Eat your breakfast & lunch cookies

• Do your blood test

All of the above steps will be fully outlined in your app on test day. Then, on days two to four of testing:

• Test your own meals and log everything you eat for these three days

You can wear your CGM for up to 14 days - the end of the 14 days does not need to be within the two-week testing window