Most replayed moment: Lessons from a 5000-year-old diet | Frank Maixner & Tim Spector
3/31/202614 min
Today we’re going prehistoric. We have to stay sharp at ZOE. Nutritional science moves fast, so it’s important for us to stay up to date with new discoveries and the latest advice. However, every now and then, it helps to look back - way back. In this recap, we’re turning to a rather unusual teacher: a 5,000-year-old Iceman, preserved in ice and carrying clues about the diet of our ancient ancestors. I’m joined by Frank Maixner and Professor Tim Spector to uncover what this prehistoric man ate and what those findings can teach us about our diet today. 🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+ *Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE 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 Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here Listen to the full episode here
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First 90 secondsJonathan Wolf· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to ZOE Recap, where each week we find the best bits from one of our podcast episodes to help you improve your health. We have to stay sharp at ZOE. Nutrition science moves fast, so it's important for us to stay up-to-date with new discoveries and the latest advice. However, every now and then, it helps to look back, way back. And in this recap, we're turning to a rather unusual teacher, a 5,000-year-old iceman preserved in ice and carrying clues about the diet of our ancient ancestors. I'm joined by Frank Maixner and Professor Tim Spector to uncover what this prehistoric man ate and what those findings can teach us about our diet today. Frank, can you tell us about what happened, I think about 30 years ago, high in the mountains, you know, between Italy and Austria?
Frank Maixner· Guest0:53
Yeah. It was in 1991, actually. So there was this couple from Nuremberg, Erika and Helmut Simon. They made, uh, holidays, and they were on a hike in the mountains, in the Alpine ridge between Austria and Italy. And it was quite late already at the day, and then they need to take a shortcut back to the hut there. And when doing this, they stumbled over a body which was still sticking half in the ice, and they immediately thought that this maybe is a hiker or skier who died up there. And they informed the hut owner,