Now ZOE app can 'see' fibre levels on your plate

ZOE, the diet science app co-founded by Professor Tim Spector, has added a feature that lets users estimate the amount of fibre in a meal simply by taking a photo of the plate. The company says fibre supports gut health, aids weight management and can lower the risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes and several cancers. Despite the potential benefits, only about 4% of Britons meet the NHS’s recommended daily fibre intake, which is sourced from fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

The new tool analyzes an image of a plate to estimate nutritional content within seconds. The service is available now, costs £10 a month, and is accompanied by an AI chatbot that offers diet advice and a tracker that flags whether a user is meeting daily fruit and vegetable targets. ZOE says the relaunch refocuses on helping users make better food choices and avoid ultra-processed ingredients. Professor Spector said: "With ZOE's new photo tool it's now simpler than ever to track what really matters for your gut health – how many different plants you're eating, and whether you're getting enough fibre. Most of us fall short on both, but the science is clear – eating 30 or more different plants a week is one of the best ways to improve the diversity of your gut microbes, which in turn supports better health. Fibre is just as critical, with a daily target of at least 30g. This tool makes it easy to celebrate variety in your meals and keep an eye on the numbers that count – not calories, but plants and fibre."

The app's backstory sits alongside Spector's public profile during the pandemic era. He rose to prominence with the ZOE Covid symptom tracker app, which was used by nearly five million Britons. In 2022 his company released a nutrition app that offered diet advice using a blood sugar monitor, and more than 130,000 people have used it since. The firm says nearly half of Britons don’t feel confident when shopping for healthy products. The new feature arrives as researchers emphasize the importance of variety and fibre in everyday eating. The daily fibre target remains 30g, and health experts note that consuming 30 or more different plants per week supports a diverse gut microbiome and overall well-being.