BBC - The Truth About (2015)

Science documentary series tackling everyday issues that affect us all. Each episode features different presenters and experts in their fields.

Part 1: Sugar
Journalist Fiona Phillips is on a mission to find out the truth behind the recent headlines on sugar. She discovers why some of us have more of a sweet tooth than others, which sugars you can enjoy guilt-free, why there is so much sugar hidden in food you would think was purely savoury and what effect sugary drinks have on the appetite. Fiona also helps four Brits, whose sugar-heavy diets could be putting their health at risk, to change their ways. From coming up with low-sugar recipes to finding ways to beat the sweet cravings, they will see whether cutting back to the levels suggested by health authorities is really achievable and what the benefits actually are. As the dieters progress on their journey, it soon becomes clear that the transformations will be dramatic.

Part 2: Calories
Calories are a national obsession but are they really worth counting? Dr Chris van Tulleken takes nine randomly selected supermarket foods to an independent testing laboratory and discovers that only one of the labels matches the calories in the packet. The calorie count of all the other foods is up to 10% above or below the number on the label. Three Glasgow families take Chris's Big Calorie Challenge to find the best way to burn off calories. Surprisingly, they discover they're better off doing the housework than going to the gym. Chris's ultimate goal is to find out how we can cut our calories but keep eating our favourite treats. He discovers some kitchen secrets to strip 360 calories out of a luxury meal of steak, chips and cream pudding without changing a single ingredient. This programme shows how we can all be healthier by eating smarter - without taking the joy out of food.

Part 3: Fat
Fat has a reputation as public health enemy number one. But is it really the devil we think? Recent headlines suggest that we may have got it all wrong, and that fat may not be as bad as we've long believed. Dr Saleyha Ahsan cuts through the confusion and reveals the surprising science of fat. She discovers that eating fat isn't the only culprit behind the nation's ever-expanding waistline and investigates some startling new research that suggests some saturated fats might even be good for our health. A group of nine volunteers take Salehya's Big Fat Challenge to investigate the strange things that happen to our body and mind if we stop eating fat entirely. And Saleyha discovers the fat hidden in sea water that could make the food of the future a lot healthier. This programme shows how we can be smarter about fat if we know which ones we should really be eating and how much is good for us.

Part 4: Your Medicine Cabinet
Dr Chris Van Tulleken calls on the British public to seek out the truth about the top-selling over-the-counter medicines. We spend an astonishing �2.3 billion on pills, potions and lotions from the chemist's shop every year to beat common ailments from headaches to colds to indigestion. But how much do we really know about what we're buying? Chris embarks on a series of stunts and experiments up and down the country to uncover the secrets of Britain's favourite medicines: how do they act in the body? Should you take a daily dose of vitamins? Is honey and lemon just as good as cough syrup? What's the best way to relieve pain after exercise? And could home remedies work just as well? Chris finds out whether these common cures are all they're cracked up to be or whether there are better ways to spend our hard-earned cash.