Sliced Bread

Toast - Series 1: Friends Reunited

<p>While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.</p><p>You can contact us at <a href="mailto:toast@bbc.co.uk">toast@bbc.co.uk</a></p><p>In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea which ended up toast, examining the reasons behind the failure and discovering what can we learn from its story today.</p><p>Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition, speaking to expert commentators to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.</p><p>Sean is assisted by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, as together they try to work out what went wrong.</p><p>This week, Sean and Sam look into a hugely successful website from a time when most people in the UK were slowly getting used to the internet. </p><p>Friends Reunited provided a unique way for users to reconnect with old school friends.</p><p>It made a fortune for its founders but was closed for good in 2016. Could it still have been successful today? </p><p>Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.</p><p>Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.</p><p>Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.</p><p>The producers are Jay Unger and Jon Douglas.</p>

Toast - Series 1: Blockbuster

<p>While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.</p><p>In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt?</p><p>Some of the world’s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world’s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today?</p><p>Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He speaks to expert commentators and to people involved with doomed wonder products to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.</p><p>Along the way he discovers charming and surprising stories from people who took to these products but lived to regret it and, with the help of self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur Sam White, tries to work out where they went wrong.</p><p>This week, Sean and Sam examine the game and movie rental chain, Blockbuster. </p><p>Its first store opened in 1985 in Dallas, Texas. At its peak in 2004, it had around 9,000 stores globally, was earning nearly $5.9 billion in revenue and employed over 84,000 people worldwide.</p><p>How did it lose its way? Spoiler alert - it wasn't just down to the rise of streaming services like Netflix. </p><p>Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.</p><p>Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.</p><p>Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.</p>

Toast - Series 1: Olestra

<p>While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers. In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt? Some of the world’s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world’s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today? Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He speaks to expert commentators and to people involved with doomed wonder products to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently. </p><p>Along the way he discovers charming and surprising stories from people who took to these products but lived to regret it and, with the help of self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur Sam White, tries to work out where they went wrong. This week, Sean and Sam look into a fat substitute called Olestra which promised to make savoury snacks healthier. </p><p>With none of the fat and far fewer calories, Olestra sounded like a dieter's dream..... but it didn't turn out that way. </p><p>Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.</p>

Toast - Series 1: Google Glass

<p>From the team behind the hit series, Sliced Bread. </p><p>Sean Farrington investigates wonder products and businesses which promised so much to consumers.... but ultimately ended up toast. </p><p>Sean is joined by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to conclude what went wrong. Together they look at why a product or business failed, and what we can learn from their stories today. </p><p>In this episode, Sean talks about wearable tech and Google Glass. </p><p>These futuristic looking spectacles, with a heads-up display which showed text messages and street directions and allowed users to record video footage of what was happening around them, were named in Time Magazine as one of the best inventions of 2012. </p><p>There was plenty of hype. Google even demonstrated them by live-streaming a sky dive using Google Glass.</p><p>But by 2015, just two years after their release, Google announced that Google Glass Explorer, the consumer version of the glasses, was going to be shelved, and the version used by businesses has since been ditched too. </p><p>Sean and Sam speak to the BBC's former technology correspondent, Rory Cellan Jones, and the 'godfather' of wearable technology, Professor Sandy Pentland from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), to discover how Google Glass went from being the best thing since sliced bread, to toast.</p><p>Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Jay Unger</p>

Toast - Series 1: Trailer

<p>Greg Foot introduces a new series from the team that brought you Sliced Bread.</p><p>In Toast, Sean Farrington examines the wonder products and businesses that promised so much at launch but ultimately crashed and burned. With the help of industry experts, he asks what went wrong and what - if anything - they could have done differently.</p><p>Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Sourdough

<p>Is sourdough the best thing since Sliced Bread?</p><p>It’s the last episode in the current series so I thought it was about time I investigated this! </p><p>Listener Janet got in touch wanting to know whether sourdough really does live up to the hype. Is it better for our digestive health than other breads? Is it made with fewer additives? And do the cheaper sourdough loaves we can buy in the supermarket really cut it - or are they just ‘sourfaux’?</p><p>To find out, I went to a baking school to make a sourdough loaf from scratch, learning about the process and ingredients that go to make the sort of sourdough you’d find at an artisan or traditional bakers - and might cost over five pounds.</p><p>And I speak to one of the world’s leading nutritional experts on bread to find out which types we should eat for our health.</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Mascara

<p>Mascara is a crucial element of many a make-up bag - but can mascaras really deliver on their promises of longer, fuller, or curlier lashes? </p><p>Listener Kath got in touch to ask exactly that. She also wants to know if you pay more for mascara, do you get better results? How should we remove it - and what about waterproof products that are tough to take off? Are we potentially damaging our lashes? </p><p>Greg Foot sets his sights on investigating by recruiting some regular mascara wearers to try out differently priced products, as well as speaking to a consultant dermatologist and cosmetic chemist to find out. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Toothpaste

<p>Do toothpastes promising to repair enamel and help with sensitive teeth really work?</p><p>We've all been there - you go down the supermarket aisle to grab toothpaste and suddenly you’re faced with an ocean of the stuff, all promising to do different things. Buzz-phrases like ‘protect’ and ‘repair’ all vie for your attention. But just what are the ingredients in all these different toothpastes? And do they live up to the marketing hype?</p><p>In this episode we hear from three listeners keen to find out: Bernadette has sensitive teeth, Deirdre is concerned about her enamel and Melvyn wants to protect his gums. Can presenter Greg Foot find a toothpaste that will work for them and leave them all smiles?</p><p>This series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Herbal Sleep Aids

<p>Sleep is never more important than when you aren’t getting any. And there’s a large range of night time teas, herbal tablets and relaxing oils and sprays that promise to help you get some. But can they really deliver?</p><p>Listener Corrine got in touch after struggling with her sleep post menopause, wanting to know if there was any evidence to back up the claims of various natural sleep aids. Can they give her the restful night’s sleep she craves – or is it just a waste of money? She sets Greg Foot the job of finding out, by speaking to an expert sleep physiologist, as well as a professor in clinical pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology. </p><p>This series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Mattresses

<p>We spend a lot of time on them so it’s important to get the right mattress. But buying one can be confusing. Some use springs while others are made out of foam - or there’s a combination of both. Then there’s memory foam, with brands like Tempur claiming to make their mattresses out of ‘proprietary’ material. And can a good mattress help to alleviate back pain?</p><p>These are the questions keeping listener Stephen up at night and he tasks presenter Greg Foot with finding out more. Greg speaks to experts in the mattress industry and a sleep specialist, looking at the scientific evidence to test whether the claims made by mattress manufacturers live up to the marketing hype. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>Presenter: Greg Foot Producer: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Conditioners and Heat Protection Products

<p>After the Sliced Bread episode on shampoo, a number of listeners got in touch to request a follow-up episode on conditioners. So of course, we obliged. </p><p>Listener Katie wanted to know what they actually do to our hair, if they can deliver on promises for shinier, smoother, or stronger locks – and whether leave-in treatments could be more effective than conditioners you wash off in the shower? </p><p>Listener Franziska also got in touch, as she wondered if we could also have a look at heat protection products. She wanted to know what’s in them, can they offer our hair any protection while styling, and is there a difference between the effectiveness of sprays or creams? </p><p>Greg Foot rinses out the claims on both, speaking once again to the experts from Shampoo – also available on BBC Sounds. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>Presenter: Greg Foot Producer: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Bottled Water

<p>Listener Isla, 11, wants to know if bottled water from the UK's biggest selling brands such as Evian and Buxton is cleaner, healthier, cheaper and greener than the stuff that comes from the tap.</p><p>Greg Foot drills down into the subject, investigating the claims made by manufacturers of bottled water. Does it make any difference if water has spent years underground being "filtered by rocks" before being bottled? Are there more minerals in bottled water than in tap? And even though companies are making more of their bottles from recycled plastic, what’s the environmental impact?</p><p>Greg speaks to experts including a lecturer in water chemistry, an environmental NGO and a water sommelier (yes, they’re a thing!) who explains why some bottled water can cost more than a hundred pounds.</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Painkillers

<p>When it comes to shop-bought painkillers, there are rows and rows of shelves dedicated to them in supermarkets and pharmacies – ranging from own-brand tablets, to more expensive capsules and caplets, as well as branded packets that promise to work faster, and target specific pain. </p><p>Listener Hannah got in touch all the way from Tunisia to ask the questions – what’s the difference between paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin? Can certain painkillers target specific pain? And are any of them able to deliver faster pain relief than others – particularly the pricier branded ones? </p><p>Greg Foot swallows all the information available, and talks to experts in clinical pharmacology and biochemistry to find out. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Eco Laundry Products

<p>In this episode presenter Greg Foot investigates three products that promise to make washing your laundry better for the planet.</p><p>Listener Clare wants to know if the Ecoegg she’s using really is a greener alternative to liquid detergent and whether the cleaning pellets inside are harmful to the environment.</p><p>Another listener, Jane, got in touch about laundry sheets – strips of concentrated detergent that go inside the washing machine’s drum. Is the slightly higher cost worth it to cut down on waste?</p><p>And finally Mary wanted to know about filters that capture harmful microfibres which are shed from our clothes in the washing process and get into the environment, causing huge problems for marine life.</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Petrol

<p>Petrol is something millions of drivers around the UK rely on, but when faced with the choice of what to fill up with at the pumps, many wonder what is the difference between regular and premium unleaded?</p><p>That’s exactly what listener Irfan wanted to know, and if premium can really deliver on its promises to make your car more efficient, take you further, and clean out your engine for a higher price tag. </p><p>Greg Foot drives the investigation into unleaded petrol, what’s changed since we moved from E5 to E10 as our standard, what makes premium special, can it take you further, and whether our carbon footprint is better with one than the other?</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Energy Drinks

<p>Sales of energy drinks are rising and their brightly coloured cans line the shelves of almost every supermarket or grocery store in the UK. But do brands like Monster, Red Bull and Relentless deliver on their promises? </p><p>Listener Syed is a consultant radiologist and says he needs to be on his A-Game in his demanding job. He wants to know if an energy drink would be any better than his usual cup of coffee in helping him stay alert. He's also keen to know more about some of the ingredients they contain - things like taurine, guarana and electrolytes. What exactly do they do? And are energy drinks safe to drink regularly?</p><p>Presenter Greg Foot has a thirst for knowledge and speaks to expert dieticians and cardiologists to find out if energy drinks live up to the hype. Are they the best thing since sliced bread - or marketing BS?</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Shampoo

<p>Shampoo ranges hugely in price, from own brand bottles to premium products that promise to improve your hair, leaving it in better condition, stronger and shinier. But can they really deliver?</p><p>Listener Sophie sent in a WhatsApp to ask just that, as well as whether we should use different shampoos depending on our hair type, if sulphates or parabens could be harmful to our hair, and if shampoo bars can do the job just as well, and be a greener option? </p><p>Greg Foot untangles some of the most common claims by speaking with a clinical Trichologist (someone who has studied the structure, function and diseases of human hair) as well as an expert chemist and pharmaceutical analyst. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Cold Defence Nasal Sprays

<p>Two products dominate the market for nasal sprays that claim to reduce symptons of a cold - Vicks ‘First Defence’ and Boots ‘Dual Defence’. But do they work?</p><p>Listener Leah got in touch because she catches lots of colds from her young son and wants to know if they can help her get over them more quickly. She also wants to know if they’re safe to use regularly and how long you should take them for.</p><p>Presenter Greg Foot sniffs out the evidence and talks to a leading expert who’s dedicated most of his career to investigating cold remedies. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Batteries

<p>In the run up to Christmas, many parents will be checking on their battery supplies ahead of Santa bringing gifts that require them. But do branded batteries, that promise more power and longer life at a higher price point, really deliver it?</p><p>Listener Peter got in touch asking just that, as well as whether batteries have an expiry date? </p><p>Greg Foot recruits some year 7 pupils and their teacher to help him perform a test to find out, and speaks to one of the country’s leading scientists about what gives a battery more power, or helps it store more energy. </p><p>You can also hear more about the difference between single use, and rechargeable batteries in our longer podcast episode on BBC Sounds. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Perfume

<p>Smelling good can come with a hefty price tag with the price of perfumes often getting into the hundreds of pounds. But what if there was a cheaper alternative?</p><p>Listener Callum got in touch because his bottle of expensive perfume is about to run out. Presenter Greg Foot turns his nose to the task, testing so-called 'clone' perfumes which claim to get as close the originals as to be indistinguishable - but for a fraction of the cost. Speaking to an expert perfumer he finds out exactly how the clone houses copy the ingredients of designer perfumes and whether they last as long.</p><p>Do they pass the sniff test? Are they the best thing since sliced bread or just marketing BS?</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Razors

<p>It’s something most of us will have used at some point, and a product that has been around for decades in various forms. But do all the advertised fancy features, pivoting heads, multiple blades and higher price tags, really make a difference to your shave?</p><p>Listener Tim got in touch, asking just that, as well as whether all the extras on razors these days also have an impact on the environment?</p><p>Greg Foot focuses on modern cartridge razors in this episode, and cuts through the marketing hype to get answers, by speaking to a leading Dermatologist, as well as one of the top scientists at one of the largest razor manufacturers, Gillette.</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Collagen Supplements

<p>It’s one of the most talked-about cosmetic products but what’s the evidence that collagen supplements really do slow the visible signs of the ageing process? </p><p>Listener Jo got in touch wanting to know if the collagen supplement she’s spending £53 per month on will live up to its claim of reducing wrinkles, while promoting “glossy hair and plump dewy skin.”</p><p>Other listeners asked whether it can help with joint aches and pains, or strengthen nails?</p><p>Greg Foot sets out to answer all these questions by speaking to a leading consultant dermatologist as well as the co-founders of two of the biggest companies selling collagen supplements, Absolute Collagen and Ingenious Beauty. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Wake Up Lights &amp; SAD Lamps

<p>With shorter days, longer nights, and bad weather leading to the winter blues for many, and for some the more severe Seasonal Affective Disorder, Sliced Bread investigates whether specially designed lights can really help improve how we feel.</p><p>Listener Ross got in touch on WhatsApp after he’d read claims Wake Up Lights and SAD Lamps can boost our mood, and wanted to know what “medically certified” means when accredited to them, and if it’s worth paying extra for it? </p><p>Greg Foot finds out by speaking to a leading expert in light therapy, as well as by visiting a manufacturer of these lights, to ask them to explain their claims, and whether they’re medically recognised in the UK. </p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Portable Heaters

<p>It's getting colder and with the cost of living rising, how best to heat our homes in the most efficient way possible has become a big question.</p><p>Listener Ken got in touch about a new kind of portable ceramic heater he's seen advertised, promising to heat your room using 30% less energy.</p><p>Greg Foot teams up with Octopus Energy to run it through the evidence mill and test it against three other types of portable heater: a convection heater, a fan heater and an oil-filled radiator to find out which gives the most heat for the lowest energy used. The aim is to find out which portable heater is best for heating you, and the room you're in. And how does all that compare to using gas central heating?</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 5: Natural Deodorants

<p>The Natural Deodorant market has recently expanded, with plenty of products out there promising to keep you fresh, and dry, without the use of traditional ingredients such as aluminium salts. </p><p>Listener PC Hollie got in touch on WhatsApp after she’d seen claims that regular deodorants and antiperspirants containing aluminium salts might be bad for our health, and wanted to know if natural deodorants are really better for us?</p><p>She also wanted to know why they’re more expensive, if it’s worth paying more, and if they can do the same job and keep her dry while she’s fighting crime. </p><p>Greg Foot finds out by speaking with a dermatologist Dr. Adil Sheraz, a chemist specialising in the makeup of natural products, Dr. Barbara Olioso, and by performing a “sweat test” where he convinced fellow gym goers to sniff his pits, and assess his sweat patches.</p><p>This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 4: Compression Leggings, Bath Salts, Water Softeners and Filters

<p>Can compression leggings improve performance and help your limbs recover after exercise? Do magnesium bath salts really help soothe aching muscles? And do water softeners and filters really help save us money on our appliances by preventing scale from building up in our pipes?</p><p>With Greg still in Edinburgh for the Festival, we’re sticking with last week’s format and investigating THREE of the wonder-products you’ve sent us on WhatsApp in a "triple slice" of quick investigations.</p><p>First up, Listener Sarah from North Devon wants to know if buying expensive compression leggings can really help improve her exercise performance and speed up her recovery. Greg speaks to one of the UK’s leading researchers on compression garments, Dr. Jess Hill, to find out the science behind them – and when we should wear them. </p><p>Second is listener Rosie from Sheffield who wants to know if magnesium or 'Epsom' bath salts really can help soothe aching muscles – so Greg chats to leading expert on magnesium, Dr. Lindsy Kass from the University of Hertfordshire to find out what it does in our bodies, and if we can actually absorb it through our skin. </p><p>And third, Listener Matthew from Suffolk wants to know if Water Softeners and filters can improve water quality, if they’re necessary, and if they can save us money on our household appliances by preventing the build up of scale. Greg chats to internationally recognised expert in drinking water Vanessa Speight - to find out.</p><p>Keep your suggestions coming for wonder-products you’d like us to investigate. Send them over on email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or as a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807. </p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot </p><p>PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 4: Dog Food, Diet Fizzy Drinks &amp; Mouthwash

<p>Is expensive dog food better for your pooch than the cheap stuff? Are diet fizzy drinks actually ‘bad’ for you? And should we all add mouthwash to our bathroom routine?</p><p>With Greg up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this week we’re doing something a little different - investigating THREE of the wonder-products you’ve sent us on WhatsApp in a triple slice of quick investigations.</p><p>First up, listener Ali in Bristol wants to know whether the expensive dog food she bought is really better for her new pooch than the cheaper stuff. Greg speaks to one of the UK’s most senior vets to find out the differences between wet and dry dog food and whether the latest doggy diet trends of vegan and raw food diets are a good idea for our canine companions.</p><p>Second is Sophie who loves Diet Coke but her friends and family say it’s bad for her. Greg finds out about the latest evidence from the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK regulator, the Food Standards Agency.</p><p>Finally, listener Helen wants to know - what’s the point of mouthwash? And in finding out, Greg’s bathroom routine is turned on its head!</p><p>Keep your suggestions coming for wonder-products you’d like us to investigate. Send them over on email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or as a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 4: Paint

<p>We watch paint dry for you to find out if pricey paint is worth it.</p><p>Domestic interior wall paint comes in many different pots, colours, types and price points. However some claim the extra pennies mean they’re not only better quality and offer a better finish, but that they’re better for the environment too. </p><p>Listener Emily got in touch on WhatsApp after she bought a house that needs redecorating. She has six children, two dogs, two tortoises, two ducks and five chickens, so is very much in need of a paint that will offer good coverage, but be wipeable, and durable too, and wants to know if she needs to pay more to get that?</p><p>She also wanted to know about VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds – that the expensive paints say they don’t contain, and if she buys a cheaper paint will any of these VOCs harm her kids and the environment?</p><p>Greg Foot finds this out by speaking to a paint inspector, and testing out differently priced paints with a painter and decorator to find out which ones meet the promises they’re making. </p><p>This series, we’re testing your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 4: Massage Guns

<p>Can massage guns from the likes of Theragun, Pulse Roll and others brands, help you warm up before exercise and recover more quickly after it?</p><p>Massage guns are one of the biggest-selling fitness devices of the past few years. They have a vibrating silicone head that delivers percussive pressure onto the muscle. </p><p>Manufacturers claim ‘vibration’ therapy increases bloodflow and helps the user warm up before exercise, perform better during it AND ease soreness afterwards. But does it?</p><p>Listener Clare got in touch after she bought one following a tip-off from a friend that they could help relieve aches and pains after a run (including a bad back) as well as her husband’s sore shoulder.</p><p>Greg Foot finds out if those claims are true by speaking to manufacturers, leading physiotherapists and scientists involved in the latest research.</p><p>This series, we’re testing your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there's any evidence to back up a claim drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807</p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban</p>

Sliced Bread - Series 4: Fat Burning Pills

<p>Is there really a pill that can help you burn fat? Sticking to a good diet and exercising to lose weight takes hard work and discipline, so what if there was something you could take that could do some of that work for you?</p><p>Listener June got in touch wanting to know if this is the case, or if it’s too good to be true? Are there really pills being sold online and on the high street that can help you burn fat, or speed up your metabolism?</p><p>Greg Foot investigates, hearing from some people who’ve tried them, scientists and dieticians about what exactly is in these pills, and asking if there is any evidence to back up their claims that they can burn fat. </p><p>This series, we’re testing your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there's any evidence to back up a claim drop us an email to <a href="mailto:sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk">sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk</a> or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807 </p><p>PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth</p>