Every can of cola and piece of hotdog you consume could slash valuable minutes from your life, a new study found.
Researchers at the University of Michigan evaluated over 5,800 foods, assigning each a health burden or benefit score measured in minutes of healthy life lost or gained per serving. Their findings suggest that small dietary adjustments can collectively benefit one's health.
The study, published in the journal Food, found that a beef hotdog on a bun causes a health burden of 36 minutes lost, while a vegetable pizza causes 1.4 minutes lost per serving. Interestingly, Diet Coke can cause a loss of 12 minutes per can. On the other hand, a serving of nuts might extend the life by 26 minutes.
The study also examined the environmental impact of these foods, considering factors like carbon footprint and water usage. Foods such as processed meats not only reduced life expectancy but also had significant environmental costs.
Conversely, plant-based foods like fruits and nuts were associated with health benefits and lower ecological impacts, the Daily Mail noted.
Given the alarming results, the researchers suggest dietary changes that replace 10% of daily caloric intake from beef and processed meats with fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and select seafood. This small change could yield substantial health benefits, potentially adding 48 minutes of healthy life per person per day and reducing dietary carbon footprints by over 30%.