This is the kind of information that makes you want to put down the fork! A study from the University of Michigan has quantified, very concretely, the effects of ultra-processed foods on our life expectancy. And the results are not pretty: a hot dog would cost 36 minutes of life, and if you accompany it with a soda, add another 12 minutes to the balance.
The hot dog, this unsuspected enemy
Researchers screened more than 5,800 everyday products, taking into account their content of fats, sugars and additives. The verdict: the stars of junk food are also those who eat into our health. Hot dogs, for example, are full of nitrites and nitrates, preservatives that the body transforms into substances associated with colon cancer. And that’s without counting saturated fats and sugars which increase the risk of diabetes. In the same basket, we find breakfast sandwiches (–13.6 minutes), cheeseburgers (–9 minutes) or bacon (–6 minutes). Sunday brunch is no longer popular.
Fortunately, science also has its good news. Researchers have discovered that certain habits can add time to the clock. The champion in all categories? The peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which would offer 32 minutes more life. Just behind, nuts and seeds (+24 minutes) and fruits (+10 minutes). Why this cult American lunch sandwich? According to researcher Olivier Jolliet, all the credit goes to peanuts, rich in good fats and proteins. “ It’s not the jam that saves the day“, she specifies with humor, “ and the bread does no harm as long as it is whole. »
Behind these somewhat anxiety-inducing figures, the message is that it is not necessary to become vegan to live longer. According to researchers, replacing just 10% of red and processed meat with fruits and vegetables would already save 48 minutes of life. The new American recommendations go in this direction: less meat, more plant proteins such as beans or lentils. Bottom line, you don’t have to give up every guilty pleasure — but maybe it’s best to give up the hot dog altogether. Your internal clock will thank you.
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