hot dog study

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Hard to swallow: Hot dogs may be taking big bites out of your life

Changing the meat we eat: A new study by the University of Michigan has claimed that eating foods like hot dogs can take time off your life!

hot dog study

Image via https://pixabay.com/

They’re easy and quick to prepare and delicious too – but if you’re a lover of hot dogs you’ll be sad to discover that your favourite delicacy is bad for your health!

A new study has claimed that eating just one hotdog can shorten your life by 36 minutes!

According to the University of Michigan, the easy meal is considered to be one of the unhealthiest, based on a nutritional index.

The findings were deduced by the School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences which evaluated close to 6 000 foods, ranking them by means of minutes of life “gained” or “lost” per serving and their nutritional value.

Also read: Curry in the hot seat: Food blogger bad-mouths name of famous dish

WHAT’S UP (HOT)DOG?

The study finds that consuming just one hotdog can take time off a healthy life, “largely due to the detrimental effect of processed meat.”

Other meats like beef, pork, lamb are also high up on the index.

According to the findings, other foods that are likely to take time off your life include chicken wings, cheese, sugary drinks and even pizza!

The study examined a 2016 Global Burden of Disease report that linked harmful health effects to certain foods.

“We use the results to inform marginal dietary substitutions, which are realistic and feasible. We find that small, targeted, food-level substitutions can achieve compelling nutritional benefits and environmental impact reductions,” authors of the study concluded.

MORE LIFE, PLEASE!

The good news is that there are foods that can essentially add more time back on your clock.

According to the study, eating foods like fruit, nuts and whole grains equate to “a healthy life gains”, that determine “good-quality and disease-free life expectancy.”

Foods like baked salmon and rice with beans can add between 10 and 15 minutes back onto your life, whilst a peanut butter and jam sandwich will give you 33 minutes more on the planet!