Is your everyday meal extending life—or shortening it?

The foods we eat daily not only fill our stomachs but also impact our entire life. A study by the University of Michigan reveals—some foods are reducing minutes from our lives, while others are increasing them!
In this article, we’ll learn which foods to avoid and which ones can give you a longer, healthier life.

📊 Summary of the University of Michigan Study

Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health developed a Health Nutritional Index, studying over 5,800 food items to determine how each serving impacts our healthy life expectancy.

👉 Eating one hotdog reduces life by 36 minutes!
👉 Eating 30 grams of nuts can increase life by 25–26 minutes!

The study offers a new perspective by measuring food impact in minutes. It shows that our food choices affect not just taste or weight—but even lifespan.

⛔ Which Foods “Reduce” Life Minutes?

🍟 Junk Food	🕒 Damage (Per Serving)
Hotdog	–36 minutes
Soft Drink (Coke)	–12 minutes
Bacon	–6 minutes
Cheeseburger	–9 minutes
Chicken Wings	–3.5 minutes

Why? These foods contain high sodium, preservatives, and saturated fat, which increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

✅ Which Foods “Extend” Life?

🥗 Healthy Food	🕒 Benefit (Per Serving)
Nuts & Seeds (30g)	+25–26 minutes
Banana	+13.5 minutes
Baked Salmon	+16 minutes
Vegetables & Fruits	+10+ minutes

Positive Impact: These foods are rich in antioxidants, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins.

🔄 Small Changes, Big Results

The study also found that if we replace just 10% of our daily calories from processed foods with fruits, nuts, and vegetables, we can add up to 48 minutes of healthy life per day!

At the same time, the carbon footprint drops by up to 33%, which is great for the environment too.

💡 What Can You Do?

• Eliminate one processed food from your day.
• Read ingredients before buying.
• Eat more vegetables and nuts.
• Build healthy habits slowly and steadily.

🔗 Source of the Study

You can read the original research here –
🔗 University of Michigan Original Post (Pursuit Blog)

Our daily eating habits shape a healthy or unhealthy life. This study clearly shows that food isn’t just about satisfying hunger—but a powerful factor in longevity and health.

A hotdog might excite your taste buds—but could shorten your life by 36 minutes!
A banana, on the other hand, could extend it by 13 minutes—what will you choose?