Every time you reach for a coke, you could be losing 12 minutes of your life, scientists have claimed.
The worrying statistics were found in a study conducted by the University of Michigan which delved into just how much time certain processed foods take from your life.
Ultra-processed foods – which contain ingredients such as artificial colours and flavours, preservatives and emulsifiers – can be dangerous if not eaten in moderation.
And some favourites could end up costing you minutes of your life. A hot dog could shave off 36 minutes – and if you drink it with a coke, that’s another 12 minutes gone.
Breakfast sandwiches and eggs were also found to take off 13 minutes from someone’s life, and cheeseburgers take off nine.
The research wasn’t all bad news, though, as scientists also found eating certain types of fish could give you 28 more minutes of life.
Study lead Dr Olivier Jolliet said: ‘The urgency of dietary changes to improve human health is clear.
‘Our findings demonstrate that small, targeted substitutions offer a feasible and powerful strategy to achieve significant health and environmental benefits without requiring dramatic dietary shifts.’
Even though some of our comfort foods, like pizza, macaroni and cheese, hotdogs, and coke were all found to shorten someone’s life, other foods had the potential to lengthen it.
Hot dog – 36 minutes
Breakfast sandwich – 13 minutes
Eggs – 13 minutes
Coke – 12 minutes
Cheeseburgers – 9 minutes
Bacon – 6 minutes
Certain types of fish can lengthen your life by 32 minutes – and one study previously found eating cheeses like cheddar and brie could help boost life expectancy and prevent liver cancer.
Many doctors have suggested cutting out ultra-processed foods to be healthier.
Earlier this year, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that high consumption of UPFs is associated with a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48-53% higher risk of mental health issues including anxiety, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.
Higher UFP intake was also linked to a 21% greater risk of death (from any cause), obesity, a 40-66% greater risk of heart disease, sleep problems, and a 22% higher chance of depression.
Other related health conditions include asthma, high cholesterol, and gastrointestinal issues.
Of course, UFPs are okay to eat in moderation, but doctors still recommend healthier foods such as fruits, healthy carbs, and vegetables.
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