You are what you eat, and to science it is true. People live longer based on what they choose to eat. With such a thought, Canadians took on to a UK-based challenge of eating vegan for a month. The challenge is called Veganuary (Vegan + January). For many, it is not a hidden fact that eating less meat and more plants is good for our health and it can cut food-related emissions, which make up to a third of the greenhouse causing climate change. However, going vegan isn't really a smooth change, rather a big step. It means to revamp our entire diet.

The good news is, that there have been researches that prove that even relatively small substitutions of red meat with plant-based proteins like tofu, lentils and beans can add months, sometimes years to our expected lifespan. It can also make a noticeable dent in our carbon footprint.

The Rise Of Vegetarianism

As per 2018, only 7.1% of Canadians were vegetarian and 2.3% were vegan. Olivia Auclair, a research fellow at the University of Oxford, who researched on Canadian's eating habits told CBC that Canadians get 65% of their protein from animal sources. Only 5% of the protein comes from the high-protein plant-based sources. Some of these are also included in Canada's Food Guide.

It is true that eating habits, along with shopping habits are hard to change, this is why Auclair's research tried to bring people more in line with the food guide. The Canada Food Guide recommends lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain, along with protein from both animal and plant sources.

ALSO READ: Is Plant-Based Cheese The Future?

What is the study all about?

Her research was published last year in the journal Nature Food, titled Partial substitutions of animal with plant protein foods in Canadian diets have synergies and trade-offs among nutrition, health and climate outcomes, found that replacing half their red and processed meat would increase people's life expectancy an average of nine months, while cutting their diet-related carbon footprint by 25%.

For her research, she analyzed what 13,600 Canadians ate based on the Statistics Canada data from "food diaries" recorded by them in 2015. After that, she modelled what could happen if the same people substituted 25 to 50% of the red and processed meat they had been consuming with plant-based proteins. However, they did not change their poultry, fish or seafood intake.

The results were great, as mentioned above. In fact, there was more. The health benefits were double for men compared to women!

Men gained one full year of increased life expectancy, on average. This is also because men eat more red and processed meats and the climate benefits were also higher for men cutting down on the meat.

CHECK OUT: Can A Vegan Diet Help You Loose Weight ?

Plant-based Diets

In 2019, an international group of scientist recommended a planetary health diet, a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grain, with small amounts of meat, dairy and fish, similar to what is recommended by the Canada Food Guide. The reason for such a recommendation was also to prevent 11 million deaths per year from processed meats and help keep greenhouse gas emission from food.

Another US study that looked at 200,000 US healthcare workers found that eating a plant-based diet could reduce a person's risk of dying by 30% from heart diseases, cancers, and respiratory diseases. Another 2021 Swedish study found a similar benefit, where it saw a 25% drop in mortality for those who adhere to a plant-based diets.

While the World Health Organization recommends 5g or a tablespoon of salt every day, Indians consume more than double, increasing their risk of having a fatal stroke exponentially.

According to EatRightIndia, Indians consume about 11g of salt each day through meals which can significantly increase their risk of high blood pressure, strokes and hypertension.

Hypertension causes over 1.6 million deaths annually, accounting for nearly 18 percent of all fatalities and heavily contributes to deaths caused by heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

What Is Excessive Salt Dangerous?

The most important side effect of consuming excessive salt intake is high blood pressure. Salt causes the body to retain water, increasing the volume of blood in your vessels and leading to elevated pressure levels. If your blood pressure consistently measures over 140/90 mmHg, it's time to evaluate your salt consumption.

Over time, this can rapidly raise your risk for heart disease, stroke while also potentially contributing to stomach cancer and weakened bones. Additionally, high blood pressure damages kidneys and excess sodium can lead to kidney stones or disease.

Apart from a 5gm recommendation for adults, NHS suggests that children between seven to 11 years of age should not eat more than 5g of salt while those between four to six years of age should eat less than 3g of salt every day to maintain heart health.

How Can You Reduce Your Salt Consumption?

Both excessive and insufficient salt intake have been linked to adverse outcomes. Achieving the right balance is critical, and the best approach is to minimize processed food consumption rather than relying solely on the salt shaker.

Common items such as pickles, paapads, chutneys, salads and buttermilk significantly contribute to daily salt consumption. Hidden salts in packaged goods like biscuits, sauces, condiments and snacks also can increase your salt intake.

To cut down on your salt intake, experts recommend:

• Not adding salt in rice and dough for chapati, poori and paratha.
• Not sprinkling salt on salad, cut fruits, cooked vegetables or curd.
• Gradually reducing the salt usage while cooking from lesser to least.
• Limit food accompaniments like salted butter, salty spice mixes (chaat masala, jal jeera masala etc.), chutneys, pickles, ketchups, sauces and dressings as they contain excess salt.
• Baking soda, baking powder, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) also contains high sodium and should be avoided in your daily cooking.
• Not keeping salt on the table.
• Buying tinned vegetables, pulses or fish in water instead of brine.
• Being aware that some dissolvable tablets, such as painkillers, vitamins or prescription medicines, may be high in salt.

Tagatose, a natural sugar with a third of the calories of table sugar, may be the up-and-coming safe alternative to unhealthy added sugars, scientists say.

Researchers from Tufts University, Massachusetts in partnership with biotechnology companies Manus Bio (US) and Kcat Enzymatic (India), claim that tagatose, found in only small amounts in some dairy products and fruits, is a healthier option than regular sugar and sweeteners.

The experts also claim it this rare natural sugar also does not cause insulin spikes, making it safe for consumption for both Type 1 and 2 diabetes patients. Tagatose has also been previously recognized as safe for consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Certain studies have also found tagatose to be 'tooth friendly', as it can limit the growth of harmful microbes in the dental cavity and prevent tooth decay as well as cavities.

How Is Better Than Other Artificial Sweeteners?

Due to being a natural sugar with similar taste and bulk to sugar but fewer calories, minimal blood sugar impact, prebiotic benefits and heat-stable for baking, tagatose is known to better than artificial sweeteners.

Moreover, it also lacks the bitter aftertaste common with some artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and stevia and tastes 92 percent as sweet and 60 percent less calories than common sugar.

With low calories and low absorption, tagatose is an attractive bulk sweetener, meaning it can not only can replace sugar for sweetness but can also provide a similar bulk texture in cooking that comes with adding the sugar in some quantity, something that high intensity sweetener substitutes are unable to do due to their composition.

Can Diabetes Patients Consume It?

Yes, tagatose can be eaten by insulin-resistant people as it's only partially absorbed in the small intestine; much of it being fermented by gut bacteria in the colon. Because of this, its impact on blood glucose and insulin is much less than that of conventional sugar.

Clinical studies show very low increases in plasma glucose or insulin after ingestion of tagatose. However, in the gut, the rare sugar is metabolized in a similar way to the fruit sugar, fructose, meaning those with fructose intolerances may want to steer clear

Where Can I Buy It?

While tagatose is far more beneficials than other commercially-available sugars, it remains unavailable due to limited production. "There are established processes to produce tagatose, but they are inefficient and expensive," explains biological engineer Nik Nair from Tufts.

But it can still be found in milk and other dairy products when lactose is broken down by heat or enzymes, such as yogurt, cheese and kefir. Along with this, fruits such as apples, pineapples and oranges also contain trace levels of tagatose as part of their natural carbohydrate spectrum.

President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill on January 14 that allows schools across the United States to serve whole milk and 2% milk again, rolling back Obama-era rules that restricted school cafeterias to low-fat or fat-free options. The decision was welcomed by dairy farmers, milk industry advocates, and lawmakers from both parties, many of whom attended the signing of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act at the Oval Office. The bill had passed unanimously in both chambers of Congress toward the end of 2025.

Trump’s move followed a major shift in federal nutrition messaging earlier this month. On January 7, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled updated dietary guidance that moves away from the traditional food pyramid and places greater emphasis on full-fat dairy, protein, and what he described as “healthy fats.” While announcing the changes, Kennedy said the government was “ending the war on saturated fats,” signalling a clear departure from decades of advice that encouraged lower-fat choices.

Trump Signs Bill Allowing Schools To Offer Whole And 2% Milk

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act drew rare unanimous backing from lawmakers across party lines. President Donald Trump signed the legislation after sustained lobbying by dairy groups, farmers, and members of Congress who argued that schools needed more flexibility in what they serve children.

The law overturns restrictions introduced during the Obama administration, once again permitting whole and 2% milk in school meal programmes. The signing ceremony at the White House was attended by members of Congress, representatives from the dairy industry, and senior officials including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Supporters described the measure as a practical step that supports children’s nutrition while also helping American farmers and giving parents more choice.

What Is The Debate Around Milk?

There is broad agreement that milk plays an important role in a child’s diet. Health bodies have long advised that children aged five to eight drink up to two and a half cups of milk daily, while those aged nine and older should aim for up to three cups. The disagreement has centred on whether full-fat or lower-fat versions are the better option.

Since 1990, federal dietary guidelines have recommended that children aged two and above consume skim or low-fat milk to reduce their intake of saturated fat. That position has been endorsed by organisations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association.

Megan Lott, a registered dietitian at Duke University and deputy director of Healthy Eating Research, an organisation involved in shaping guidance on beverages for school-aged children, has pointed out that low-fat and whole milk contain similar levels of key nutrients. These include protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. The difference, she explained, is that lower-fat milk delivers those nutrients with fewer calories and less saturated fat.

Research has shown that high intake of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels and, over time, increase the risk of heart disease. Extra calories can also contribute to weight gain in children, Lott said, according to The New York Times.

Is Whole Milk Healthy For Kids?

Experts say the healthiest milk choice depends largely on a child’s individual needs. For children over the age of two who are significantly overweight, calorie intake becomes more important. In such cases, nonfat or 1% milk may be a better option, said Dr. Abrams. For most children, however, he noted that any unsweetened, pasteurised milk is acceptable. He stressed that raw or unpasteurised milk should never be given to children because of the risk of serious food-borne infections.

Higher-fat milk may be beneficial for children who are underweight, Lott added. She recommended that parents speak to a paediatrician or dietitian to get advice tailored to their child’s health and growth needs, according to The New York Times.

Milk consumption among American children has fallen sharply over the past few decades. In its place, many children are drinking more fizzy drinks, sports drinks, and other sweetened beverages. That trend worries health experts because milk remains a key source of calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Dr. Abrams said that if bringing whole milk back into schools encourages children to drink more milk overall, it could have a positive effect on their health.

Lott, however, argued that the legislation missed an opportunity to make a bigger impact. She said removing flavoured milks from schools would have done more to improve children’s diets, as they add unnecessary sugar. That change, she noted, is backed by stronger evidence.

“There’s no reason they need chocolate milk or vanilla milk or any other flavours,” she said.