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.

A simple fruit has suddenly become a health headline. After Ayurveda expert Acharya Balkrishna suggested that eating papaya daily may help control cholesterol, many people began seeing it as an easy natural fix for rising lipid levels.

It sounds comforting. No medicines, no complicated diets, just a bowl of fruit. But does science actually support the claim? Let’s break it down.

Read: Fact Check: Does TikTok's 'Chlorophyll & Collagen' Supplement Really Work?

We Asked The Expert

Health and Me spoke exclusively to registered dietitian Ginni Kalra, Head Dietetics at Aakash Healthcare, who clarifies the viral claim early on:

“Papaya is a fiber-rich fruit, and the soluble fiber and antioxidants present in it may help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). However, it would not be correct to say that eating papaya alone can completely control cholesterol levels.”

She stresses that cholesterol management always depends on the overall diet and lifestyle. Apples, guava, pears, oats, green leafy vegetables, carrots, bottle gourd, beans, nuts, and seeds also play an important role along with exercise and weight control.

“Individuals with very high cholesterol levels or a higher risk of heart disease should not rely only on fruits. In such cases, medications may also be required under a doctor’s supervision,” she adds.

So the claim already moves from cure to support. Now let’s understand why papaya still gets attention.

Read: Fact Check: Doctors Bust Common Myths Around Epilepsy and Explain Why Early Treatment Matters

Why Papaya Is Getting Attention

Papaya has long been associated with digestion in Indian households. It is commonly recommended for constipation, acidity, and gut health. Now the focus has shifted toward heart health.

Cholesterol problems are rising rapidly, especially in urban lifestyles filled with sedentary work, processed foods, and stress. Naturally, people are drawn toward simple dietary solutions.

Papaya contains fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. These nutrients are known to support cardiovascular health. But the key question is: does that mean it can control cholesterol on its own?

The Fiber Connection

Fiber plays an important role in cholesterol management.

Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol particles in the digestive tract and helps remove them from the body before they enter circulation. Papaya contains dietary fiber, which supports digestion and may reduce LDL, commonly called “bad cholesterol”.

Read: Fact Check: Does Ja Morant Have Lung Cancer?

In simple terms, fiber acts like a natural cleaning system. It reduces absorption of unhealthy fats and improves gut function. This is one reason many nutrition experts encourage including fruits regularly in meals.

However, the effect is gradual and supportive, not curative.

Antioxidants And Heart Protection

Papaya is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. These compounds help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to plaque formation in arteries.

Healthier blood vessels make it harder for cholesterol to deposit along artery walls. This lowers long-term risk of heart disease.

But antioxidants work as protectors, not erasers. They help prevent damage rather than reverse high cholesterol dramatically.

Key Takeaway

Papaya is beneficial, but it is not a magic cure. Cholesterol issues develop due to long-term lifestyle patterns including diet quality, physical inactivity, smoking, poor sleep, and stress.

Adding a small bowl of papaya daily can support heart health. But it works best as part of a broader routine: more fiber-rich foods, less fried food, regular exercise, and medical treatment when needed.

People with latex allergy, certain medical conditions, or pregnancy concerns should consult a doctor before consuming large amounts, especially unripe papaya.

Note: Please consult your nutritionist or a registered dietitian before making any changes to your doubts. Health and Me does not endorse this as a substitute to medically prescribed medicines for cholesterol or any other condition.

More than 70 percent of infant and toddler food products, including drinks and snacks, sold in the United States are ultra-processed and also contain additives that are associated with several health problems, according to a new study.

The study comes as the Donald Trump-led US government recently released updated dietary guidelines for Americans. For the first time, the recommendations urge citizens to avoid highly processed foods and also suggest limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.

The February 2026 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients analyzed 651 food products sold by the top 10 largest US grocery stores for children aged 6 months to 36 months.

The results showed that a whopping 71 percent of products were ultra-processed foods (UPFs) -- containing higher mean levels of total sugar, added sugar, sodium, and energy density than non-UPF products.

The food products also contained significantly harmful additives. Flavor enhancers (36 percent) were the most common additive, followed by thickeners (29 percent), emulsifiers (19 percent), and colors (19 percent).

The study showed that all snack-size packaged products (94 percent) were ultra-processed, followed by full-size packages (86 percent) and pouches (73 percent).

"We’re seeing a growing body of evidence that certain additives may harm health. With emulsifiers, thickeners, and stabilizers potentially altering gut function, and synthetic colors affecting behavioral outcomes in children, the high use of cosmetic additives found in US baby foods is particularly concerning,” said Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US.

Notably, the sugar content was greatest for snack and finger foods, with the amount of sugar and added sugars twice that of their non-UPF counterparts. Similarly, the sodium content was also consistently higher among UPFs than non-UPFs.

Almost all snack-size packaged products (94 percent) were ultra-processed, followed by full-size packages (86 percent) and pouches (73 percent).

The researchers called for improving labeling and regulatory standards for identifying UPF ingredients and additives to ensure the availability of appropriate and healthy products targeting the youngest consumers.

Why UPFs Are Harmful

In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the availability and variety of commercial complementary foods on the market in the US, as well as in India.

Research has shown a corresponding increase in several noncommunicable diseases.

Studies have established health risks of regular consumption of UPFs for adults and young children, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. In adults, UPF consumption is also linked with irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and premature death.

UPF And Rising NCD Burden In India

India is facing a significant rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and heart disease, among others.

The Economic Survey, recently tabled in the Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, flagged the concerning trend, which it attributed to unhealthy diets, lifestyle changes, including sedentary lifestyles, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and environmental factors.

“India is one of the fastest-growing markets for UPF sales. It grew by more than 150 per cent from 2009 to 2023. Retail sales of UPFs in India surged from $0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly $38 billion in 2019, a 40-fold rise. It is during the same period that obesity has nearly doubled in both men and women,” it said.

“The rising use of UPFs imposes a substantial economic cost through higher healthcare spending, lost productivity, and long-term fiscal strain,” it added.

Thanks to social media, health tips are now everywhere. They seem easy to follow, include almost nothing but home ingredients, but are they really beneficial and safe to use? Health and Me ran a fact check on TikTok's trending chlorophyl and collagen supplements. Two of the biggest players in the wellness industry.

TikTok videos show celebrities and influencers sipping the green shots of chlorophyll with blended collagen into coffee. This is what is packaged as a shortcut to health and beauty.

Fact Check: The Formula To Stay Young - Does It Really Work?

Chlorophyll is the pigment found in plants that makes them green. In biology lab, it's recalled as fueling photosynthesis—to capture light energy to create glucose and oxygen. In plants, it's vital. In humans, things aren't quite as simple.

Wellness brands and influencers, from Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop to Kourtney Kardashian Barker's Poosh, have made drinking chlorophyll water a daily habit. Marketing promises range from detoxification to more radiant skin and even "oxygenating the blood." The concept sounds alluring—except that it can't be done biologically.

As physician and researcher Ben Goldacre points out, photosynthesis requires sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Our gut and bloodstream aren’t flooded with sunlight, so chlorophyll simply can’t perform its plant-like function inside humans. Drinking it won’t generate oxygen in your body.

Fact Check: What Is The TikTok Trend?

The type most commonly employed in supplements is chlorophyllin, a semi-synthetic, water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll. Several small, older studies indicate that it might decrease odors in wounds or stool, possibly by breaking down some compounds or stopping bacteria from growing. There's weak evidence that it might act as an antioxidant, roaming free radicals causing cell destruction, but studies are few and far from convincing.

More promising are investigations into its application in wound healing. Chlorophyll dressings have been studied for their potential to speed up healing and deodorize infected wounds. But consuming it for beauty or detoxing purposes is something else—clinical evidence for those uses is scant.

Fact Check: Is This Trend Safe?

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Chlorophyll

Most individuals are able to tolerate chlorophyll, but it is not risk-free. Side effects reported include diarrhea, cramps in the stomach, and colored urine, stool, or even tongue. Mild itching or burning with topical use can be produced in occasional instances. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that chlorophyll is non-poisonous in normal doses, but in high doses it can produce gastrointestinal upset.

What this actually translates to is that while chlorophyll won't hurt you in moderation, it's also unlikely to bring the extreme makeovers promised on TikTok.

Collagen

Collagen differs from chlorophyll in that it's something that humans naturally create. It's the body's most common protein and what builds scaffolding for skin, bones, cartilage, blood vessels, and connective tissue. It's responsible for skin elasticity and flexibility of joints.

Collagen production inherently decreases with age, resulting in wrinkles, stiff joints, and less resilient connective tissue. This loss has propelled a billion-dollar collagen market, with powders, pills, and creams touted as a means to "replenish" what the body is losing.

What Science Says About Collagen Supplements

Collagen supplementation research is further advanced than chlorophyll's, although it's not yet conclusive. Some research indicates oral collagen peptides can moderately enhance skin hydration, elasticity, and fine lines. There's also support that they might be good for joint health, mitigate exercise-induced joint pain, and increase bone density in the elderly.

But science doesn't go so far as to make miracle promises. Collagen won't cause weight loss, detox the body, or stop cardiovascular disease, no matter what ads might promise.

Topical Collagen

Collagen creams and serums inundate the beauty market, but it's hard to find one that works. Collagen molecules are too big to pass through the skin barrier, so most topical products can't really increase collagen where it counts. At best, they offer surface moisture and temporary plumping.

Supporting Natural Collagen Production

The body synthesizes collagen from amino acids, so consuming sufficient protein-containing foods—chicken, fish, eggs, beans, and bone broth—is still the best method to supply it. Vitamin C, zinc, and copper are also necessary cofactors for collagen production. Having a well-nourished diet and staying away from excessive sunlight exposure and smoking might preserve your natural reserves better than any costly powder.

Why TikTok Supplements Feel So Convincing?

One of the reasons supplements such as chlorophyll and collagen do so well online is that they provide instant, tangible rituals. Adding green drops to water or spilling white powder into a latte gives one a feeling of agency and pampering. When influencers couple such rituals with radiant skin or lean bodies, it's simple to think that the supplement is the magic bullet—when genetics, diet, and lifestyle actually have so much more to do with it.

Social media exaggerates anecdotal accounts, frequently beating what the evidence will allow. And although both collagen and chlorophyll might have specialized advantages, they are not cure-alls or substitutes for healthy living.

What Consumers Should Know?

Experts always recommend taking supplement fads with a grain of salt. The evidence for chlorophyll remains limited, with only mild effects in very particular medical contexts such as wound healing. Collagen is more robust, especially for joints and skin, but the effects are modest compared to what is claimed in the marketplace.

Supplements must be used to complement, and not substitute, a diet of balanced nutrition, exercise, and sleep. For beauty and health in the long run, consuming a diet that has high quantities of fruits, vegetables, protein, and micronutrients is a much better way than consuming any one powder or extract.

Is Chlorophyll Drink Worth the Hype?

Chlorophyll won't make you a detoxed, glowing version of yourself any more than photosynthesis will function in your blood. Collagen supplements might be helpful, particularly for skin and joints, but they're no miracle cure themselves.

For the time being, consider these TikTok staples as add-ons, not requirements. If drinking a chlorophyll latte makes you happy or sprinkling collagen powder makes you eat more protein, that's okay. Just be aware that the glow-up is much more likely to be the result of regular healthy habits and not an online-viral supplement.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting supplements, treatment, or altering your health regimen.