A big study involving 80 countries found that when it comes to eating healthy, you can choose to include or skip certain foods.
The study, published in a health journal, showed that diets focusing on fruits, vegetables, dairy (especially whole-fat), nuts, legumes, and fish were linked to a lower risk of heart problems and early death all over the world.
Interestingly, adding unprocessed red meat or whole grains to the diet didn't make much of a difference.
More about the research
Dr. Andrew Mente, who led the study, said that we often hear about low-fat foods being the best, but his research suggests we should focus on eating protective foods like nuts, fish, and dairy, including whole-fat options.
In fact, the study showed that having up to two servings of whole-fat dairy a day can be part of a healthy diet.
This goes against the idea that we should cut down on dairy, especially the full-fat kind, to very low amounts.
Some modern nutrition science suggests that whole-fat dairy might even help protect against high blood pressure and metabolic problems.
Why it's important
This study is important because it's one of the biggest and most diverse ones about diet and health.
It found that eating well is good for everyone, no matter where they live or how healthy they are.
And surprisingly, it suggests that in some parts of the world, health problems might be caused more by not eating enough good food rather than eating too much bad stuff.
It challenges what we thought we knew about healthy eating, and it's a reminder that healthy food can make a big difference in our lives.
