Do you feel overwhelmed by all the advice on what to eat—or not eat—for a healthy life? Researchers have discovered a simple, effective trick: eat a more varied diet.
Variety Is Key
New nutrition and supplement science research shows that the more diverse your diet, especially in terms of species from both plant and animal sources, the lower your risk of early death. While the study doesn’t define “early death,” it compares mortality rates between people who consume many food species and those who consume few.
What’s new here is the finding that having a wide variety of species on your plate increases your chances of getting enough essential vitamins and minerals, without necessarily eating more food. This, in turn, reduces the risk of dying early.
Guri Skeie, a professor of nutrition at the Arctic University of Norway emphasizes that eating a diverse range of foods naturally helps you get essential nutrients—no need for calorie counting or complex tracking.
Why More Variety Works
Eating a wide range of foods increases your chances of consuming beneficial compounds, and it helps prevent you from getting too much of any one thing.
Different foods complement and enhance each other—for instance, vitamin C improves iron absorption. A more varied diet may also promote a healthier gut microbiome, as species diversity in food appears to support species diversity in the gut.
Skeie, one of the researchers from nutrition and supplement science, explains that the findings are based on data from nearly 500,000 people across 14 countries. In nine European countries, the study focused on the link between dietary species diversity and early death. In five low- and middle-income countries, researchers looked at whether people were getting enough vitamins and minerals.
The study, led by Ghent University in Belgium, relied on questionnaires and interviews to assess the range of species people consumed.
It’s About Species, Not Nutrients
Interestingly, the study doesn’t account for nutritional content. For example, chicken and eggs are considered one species, as are beef, milk, cheese, and yoghurt—all from cows.
Guri Skeie explains that, unlike traditional nutrition studies, this research groups foods by species—not by nutrient content—meaning all cow-based products count as one, and so do chicken and eggs.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, each type—apple, carrot, blueberry, etc.—counts as its species. So, it’s more beneficial to eat a variety than to stick to just apples and carrots.
The number of species—not the amount of food—was the only factor analyzed. Still, the health benefits were clear.
Matches Current Norwegian Guidelines
This approach aligns closely with Norway’s current dietary guidelines, updated in 2024.
Guri Skeie highlights that variety is a core principle in Norway’s 2024 dietary guidelines, which are grounded in long-term research. While environmental concerns weren’t part of the latest update, she points out that nutritional and environmental goals often align naturally.
She adds that it’s important not to change dietary guidelines too frequently based on single studies. These guidelines are based on a broad base of long-term research.
Although environmental concerns weren’t included in the 2024 update, prompting some criticism, Skeie notes that dietary and environmental goals often go hand in hand.
Current Norwegian Nutrition and Supplement Science Dietary Guidelines (Source: helsenorge.no):
- Eat a varied diet, mostly plant-based, and enjoy your meals.
- Include fruits, berries, or vegetables in every meal.
- Eat whole-grain bread or other whole-grain products several times a day.
- Choose fish, seafood, beans, and lentils more often than red meat.
- Minimise processed meats. Consume dairy daily.
- Choose low-fat products.
- Limit candy, snacks, and sweet baked goods.
- Drink water!
Reference:
Giles Hanley-Cook et al. (2025). Dietary species richness provides a comparable marker for better nutrition and health across contexts. Nature Food. DOI: 10.1038/s43016-025-01147-6
Key Takeaways
Variety in Diet is Crucial: The more diverse your diet, especially with different species from both plant and animal sources, the lower your risk of early death. This is backed by new research showing a strong link between diet diversity and longevity.
Nutrient Diversity Matters: Eating a wide range of species increases your chances of getting enough essential vitamins and minerals without over-consuming any one food. This balance helps reduce health risks.
No Need for Complicated Calculations: You don’t need to track food quantities or make complex calculations. The focus is on consuming a variety of species, not how much food you eat.
Variety Enhances Health: A diverse diet provides beneficial compounds, prevents overconsumption of any one nutrient, and may support a healthier gut microbiome.
Large-Scale Research: The study, involving nearly 500,000 people from 14 countries, found that those who ate a greater variety of species had better nutrition and lower early death rates.
Focus on Species, Not Nutrients: The study emphasises the number of species consumed rather than the nutritional content. For example, chicken and eggs are counted as one species, as are all dairy products from cows.
Aligns with Norwegian Guidelines: The findings align with Norway’s updated 2024 dietary guidelines, which emphasise a varied, plant-based diet, with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains included in every meal.
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