The Claim

When nutrient bioavailability is considered, modeled lowest-cost diets that meet nutritional requirements for most U.S. population groups consistently include beef meat (ranging from 10.4g to 151.3g per day), milk, eggs, fish, and occasionally beef liver, suggesting that animal-sourced foods are commonly part of cost-minimized, nutritionally adequate dietary patterns under these modeling conditions.

Source: The Role of Beef for the Lowest Cost and Adequate Provision of Bioavailable Nutrients in Modeled Diets at a Population Level in the United States

What the research says

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Supports
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Description
1 study reviewed
In plain English

When figuring out the cheapest way to eat healthy, models show that most people in the U.S. end up with foods like beef, milk, eggs, and fish in their diet — meaning animal foods often make the most sense when you want good nutrition at the lowest cost.

See the scientific wording

When nutrient bioavailability is factored in, modeled lowest-cost diets for most U.S. population groups include beef meat (ranging from 10.4g to 151.3g daily), milk, eggs, fish, and sometimes beef liver, indicating that animal-sourced foods are frequently selected in cost-minimized, nutritionally adequate dietary patterns under these conditions.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The Role of Beef for the Lowest Cost and Adequate Provision of Bioavailable Nutrients in Modeled Diets at a Population Level in the United States

    The study shows that when you consider how well your body can use nutrients from food, cheap healthy diets often include beef, milk, eggs, and fish. This matches the claim.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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