The 4 Foods People Eat (And The 4 They Avoid) To Live To Be 100
Who knew the fountain of youth would be lined with lentils?
by The Candidly Team
Have you been hearing the term Blue Zones being mentioned all around you lately? In cocktail party chatter? In line for coffee?
The reason is 1) a recent Netflix docuseries (of course) and 2) we all want to live longer.
Blue Zones happen to be those tiny, mysterious pockets of the world where people are living the longest. They’re the most common homes to centurions, individuals who live to be over 100.
So naturally, we all want to know their secrets.
But here’s the thing. Blue Zones are scattered all over. As you can see…
So unlocking their secrets means someone doing years of investigating, pooling data, and making links between a place like Loma Alta, California and Okinawa, Japan. In this case, it’s been National Geographic Fellow and Explorer and New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner, who’s essentially devoted his career to writing about Blue Zones. His findings have been nothing short of fascinating.
And though living to be 100 unshockingly involves myriad lifestyle factors, there’s one takeaway with regard to what people in Blue Zones eat that really stayed with us, and that was the 4 foods centurions frequently eat and the 4 they commonly avoid.
Before we get into a list, it’s worth noting that different diets were observed in Blue Zones. The sourdough bread and Cannanou wine they eat and drink in Sardinia is not the same as the sweet potatoes and dashi broth they eat and drink in Okinawa. But there are some similarities that led researchers to draw certain conclusions, what they call “The Power 9,” which capture the healthy habits of people who live in Blue Zones.
Where food is concerned, principles include things like:
Eating a 95% plant-based diet
Stopping eating when you’re 80% full
There are, of course, more specific nutritional guidelines but one major takeaway is the 4 “Always And 4 To Avoid” foods.
So let’s get to them.
THE FOUR FOODS TO EAT
1. 100% Whole Grains
Apparently about 65% of Blue Zone diets consist of whole grains, beans, and “starchy tubers.” We’re not talking about sugary, processed breads, though some bread is fine (we mentioned that wholesome sourdough in Sardinia). But grains like farro, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, bulgur, and cornmeal are all listed as commonly consumed Blue Zone grains.
Studies certainly back up the benefits with one meta-analysis from the reputable BMJ showing that 90g of whole grain intake daily was associated with a “reduced risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and total cancer, and mortality from all causes, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, and all non-cardiovascular, non-cancer causes.”
2. Nuts
Blue Zone guidelines recommend 1-2 handfuls of nuts a day. One study showed that eating nuts at least five times a week corresponded to a “29 percent drop in mortality risk for heart disease, a 24 percent decline for respiratory disease, and an 11 percent drop for cancer.”
Nuts have fiber, which can lower your cholesterol. And here’s the mix Blue Zone enthusiasts say is ideal and why:
Almonds: high in vitamin E and magnesium
Peanuts: high in protein and folate
Brazil nuts: high in selenium
Cashews: high in magnesium
Walnuts: high in alpha-linoleic acid, “the only omega-3 fat found in a plant-based food”
3. Beans
The Blue Zone website calls beans “the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world,” stating that “people in the blue zones eat at least four times as many beans as Americans do on average.” Beans are high in protein and complex carbohydrates.
They include pulses and legumes like chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, and green beans within this label. All beans are really welcome, but some suggestions include:
Black beans
Pinto beans
Garbanzo beans
Black-eyed peas
Lentils
4. Fruits and Vegetables
We mentioned the enormous emphasis on eating plant-based in Blue Zones. They recommend 5-10 servings a day, which nicely lines up with one study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which showed that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day lived an extra three years compared to those who ate none. And for those who ate anywhere between 1-4 servings, their lifespan was also reduced, just not by as much.
They list some of the top “longevity foods” as leafy greens such as spinach, kale, beet and turnip tops, chard, and collards.
And here are the 4 most avoided foods in Blue Zones.
THE FOUR FOODS TO AVOID
1. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
We all kind of know by now that added sugar is horrendous for us, right? Interestingly, according the Blue Zone site, people in these zones “consume about the same amount of naturally occurring sugars as North Americans do, but only about a fifth as much added sugar.”
A recent umbrella review concluded that we should try to consume no more than 25G or 6 teaspoons of free sugars or added sugars a day.
2. Salty Snacks
Excessive sodium can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest adults limit their intake to less than 2,300 mg per day. But sadly, so many of our snack foods equate to exorbitant doses of salt. Plus, they’re packed with preservatives. So basically, the more “whole” our food is, the better.
3. Packaged Sweets
Added sugar is basically poison - see above.
4. Processed Meats
Blue Zones in general don’t consume very much meat and even limit fish intake. Processed meats have the added problem of contributing to cancer and heart disease.
And if you’re looking for some ways to think about swapping out the bad for the good, we like this little chart.
And listen, this is all just one point of view from one area being explored in terms of health. There are a lot more lifestyle factors to consider, and there’s plenty of people and studies who will say a carnivore diet is healthy, and beans are riddled with inflammatory properties and are inherently difficult to digest. We like being a host of different viewpoints, so you can research what’s best for you.
So, you can pick your own lane (or zone) with more ease. And maybe just a few more grams of fiber.
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