How to Eat to Live a Century

Want to live to 100 years old? It's alluring to believe you may get there by eating enough omega-3 fatty acids, greens, and blueberries.

But a new book on how to live and eat like "the world's healthiest people" makes it clear that longevity is not only about food.

The residents of the five areas known as the Blue Zones, which have the largest concentrations of centenarians worldwide and are located in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the United States, move their bodies a lot. Their social circle supports positive conduct. They require some time to de-stress. They are a part of groups, frequently religious ones. They also care deeply about their family.

But it's also essential to pay close attention to what, how much, and when they eat. Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer and author who set out on a mission to discover the lifestyle secrets to longevity in 2000, has thus published a sequel to his first book on the subject. American readers are the target audience for the new book, The Blue Zones Solution, which focuses primarily on food.

Why should we be concerned about the diets of those in the remote Blue Zone communities? Because according to Buettner, their more traditional diets trace back to when Americans were overrun with fatty fast food and sweets.

Most people's top priorities include having a long, healthy life. But how exactly do you get there?

Dan Buettner chose to contact the source directly. He found regions of the globe where people live the longest and healthiest, including Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and Loma Linda, California. 

They designated these regions as "blue zones" and then began investigating the characteristics of these inhabitants. For example, residents in blue zones are innately active throughout the day, enjoy meaningful relationships with others, and have a sense of purpose.

But there are also similarities in their diets. Here are a few ways you may use their longevity diet to improve your health as well:

Eating beans

Bean consumption is expected in the blue zones; at least a half cup is consumed daily. Beans (including black, garbanzo, and white varieties) are a cheap source of plant-based protein. They are a fantastic amount of fiber, a nutrient associated with a decreased disease risk, and beneficial for gut health.

Include cruciferous vegetables.

Natural substances found in cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are all excellent for your heart and can prevent some types of cancer.

Nuts make a tasty snack. 

The blue zone centenarians consume around 2 ounces of nuts daily, equivalent to about two modest handfuls. To gain the full range of advantages, you can change the type of nuts you consume (such as pistachios, walnuts, and almonds). A particularly cost-effective option is peanuts.

Take a lot of water. 

Even though people in the blue zones consume tea and coffee, most hydration should come from water. For most adults, soda is the primary added sugar source, and most sugary drinks are devoid of other nutrients. The authors caution against starting to consume red wine if you haven't before, even though it's common in some blue zones.

Consume less sugar. 

Just a fifth of the added sugar we consume in North America is consumed by those in the blue zones. They tend to save their "intentional" use of sugar for special occasions rather than eating and drinking it all day.

Prepare different vegetarian dishes.

Blue zones only have a little meat in their meals. It serves more as a side dish or an additive to dishes' taste. Beans are frequently the primary source of protein in their primarily plant-based diets (or tofu in Okinawa, Japan).

Thank your loved ones and dine with them.

Take time to express thankfulness before a meal and please your meals with family and friends.

Take Protein:

Both plant-based and animal-based diets are incredibly high in protein. Animal-based protein may be abundant in lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy products (such as yogurt, milk, and cheese). Consider whole grains, soy products, nuts, seeds, beans, and other legumes as plant-based alternatives. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible—though not always easy—to get enough protein from plant-based meals. It could be simpler to accomplish with a few pointers. Additional alternatives for diet augmentation include protein powders and ready-to-drink protein smoothies.

Fish

Consuming fish has life-saving potential. According to estimates, eating fish can prevent 50,000 heart and stroke deaths annually. It is advised to consume at least two servings of fish per week to help avoid heart disease, stroke, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, and congestive heart failure.

Eggs:

One egg each day is OK. A recent clinical investigation found that eating three eggs per day did not increase blood-analysis-measured risk factors for heart disease. (According to one study, eating eggs did result in higher, healthy amounts of choline, a vitamin crucial for brain development.) In a significant meta-analysis, eating one egg per day was also linked to a lower risk of stroke. According to recent advice, most people can enjoy a whole egg in a healthy diet.

Since 1999, some soy protein meals have carried an FDA-approved health claim stating that eating 25 grams of soy protein daily in conjunction with a low cholesterol and saturated fat diet may lower the chance of developing heart disease. However, this assertion has lately come under scrutiny, not because soy protein raises the risk of heart disease but rather because new research indicates that it does not do so as well as previously believed. The benefits of soy as a component of a heart-healthy diet have recently been proven by a recent meta-analysis (large-scale research).

Dairy products 

A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by nutrition specialists revealed that dairy intake either had no association with cardiovascular disease or had a decreased risk of developing it. The Dietary Guidelines advocate consuming three servings of dairy daily as part of a balanced diet to enhance calcium intakes that are currently low.