10 Foods That The World’s Longest Living People Eat
There are certain regions on Earth where people seem to live much longer than the rest of the population. Curiously, one of the distinguishing characteristics of these areas is the inhabitants’ diet. Even more interestingly, it has been established that many of the staple food varieties consumed by these longest-living and often healthiest people in the world are really similar, with all 10 of the foods discussed on the list to follow presumably playing an extremely important role in the health and longevity of these individuals.
Blue Zones Around the World
Such
regions include the island of Sardinia in Italy, as well as Okinawa,
Japan, Loma Linda, California, and others (see map above). These places
are often referred to as ‘blue zones’, a term coined by author and
explorer Dan Buettner. In these regions, the average life expectancy
exceeds that of its surrounding regions by decades.
For
example, the average American lifespan across sexes is 78 years, but
the members of the Loma Linda community in California live 11 years
longer on average. The story is the same with all the rest of these
locations, but the situation has reportedly changed for the communities
in Okinawa and Sardinia where the younger generations started straying
away from the traditional diet and life expectancy already started to
drop.
However,
even these two last examples are proof that it's precisely the
traditional diet and nutrition habits in these regions that promote
longevity and health, although activity levels and a sense of community
are two overarching themes through all of these communities as well.
Still,
in this article, we clearly focus on the diet aspect in these regions,
namely the food and drink staples, 10 of which we discuss below:
1. Sweet Potato
Sweet
potatoes make up a whopping 70% of the traditional Okinawa diet, where
the average lifespan is 90 years. As a matter of fact, traditional
Okinawan cuisine consists of a lot less rice than the rest of Japan,
only 1 cup a day compared to 4.5 cups of yams. Both purple and orange
sweet potatoes are used in recipes, and a common way of eating these
would be by preparing them with sesame seed oil and green onions.
Sweet
potatoes are an excellent source of carotenoids, potassium and B
vitamins and are a lot more nutritious than regular potatoes. Yams have
been associated with cardiovascular health and other benefits, which I'll publish in my next post.
2. Nuts
A
prominent feature in all of the blue zones are nuts, with the Loma
Linda commune including nuts as an important protein source since their
diet is vegetarian. Apart from being packed with proteins, nuts are also
an excellent source of plant fats and other nutrients, with each nut
variety having its own unique concoction of minerals and vitamins. Just
two handfuls of any nuts of your liking a day will help you live a
longer and healthier life.
3. Olive Oil
It's no secret that olive oil is a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, but it should also be noted that traditional Italian and Greek recipes from Sardinia and Icaria rarely use the oil for frying. Instead, olive oil is traditionally combined in salads and eaten with bread. The life expectancy in Icaria, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea where olive oil is a staple ingredient, is over 90 years.
Olive oil is one of the most well-researched plant oils, and it had been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities. The oil can also aid in preventing several chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, arthritis, some cancers and even Alzheimer's.
4. Oats and Barley
Another
group of ingredients prominent in the Loma Linda commune, which
actually bases its diet on foods from Biblical times, are oats and
barley, slow-cooked or steel-cut. These simple, yet effective foods are
known to contain plenty of essential fiber, which ensures optimal
digestion and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.
Oats, in particular, are known for their calming and anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. Oatmeal has been also associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and blood sugar-stabilizing properties.
5. Red Wine
Another
common trait among many, although not all of the blue zones, is a low
dose of alcohol, particularly dry red wine. Just one glass of wine with
dinner is a common feature of Mediterranean regions in particular, and
the polyphenols red wine contains are suggested to have a multitude of
health effects, particularly a skin rejuvenating and an overall
anti-aging effect.
Of course, moderation is key, as is the avoidance of overly sweet wine varieties, as these can be loaded in sugar. Polyphenols are also associated with digestive health, as well as prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
6. Cruciferous Vegetables
Mothers
all over the world, rejoice! All those times you were forcing your kids
to eat broccoli (and peas, but more on that later), you were absolutely
right, as it seems like the most long-lived people on Earth eat a lot
of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and other
cruciferous veggies.
These
vegetables are very popular in Sardinia, Italy, where the high intake
of cruciferous veggies was associated with a lower incidence of thyroid
problems. Apart from that, these vegetables contain a ton of vitamins
and other essential minerals, not to mention a lot of fiber, which makes
them a must-have on any healthy meal plan.
7. Fruit (all kinds)
All
of the long-living communities had this one thing in common - they ate a
lot of fresh seasonal fruit. It's important to note that it's better to
indulge in whole fruit than juicing them, as this way you'll be getting
both the nutrients from every fruit variety and the added fiber. Any
fruit variety will do either, so choose your favorite and munch away.
8. Leafy Greens (all kinds)
Another
mutual theme in all of the regions was an abundance of greens in nearly
every meal. Greens are used as a garnish on top of meals and as salad
bases. Greens (and seaweed) are especially appreciated in the Okinawa
diet, as well as in the Icaria diet, where dandelion leaves, spinach,
and fennel are combined with olive oil in a delicious side dish.
Greens
have long established themselves as a health-boosting ingredient
capable of stabilizing inflammation levels and containing lots of
vitamins and antioxidants. Depending on the type of greens you choose,
be it spinach, parsley, dill or lettuce, you will get a different mix of benefits, so we recommend combining and switching up your greens as much as you can.
9. Green and Herbal Tea
As
one might expect, green tea is a staple drink in Okinawa, and the
antioxidant-rich drink is renowned for its multitude of antioxidant and
preventative benefits.
Apart
from green tea, however, a common recurrence, particularly in the Greek
diet is herbal tea, particularly sage tea. Notably, none of the two are
typically sweetened in these regions, so it's best if you try adding as
little sweetener as you can, too, preferably none whatsoever.
10. Legumes
Did
we leave the best for last? Certainly so, as one of the main common
ingredients in all of the regions of exceptional longevity are legumes.
Moreover, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, and soy products are often
the dominant, if not the only protein source in these diets.
In
Okinawa, soy products, such as tofu, natto, miso, and edamame make up
5% of the entire diet, more than both meat and fish combined. The
Californian group abstains from meat completely, and in the rest of the
regions, meat is a rare treat while beans are a daily staple.
On
average, people in the blue zones eat about 1 cup of beans or legumes
on a daily basis, with the Nicoya group from Costa Rica preparing them
in a corn tortilla while the Mediterranean groups typically favor
lentils and chickpeas as a daily staple, so if you take one lesson from
this article, it's to eat more legumes.