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Experts Say These Foods Are Linked to Longevity d3sign – Getty Images<\/p>\n
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Eating the right foods isn’t just about keeping your body healthy right now. The right dietary choices can actually help you live a longer life<\/a>. Certain foods are linked to longevity<\/strong>, according to medical experts. The good news is that many longevity-boosting foods are affordable and widely available, like legumes<\/a>, yogurt, and leafy greens.<\/p>\n These nutrient-dense foods<\/a> are commonly eaten in Blue Zones<\/a>, which are areas around the world where people live longer and healthier lives than the global average. In researching why people live longer in Blue Zones<\/a>, medical experts have discovered that it’s largely thanks to daily activity levels, connections with community, and the right diet. Keep reading to learn more about how certain foods can increase longevity.<\/p>\n Hanna Day-Tenerowicz<\/p>\n Diet can influence key aging mechanisms like inflammation, cellular repair, and insulin sensitivity. These all play critical roles in determining lifespan, explains Dr. Darshan Shah<\/a>, M.D., the founder of Next Health, a longevity clinic.<\/p>\n Choosing nutrient-dense, fiber-rich vegetables, healthy fats, and well-sourced proteins like legumes, lean meats, and fish, can help create a strong foundation for our cells to function at their best, Shah says.<\/p>\n \u201cThis, in turn, minimizes the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancers that often shorten lives,\u201d he says. \u201cSo yes, what you eat can absolutely contribute to a long, vibrant life.\u201d<\/p>\n What Does Eating For Longevity Look Like? <\/strong><\/p>\n While there\u2019s no one single food that will help extend your life, there are patterns of eating that could help with longevity, according to health experts.<\/p>\n Shah\u2019s best advice would be to embrace a diet that\u2019s rich in whole, unprocessed foods. It helps to imagine food as a spectrum: At one end, you have nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods (think: colorful vegetables, berries, high-quality olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes), and, at the other, you have highly processed, sugar-laden, and inflammatory foods.<\/p>\n \u201cChoose from the nutrient-dense end as often as possible,\u201d Shah says.<\/p>\n Transitioning to a Blue Zone diet is much like shifting to a plant-based diet, says Carolina Schneider, M.S., R.D., a dietitian who works with brands including Daily Harvest<\/a>. You can start by adding more plant foods to your meals like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes.<\/p>\n Her recommendation: \u201cGradually increase the number of meatless meals each week, starting with \u2018Meatless Mondays\u2019 and eventually incorporating plant-based proteins like tofu, edamame, tempeh, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas in place of animal proteins.\u201d<\/p>\n To replicate a Blue Zone way of eating, the goal is to focus on whole, minimally processed foods\u2014think of simple, single-ingredient items like oats, beans, nuts, and rice\u2014and avoid processed, packaged foods that contain a long list of ingredients you can\u2019t pronounce, Schneider says. Eating this way will also help reduce added sugar intake.<\/p>\n You can also reduce saturated fats with healthy fats by subbing in hummus for cream cheese and snacking on nuts, seeds, or avocado instead of chips, she says.<\/p>\n What Can We Learn From Blue Zones Diets?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re taking a page from the Blue Zones, focus on moderation, says Dr. Resham Uttamchandani, M.D.<\/a>, a double board-certified physician. She points to the practice in Okinawa where people stop when they’re about 80% full.<\/p>\n Again, diets high in plant-based foods<\/a> are a common denominator in places where people live the longest. During her rotation at Loma Linda Children\u2019s Hospital, she says she was amazed by the vegetarian options available and she was able to see this community-based commitment to eating healthy in the hospital.<\/p>\n The Blue Zone approach is notably different than the \u201cget healthy\u201d trends that dominate in much of the United States and involve adhering to a specific diet and exercise routine, which often isn\u2019t sustainable, says Maria Emerick, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., and owner of Homegrown Nutrition<\/a> in Honolulu, Hawaii.<\/p>\n \u201cThe oldest lived individuals of the world who have arrived into old age with sound mind and body did not do so by following the latest fad diet or newest weight loss supplement,\u201d Emerick says. \u201cInstead, they made healthy lifestyle choices that were sustainable and able to be repeated more often than not, which lead to longer, healthier lives with lower risk of chronic diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n As an example, people in Blue Zones also tend to live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it, such as taking the stairs, working in the garden, biking to the store, or walking to a friend\u2019s house, Emerick says.<\/p>\n In recent years, there has been some criticism around the concept of Blue Zones, including an academic paper<\/a> that points out record keeping errors and fraud could lead to inaccurate claims that people in some regions live to be 100 or beyond.<\/p>\n Skepticism around Blue Zones often centers on the exactness of demographic data or genetic factors, Shah says. Still, he thinks the lessons distilled from Blue Zones around the world are overall beneficial.<\/p>\n \u201cEven with such debates, the core principles behind the Blue Zones lifestyle\u2014such as a whole-foods diet, community, physical activity, and purposeful living\u2014are universally beneficial.\u201d<\/p>\n It is very important to remember it is not one particular food that makes or breaks it, says Elizabeth Huggins, RDN at Hilton Head Health Resort & Wellness Spa<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe field of nutrition is a young science and we have so much to learn about the fine details, however, it is safe to say we know that eating a variety of plant-based foods and limiting processed foods is better for us,\u201d Huggins says.<\/p>\n Those who live in Blue Zones tend to eat complex carbohydrates, like those found in beans, sweet potatoes and whole grains, explains Professor Tim Spector, M.D., scientific co-founder of Zoe<\/a>, a science and nutrition company. Higher in fiber, these carbs are healthier than refined sugars and processed carbs that you\u2019d find in chips and crackers because they take longer to digest and provide more energy.<\/p>\n Here are some other foods that Spector recommends eating for longevity, along with why they\u2019re important:<\/p>\n Leafy Greens and Legumes <\/strong><\/p>\n These are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help fight inflammation and promote cellular health.<\/p>\n Berries<\/strong><\/p>\n Rich in antioxidants, berries protect the body against oxidative stress, which is linked to aging and chronic diseases.<\/p>\n Whole Grains<\/strong><\/p>\n These provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, which are vital for gut health and metabolic function.<\/p>\n Nuts and Seeds<\/strong><\/p>\n They offer healthy fats, protein, and important micronutrients that support heart health.<\/p>\n Fermented Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n Foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut provide probiotics that support a healthy gut microbiome, which is essential for good health.<\/p>\n You Might Also Like<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"blue](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/e9ce116e031a95695619ccc77a52442a.png\"\/)
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What Specific Foods Should You Eat For Longevity? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n