\u201cHealthy lifestyles are often associated with delays in the onset of chronic diseases, and their prevention,\u201d explains Rafael de Cabo, PhD, a senior investigator at the US\u2019s National Institute on Aging. This is especially the case for healthy diets, he says.<\/p>\n
The Food Standards Agency says unhealthy diets contribute to 13 per cent of UK deaths, partly because they raise the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and obesity.<\/p>\n
While there aren\u2019t any specific foods that research shows can improve longevity<\/a>, de Cabo says, one way of eating could: the Mediterranean diet.<\/p>\n \u201cDiets like the Mediterranean diet exemplify a balanced, nutrient-dense approach, which is linked to reduced chronic disease risk and healthier ageing,\u201d says Anna Kallianteri<\/a>, a registered dietitian and head of dietetics at Uniquely Health.<\/p>\n The Mediterranean diet<\/a> is based on what people traditionally ate in countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece. It\u2019s high in whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, and low in meat, processed food, and alcohol. Lots of studies have linked it to a longer life expectancy, such as a study<\/a> by researchers at Harvard Medical School which found that women who followed the diet for 25 years had a 23 per cent lower risk of dying of any cause.<\/p>\n Here are some of the most important foods in the Mediterranean diet \u2013 including one you\u2019re probably already eating, and why incorporating them into your diet could add years to your life<\/a>.<\/p>\n Olive oil<\/strong><\/p>\n Olive oil<\/a> is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet \u2013 and is \u201c\u2018liquid gold\u2019 for longevity\u201d, Kallianteri says.<\/p>\n This is because compounds in it can counteract chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response in our bodies that can help injuries or infections heal, but, if it continues over a long time, can be one of the \u201cmajor drivers of ageing and age-related diseases\u201d, she says.<\/p>\n A 2018 review<\/a> found that participants who ate more extra-virgin olive oil had lower likelihoods of developing type 2 diabetes, artery disease, and breast cancer because of these anti-inflammatory effects.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no need to drink olive oil to get enough for the longevity benefits to kick in, says Anna Daniels<\/a>, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for BDA (British Dietetic Association).<\/p>\n \u201cConsuming as little as 1\/2 tablespoon a day can help reduce mortality,\u201d she says, because \u201ca little drizzle over meals quickly adds up\u201d. She recommends drizzling it over fish, chicken, or roasted veg.<\/p>\n Legumes like lentils and kidney beans<\/strong><\/p>\n The Mediterranean diet includes three servings of legumes, including beans, chickpeas, and lentils, a week. They are high in fibre, low in fat, and a great source of plant-based protein.<\/p>\n Eating more legumes<\/a> could increase your life expectancy by up to 2.2 years for women and 2.5 years for men, one 2022 study<\/a> by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, found \u2013 if you\u2019re also reducing the amount of red and processed meat in your diet.<\/p>\n \u201cNo single legume reigns supreme; variety is key to unlocking their full health benefits,\u201d Kallianteri says.<\/p>\n However, \u201cchickpeas are also known for reducing cholesterol, and black beans and red kidney beans contain anthocyanins which offer a rich antioxidant profile\u201d, says Daniels. Antioxidants counteract free radicals, which are molecules that damage cells.<\/p>\n Whole grains<\/strong><\/p>\n Whole grains<\/a> are minimally processed grains, like oats, brown rice, barley, and quinoa.<\/p>\n \u201cConsuming whole grains regularly, even in small amounts, has been shown to lower overall mortality, in part due to their anti-inflammatory effects and support for a healthy metabolism,\u201d Kallianteri says.<\/p>\n Researchers at the University of Bergen found that eating more whole grains could add up to two years to women\u2019s lives and 2.3 years to men\u2019s.<\/p>\n Like legumes, there isn\u2019t one whole grain which beats out the rest for helping you live longer<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cEach grain offers its mix of protective plant compounds, so the best approach is variety; enjoying a diverse mix helps you get the full spectrum of health-promoting benefits,\u201d Kallianteri says.<\/p>\n Aim for 225g of whole grains a day if you want the maximum life-lengthening benefits of whole grains, the researchers at the University of Bergen found. This might look like a small bowl of whole grain cereal for breakfast, two thin slices of rye bread with lunch, and some whole grain rice at dinner.<\/p>\n Nuts, especially walnuts<\/strong><\/p>\n The Mediterranean diet includes three servings of nuts a week, but the University of Bergen researchers found that eating one handful of nuts a day<\/a> (about 25 grams) gives you your best bet at living longer \u2013 up to 1.7 years longer for women, and two years for men.<\/p>\n \u201cWalnuts have often been highlighted in longevity research, with good reason,\u201d Kallianteri says.<\/p>\n For example, in a 2021 study<\/a>, researchers found that 60-year-olds who ate walnuts five times a week had an average life expectancy around 1.3 years longer than people who didn\u2019t eat walnuts at all. They suggested that walnuts are better for longevity than other nuts because they are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that can help to prevent chronic disease and improve brain health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile walnuts stand out, regularly eating a variety of nuts is likely the best way to get the full range of nutrients and health benefits,\u201d Kallianteri says. \u201cTry to consume a daily handful of mixed nuts and seeds.\u201d<\/p>\n Herbs and spices<\/strong><\/p>\n You might already be eating to extend your life without knowing it, because both Daniels and Kallianteri said that herbs and spices can be great for longevity.<\/p>\n \u201cOften overlooked, these kitchen staples are nutritional powerhouses,\u201d Kallianteri says. \u201cTurmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and oregano all contain compounds shown to help reduce inflammation and protect against age-related diseases \u2014 plus, they add flavour without extra calories or sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, Daniels says: \u201cSqueezing a good dose of lemon or lime over foods, and adding in turmeric, basil, and chilli all add differing antioxidants, polyphenols, and vitamins into your food.\u201d Research is still limited on the effects of herbs and spices for longevity<\/a>, but a 2024 review<\/a> of available evidence found that eating lots of mixed herbs and spices (6.6 grams per day) could improve vascular and cardiometabolic health, metabolism, and inflammation levels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Food Standards Agency says unhealthy diets contribute to 13% of UK deaths – these simple ingredients could reduce…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":267840,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4318],"tags":[973,372,126,105,2408,4434,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-267839","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-ageing","9":"tag-diet","10":"tag-features","11":"tag-health","12":"tag-healthy-diet","13":"tag-nutrition","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114865530815064880","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267839"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267839\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Personal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259088325.jpg\")
Eating more legumes could increase your life expectancy by up to 2.2 years for women and 2.5 years for me (Photo: Westend61\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259088275.jpg\")
Eating whole grains regularly has been shown to lower overall mortality (Photo: Marko Jan\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Deutschland,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259088278.jpg\")
Spices such as turmeric helps reduce inflammation and protect against age-related diseases (Photo: Westend61\/Getty)<\/p>\n