blue zones

Healthy Foods: Want to Live to 100? The Secret Might Be on Your Plate

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Introduction to the Blue Zones
In five corners of the world, people live longer—and better—than anywhere else. These magical places are called the Blue Zones, and their secret isn’t locked in a laboratory. It’s simmering in a pot, dancing on a plate, and walking in sandals. Want in? Read on.

Welcome to the Blue Zones, where centenarians aren’t anomalies—they’re neighbors. These regions (Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California) have something remarkable in common: people live longer, healthier lives thanks to a combination of plant-forward diets, active lifestyles, strong social ties, and a deep sense of purpose.

And food? Oh, food plays a starring role.

Over the next seven days, we’ll spotlight one food each day that’s been linked to longevity in the Blue Zones. We’ll break down four compelling reasons why you should be eating it—and to keep things delicious and local—we’ll wrap it up with a Tex-Mex recipe featuring that food.

🍎 Health Hack: Push the Envelop’s Edge Dare to Live a Long Life

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In Okinawa, the diet is heavy on vegetables and rice but includes small amounts of meat stir-fried into the main dish, providing protein but low calories. In Loma Linda, California, the home of the long-living Seventh-Day Adventist community, where inhabitants live about 10 years longer than the average American, most of the population avoids meat. However, they do enjoy whole grains—a common food among the five Blue Zone communities.

healthy meal

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Longevity Hack: Reclaim Your Mojo

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The longest-lived, healthiest people in the world may not work traditional nine-to-five jobs, but they are not immune to the stress of daily life. Each culture has its own method of stress reduction: Sardinians drink wine with their friends and neighbors at happy hour, Nicoyans find time to partake in daily gossip, Ikarians take naps, Okinawans meet with their moai, and Seventh-Day Adventists participate in the Sabbath, where they often find peace in nature. Additional research shows that stress management is essential for those looking to reduce risk of many age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s or cardiovascular disease.

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Longevity Tip ~ 4 Best Foods for Longevity

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These four best foods . . . simplify the Blue Zones diet. Favor beans, greens, root vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. People in four of the five “Blue Zones” consume meat, but they do so sparingly, using it as a celebratory food, a small side, or a way to flavor dishes.

FOUR ALWAYS:

  • 100% Whole Grains: Farro, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, bulgur, cornmeal
  • Nuts & Seeds: A handful a day
  • Beans, Legumes, Pulses: A cup of cooked beans / pulses per day
  • Fruits and Vegetables: 5-10 servings per day

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Longevity Tip ~ It’s Siesta Time

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Take naps. 

Birthday girl Flossie Dickey became a viral internet sensation on her 110th birthday when she wasn’t interested in being interviewed by a TV crew. It seems she’d rather be sleeping. Dickey said she naps as often as she can, which is also one of the habits of the people in Ikaria, Greece. The small island has been dubbed a “Blue Zone” where an unusual number of people live to 100.  Researchers say it’s not uncommon to see shops close up around midday so people can indulge in a little restful shuteye. Naps are said to help give you a second wind to stay productive and also they help give you a break from the stresses of daily life. 

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Longevity Tip

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Traits of People Who Live the Longest

They:

Stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full to avoid weight gain.

Eat the smallest meal of the day in the late afternoon or evening.

Eat mostly plants, especially beans. And eat meat rarely, in small portions of 3 to 4 ounces. Blue Zoners eat portions this size just five times a month, on average.

Drink alcohol moderately and regularly, i.e. 1-2 glasses a day.

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Longevity Tip

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 A key takeaway from a new book on how to eat and live like “the world’s healthiest people” is that longevity is not just about food.

The people who live in the Blue Zones — five regions in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the U.S. researchers have identified as having the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world — move their bodies a lot. They have social circles that reinforce healthy behaviors. They take time to de-stress. They’re part of communities, often religious ones. And they’re committed to their families.

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Longevity Tip

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“The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. They grow gardens and don’t have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work.”

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