10 Tips For The Best Longevity Diet

Longevity diets around the world differ, but have certain things in common. Blue Zones are the places in the world where people are known for their good health and longevity. Their diets have been carefully studied. They are areas with the greatest concentration of centenarians.

There are five of them, located in: Italy, Greece, US, Costa Rica, and Japan.

There are certain eating patterns that all five zones have in common, even though their diets differ and are made up of their local foods. Here is what is recommended from their diets. If you follow these guidelines, it will naturally crowd out refined sugars and starches, and replace them with nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods. The Blue Zones people are mostly very slim, and you will see why when you read below.

1. Have 95% of your food comes from a plant or plant product. People in the Blue Zones had their own gardens, but we
2. Eat meat no more than twice a week. Some of the Blue Zones folks only ate meat once or twice a year, on very special occasions.
3. Eat up to 3 oz. of fish daily. Avoid farmed fish.
4. Diminish dairy, especially from cows. Some Blue Zone folks ate goat cheese or drank goat milk. Non-dairy milks can also be used.
5. Eat no more than 3 eggs a week. Free range or pastured eggs are best.
6. Eat at least half a cup of cooked beans daily.
7. Avoid sugar as much as possible. Instead, use fruits and natural sweeteners like honey, and consume sweets as a celebratory food.
8. Eat nuts daily, up to 2 handfuls.
9. Replace common bread with sourdough bread, which is naturally leavened.
10. Eat whole foods – we can define this as foods that are recognizable for what they are! Use simple food preparation and eat local as much as possible.

If this seems too overwhelming, just pick one thing to work on at a time, and start to put together  your own longevity diet. When that one becomes second nature, then add a second. Continue like that, taking as long as you need.