Eat these 4 foods every day to boost your longevity!

Want to live to 100 but don’t know how? Many of us share the goal of living a long and healthy life, but don’t know how to achieve it. Forget overcomplicated advice – the secret to a long, vibrant life might be on your plate!

Researchers looked at the longest-lived populations worldwide, known as the Blue Zones. In the Blue Zones, residents eat a plant-rich diet, high in whole foods, including a daily intake of beans and nuts.¹ Their diet is fundamental to their long and healthy lives.

Further research found that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and dairy products is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.² Clearly showing how impactful food is when it comes to long-term health and wellness.

Ready to eat your way to a long and healthier life? Start with these four longevity-boosting foods –

1. Beans

Beans are consumed across all five Blue Zones, making them the ultimate longevity food! They are a rich source of fibre, plant protein, complex carbohydrates, and various micronutrients. Centenarians eat beans every single day; they are inexpensive, filling, and nutritious. What’s not to love?

There are various legumes to try, like black beans, kidney beans, butter beans, and chickpeas. Legumes will feed your good gut bacteria, support postbiotic production, stabilise blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol.³

To boost your legume intake, try homemade hummus, fibre-rich lentil soup, or this delicious three-bean chilli.

2. Nuts

Nuts are delicious and versatile – add to a smoothie, baked goods, or enjoy them as a snack. They are rich in plant protein, fibre, healthy fats, antioxidants, and various micronutrients, making them a fantastic addition to your diet.

Consuming nuts is associated with lower inflammation, supporting a healthy gut microbiome, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke, lowering cholesterol, and supporting healthy weight loss.⁴ Go for a bag of mixed nuts to boost fibre diversity and optimise your gut health.

Remember: your gut bacteria feed on fibre, so consuming various dietary fibres is important for a healthy and diverse gut microbiome!

Add more nuts to your diet by trying these tasty recipes – kale and basil pesto, strawberry and dark chocolate granola, and date and fig prebiotic energy balls.

3. Berries

Berries are delicious and nutrient-packed! Rich in antioxidants, they help to protect you from free radicals and oxidative stress.⁵ They are fibre-rich to support a healthy and thriving gut microbiome. They have also been found to improve blood sugar levels, inflammation, and have heart health benefits, too!⁶

Individuals who consume a high amount of berries have been found to have a lower risk of mortality.⁷ Making these small but tasty berries a no-brainer!

There are various berries to enjoy, including –

Blackberries
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries

Add a variety of berries to a yoghurt parfait or smoothie for a delicious and nutritious way to start your day!

4. Kefir

Kefir is a fermented food rich in a diverse range of beneficial bacteria. It helps to replenish and support a balanced, thriving gut microbiome! Our award-winning kefir is packed with 27 strains of beneficial bacteria and is also a natural antimicrobial. But the benefits go way beyond the gut! It’s well known that the gut microbiome is linked to various other organs and systems within the body, including the brain, heart, liver, and immune system. Research has found that individuals consuming high amounts of foods rich in live microbes had a lower prevalence of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease than those consuming a low amount.⁸

Choose a kefir that is traditionally fermented and made with real kefir grains. This will ensure the kefir you are drinking is potent and powerful! For optimal health, we recommend drinking your kefir in a smoothie as part of our Gut Health Protocol.

Are you interested in learning more about health-promoting foods? Check out this article – Extra virgin olive oil: the secret to good health!

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via Live Chat, weekdays from 8am to 8pm.

Eat these 4 foods every day to boost your longevity!

1. Beans

2. Nuts

3. Berries

4. Kefir

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

More from The Gut Health Express

As Featured In