The Blue Zones Diet: What It Is and How It Can Help You Live Longer
By: Barb Biagioli
Want to live forever? Well, maybe not forever – but how about as long and healthy as possible? Then the Blue Zones lifestyle may be for you. Or at the very least some variation of it.
The people that live in the five Blue Zones around the world live longer and with less disease – think, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. These high concentrations of individuals in Blue Zone communities – Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Ogliastra Region, Sardinia, Italy, the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California; and Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula – often live to be 100 years old. These communities are known for their longevity, based on rituals and routines that promote health and healing. Known for their movement, social circles and communities, stress relief practices, family commitment, and healthy eating behaviors, these centenarians know a thing or two about eating, breathing, and living a long and prosperous life.
After interviewing hundreds of people that lived to be 100, Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer and author of The Blue Zones Solution, gathered anthropologists, epidemiologists, demographers and researchers to travel the world to study these populations with high concentration of centenarians. In Buettner’s book he narrows down what gives these regions their Blue Zone status, and lays out their commonalities including the top longevity foods they consume on a regular basis. After studying and analyzing the 5 regions, he concludes that the qualified Blue Zones all have the following in common and practice these general guidelines to varying degrees.
General Guidelines Of Blue Zone Communities:
Eat until you are only 80% full, avoid overeating
Eat mostly plants, avoid processed foods and sugar
Make the first meal of the day the largest and the last meal the smallest
Add anti-inflammatory spices and herbs to your diet
These Blue Zone dwellers don’t rely on food alone to their long-term health. Those living in the Blue Zones participate in high levels of natural physical activity (from daily life, not exercise) have low stress levels, have engaging social connections, and a strong sense of purpose. In addition to those lifestyle tactics, they enjoy a whole foods plant-based way of eating, primarily consuming vibrant, nutrient dense plants foods – that are key to their exceptional health.
The Blue Zones Diet for Longevity
Centenarian dwellers of the Blue Zones engage in lifestyle practices and mindful eating rituals that contribute to their health and longevity. Of those, here are 8 tips that you can try to integrate into your living at home to promote your personal health.
1. Go With plant-Based Whole Foods
If you want to live a long and healthy life, you may want to take a close look at your pantry and fridge. Blue Zone individuals eat primarily (90-95%) whole foods plant based – meaning that they do not consume sugar, dairy and processed or packaged foods. They also focus on eating as seasonally as possible, foraging and growing their own food or gathering the goods from local farmers. If you are going to try to replicate a Blue Zones lifestyle, add a variety of plant-based foods to your meals – beans, sweet potatoes, beets, kale, spinach, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
2. Retreat from Meat
People in 4/5 Blue Zones do consume meat, but in minimal quantities. They sparingly include meat in their meals, merely as a celebratory food, side or for flavoring. On average, Blue Zones people ate two ounces or less approximately five times per month. The average American diet consumes consists of far too much meat and animal protein – correlating to the high levels of heart disease, hypertension, and cancer we see in this country.
3. Double Down on Beans
Beans are a power food in the Blue Zones. They are considered a cornerstone of longevity diets around the world. On average, people in the Blue Zones eat at least four times as many beans as Americans do. They are a great source of complex carbohydrates, plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and they are often budget friendly, easy to find, cheap to buy, and ideal to consume. To start, aim for half a cup of cooked beans daily.
4. Slash Sugar
Centenarians eat sugar with purpose – receiving their sugars from fruits and whole foods. Unlike Americans – that consume added sugars from cookies, cakes, chips and crackers – Blue Zone people do not consume more than 28g of sugar daily, of which comes naturally from fruits and complex carbohydrates. These sugars do not lead to insulin spikes since their fiber content balances blood sugar levels, unlike the sugars found in processed foods. Save the sweets for special occasions and celebrations.
5. Hydrate with H2O
People in Blue Zones drink primarily water, with the exception of coffee, tea and wine. They do not drink soda or juice. Instead, they choose water for optimal hydration – at least seven glasses per day. In varying regions of the Blue Zones, some consume coffee and others prefer herbal teas and green tea for their anti-inflammatory properties. They enjoy red wine in moderation and among friends.
6. Fewer Fish + Eliminate Eggs
There are both ethical and health considerations for Blue Zones eaters when it comes to eggs, fish and dairy. These three foods take a back seat in the Blue Zones diet. They are included in meals less often than American consumption, as side dishes to whole plant-based meals. Specifically, eggs are consumed no more than two to four times a week and are always pasture raised and local. Dairy is either sheep or goat’s milk, in the form of yogurt, raw milk or cheese – they rarely if ever consume cow’s milk. And fish are eaten small – sardines, anchovies, and cod. Blue Zones regions prefer to preserve the ecosystem of their oceans and waters and avoid overfishing. There fish consumption is fewer than three ounces, no more than three times a week.
7. Nosh on Nuts
Nuts make a great snack for Blue Zone individuals. Almonds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, and walnuts – all different sources of magnesium, vitamin E, B vitamins, selenium, omega 3s – are good for your heart health, cholesterol levels and overall health.
8. Bring Back the Bread
Say it ain’t so. Bread has gotten a bad rap – because the bread that is consumed in American is quite frankly, garbage. It is not ancient grain artisanal bread – it is instead, made of chemicals, sugars, and additives – ingredients that do not belong in bread and are dire for health. Blue Zones bread is unlike these bleached white flour breads – it is made from a combination of whole wheat and sourdough with higher levels of fiber and naturally occurring bacteria called lactobacilli, which digest the starches and glutens of the bread while it rises. It does not metabolize quickly and spike sugar levels and rather, results in a lower glycemic load, slower burning, and better digestion.
Top 5 Foods for Blue Zones Diets
Although the food choices vary from region to region based on what’s available to the climate, Blue Zone diets are primarily plant based – with consumption of plant based foods making up 90% of their daily food intake – from whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables, fruits, and dark leafy greens. Here are 5 foods to consider adopting to bring some Blue Zones living into your kitchen:
1. Leafy Greens
Kale, spinach, swiss chard are found in abundance in the Blue Zones. A great source of Vitamin, A, K, E and C, these dark leafy greens are exceptionally nutrient dense packed with powerful antioxidant properties that promote healthy and longevity. Of note, Blue Zone dwellers shop and eat locally, consuming vegetables they’ve farmed themselves or from local farmers that grow organic produce.
2. Legumes
Whether you prefer chickpeas, lentils or black beans, legumes are a vital component of all Blue Zone diets that you may want to consider adopting. Known for their fiber content, legumes are also a perfect source of plant based proteins, complex carbohydrates (that prevent sugar spikes) and include plenty of vitamins and minerals. You can add them to your salads or use them to make soups, stews or burritos.
3. Berries
Berries make a great sweet treat if you live in the Blue Zones. An optimal source of antioxidants – which promotes brain health, heart health, immune health, cellular health – berries, especially blueberries, are a great snack, healthy dessert of breakfast topping.
4. Oatmeal
A great source of fiber and plant based protein, oats make an ideal breakfast for Blue Zone people. They begin their days with steel cut oats for their fiber fueled and filling qualities, a good source of whole grains that prevents weight gain, fights diabetes, and promotes heart health.
5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of the foundation foods for centenarians of the Blue Zones, particularly Okinawa. They serve as a great fuel food – a good source of fiber and complex carbs, vitamin A – and when seasoned with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon pack a punch of potent herbs touted for their medicinal properties and antioxidants that ward off free radicals and boost health at the cellular level. Sweet potatoes are great for sustained activity during the day and make a great sweet treat too.
The Blue Zones way of life is something to strive for. Their attitude on life, their prioritization of family, friends and community, their ethical standards for ecosystems and animal consumption, their active lifestyle and whole foods plant based eating habits have proven to yield optimal long-term health. There are simple ways that Americans can emulate these practices in their daily lives and adopt these tenets of exceptional health, and live like the longest living people in the world – simply by eating more whole foods and following the Blue Zones guidelines. If you’re not sure if the Blue Zones diet is right for you compare food delivery plans with our helpful guide!