Centenarians eat plant-based diets and avoid refined grains and processed meats.
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Centenarians live long, healthy lives by following simple habits such as eating plant-based whole foods, staying active and forging close social bonds. They avoid processed foods, refined grains, red meat, dairy, sugar, and processed meats. Their longevity proves that mindful eating and purposeful living can help us age gracefully and reduce chronic disease risks.
We always look at centenarians or people who live to 100 years of age with awe, admiration and with a feeling, could we too reach that coveted mark.
There are regions around the world where people live much longer and healthier. These are Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece and Loma Linda in California. Netflix docuseries 'Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones,' showed beautifully that longevity is achievable with a simple lifestyle and healthy eating habits.
What kind of lifestyle do we need to stay healthy and live long? What are that factors that help longevity?
The centenarians have been found to follow the 80/20 rule, which means consuming nutrient-rich foods most of the time, and indulging in less-nutritious foods in moderation. And be active on a daily basis, be with friends and have a purpose in life.
Diet, as we know, is very important in getting better health outcomes and centenarians across the globe eat whole foods and plant-based.
The diet consists of tubers like sweet potatoes together with various fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds olive oil, legumes and whole grains like oats and fermented products and limited wine consumption.
To understand these people better we must observe what they choose not to eat and the foods they eat only on rare occasions.
Let's discover the foods that centenarians exclude from their diets or rarely ever eat.
Centenarians do not consume packaged foods that have preservatives, artificial flavors, and added sugar. Ultra processed foods in attractive packaging lead to several health problems.
A 2020 Nutrients review found that these conditions increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and depression and cancer.1
A 2022 prospect cohort study discovered that older adults who consumed these foods showed higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline and dementia. The healthy aging of centenarians is a result of not consuming processed and packaged foods.2
Centenarians' diets exclude white flour and processed breads. They eat whole grains.
Most store bought food products contain refined white flours, like white pasta, white rice, white bread etc. have little nutritional value. But most people love eating them because of the taste.
The processing of whole grains loses most essential nutrients, which exist in their bran and germ parts. In contrast, whole grains provide health benefits because they are nutrient-rich with vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. that protect gut health, heart health and immunity.
You will not find red meat in a centenarian's pantry. They may eat it on a one off basis but not regularly. People who live close to coastal areas find fish more affordable and accessible.
The production of red meat requires environmental resources and studies also link this protein source to higher chances of colon cancer and heart disease, therefore people should limit their red meat intake.
This is a surprise for many because most people cannot live without dairy be it milk, curd, yogurt, cheese etc.to get their share of protein, calcium, phosphorus and probiotics. But dairy products may also be rich in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.
Centenarians avoid cow’s milk products. Research has found saturated fats in dairy may increase the risk for heart disease and high-fat milk drinkers have more advanced biological aging than low-fat milk consumers.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2019/1574021
Nevertheless, centenarians like to have minimal amounts of dairy shows that avoiding dairy is a way to live longer.
Sugary sweets are taken in moderation by centenarians. They may eat an occasional dessert but sugary drinks like sodas, juices and snacks are not a regular part of their diets because they provide minimal nutritional value but lots of added sugar.
Added sugar is known to cause inflammation in body so it should be minimizing in our everyday lives. Refined sugar is linked to several negative health outcomes like weight gain, and high risk of diabetes cognitive decline, and certain liver diseases.
People are now turning to natural alternatives that are sweet but health friendly and do not spike blood sugar.
You will not find centenarians eating processed meats. Highly processed meats such as sausages, bacons are very seldom eaten by them due to their links to heart disease and cancer. These not only contain very high saturated fats and dietary cholesterol, but they are also loaded with preservatives and additives like nitrates.3
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the processed meat products as Group 1 carcinogenic foods back in 2015.4
Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about your health or treatment options.
1. National Library of Medicine | Ultra processed foods and health
2. Neurology | Ultra processed foods and dementia
3. National Library of Medicine | Nitrate and Human Health
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