5 SUPERFOODS FOR A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE.

Eating the right foods can lead to a longer and healthier life. Incorporating superfoods such as berries, nuts and vegetables into a balanced diet are through to increase lifespan and quality of life, studies show.

Let’s take a look at five superfoods to increase longevity.

What are superfoods?

Superfoods are whole foods such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish which are nutrient dense, per Medical News Today. Foods packed with vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein and antioxidants are often considered superfoods due to their wide variety of health benefits.

“Superfoods help promote health by increasing your immune function and decreasing your chance of disease prevention or progression,” registered dietitian Beth Czerwony told the Cleveland Health Clinic.

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1. Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, arugula and cauliflower are all considered cruciferous vegetables. These sorts of vegetables are nutrient dense — you can determine how packed a vegetable is by the depth of its color, per the Cleveland Health Clinic.

“A good rule of thumb for greens or any fruits or vegetables is that the deeper the color, the more nutrient-dense it is. For example, spinach contains more vitamins and minerals than iceberg lettuce,” registered dietitian Amber Sommer told the Cleveland Health Clinic.

Cruciferous vegetables might lower risk for several types of cancers, including pancreatic, breast, lung, bladder, prostate and colon cancer, studies show. Some researchers believe this is because cruciferous vegetables are rich with vitamins E, C and K and well as fiber, folate and minerals.

One study found that individuals who consume a higher amounts of cruciferous vegetables are less likely to develop prostate cancer. Another study shows that women with a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Additionally, a study from 2011 reports that those with a higher intake of vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables, are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increase overall longevity. A 2021 study also found that higher intake of vegetables and fruits is linked to lower mortality and cardiovascular disease.

2. Olive oil

Olive oil is packed with antioxidants, healthy fats and boasts strong anti-inflammatory properties. Higher olive oil consumption in linked to longevity, reports a study from Harvard Health.

Researchers combined results from two previous Harvard studies — this gave them reports from more than 92,000 men and women who closely tracked their dietary habits for decades, per Harvard Health. They found that those with the highest intake of olive oil (roughly half a tablespoon per day) experienced a 19% lower risk of death from any cause over a duration of 28 years.

“Higher olive oil consumption was also associated with lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, or lung disease. Among people who replaced butter, margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil, the death rate was as much as 34% lower than that of people who didn’t substitute olive oil for those fats,” the Harvard Health study reports.

A 2014 large study review of more than 140,000 participants reports that those who regularly consume olive oil have a much lower risk of stroke. Another review of studies shares that olive oil is the only monounsaturated fat with a link to decreased risk of heart disease and stroke.

3. Berries

Berries are one of the healthiest foods for your body. “On average, people who eat more berries seem to live a little bit longer,” said Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Studies show that individuals who regularly consume berries — such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries raspberries and goji berries — experience lower risk of heart attack, maintain a healthy weight and have slower rates of cognitive decline.

“The benefits cannot be understated, and it’s critical that Americans increase their intake of fruits and veggies,” Taylor Wallace, principal and CEO of the Think Healthy Group, a food science and nutrition research firm, a professor in the department of nutrition and food studies at Tufts University and a Forbes Health Advisory Board member, told Forbes Health.

“Plants average 64 times the antioxidant content of any animal-based food,” Wallace added. “Gram per gram, in order to ingest the antioxidant content in 100 grams of blueberries, you would need to eat 308 salmon filets.” 

A study of more than 93,000 women found that individuals who ate at least three servings of strawberries and/or blueberries every day experienced a 30% reduced risk heart attack.

Blueberries and strawberries also might slow cognitive decline, one study shows. Researchers tracked participants diets for nearly two decades, they found an association between higher berry intake and slower rates of cognitive decline.

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4. Nuts

Eating just a handful of nuts everyday is linked to living a longer, healthier life.

A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that individuals who ate nuts daily were 20% less likely to die during the 30-year study.

“We found that people who ate nuts every day lived longer, healthier lives than people who didn’t eat nuts,” said study co-author Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Regularly eating nuts is associated with: better artery health, reduced risk of blood clots, decreased risk of high blood pressure, lower risk of premature death due to heart disease and reduced levels of unhealthy cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic.

5. Beans and legumes

Beans and legumes are an excellent source of fiber, minerals, vitamins and plant-based protein, reports Healthline.

Life spans are longer in parts of the world where people regularly eat beans and legumes, according to Dan Buettner, an author who spent decades researching “blue zones” — areas around the world where people lives long, healthy lives, often living past 100 years old.

“In every blue zone I have visited, beans and other legumes were — and still are — a major component of the daily diet,” said Buettner, per CNN.

Several studies echo Buettner’s findings. A 2004 study reports that people with a higher intake of legumes live longer lives. A 2001 study shares that consuming beans four times per week reduces heart disease risk by 22%.

“I always hear American families cannot afford to feed their families healthy food,” Buettner said, per CNN. “That’s unfortunately true when it comes to organic and other fresh foods, but I tell them they can still get most of the way there by making beans and whole grains the basis of many meals.”

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