3 Foods for a Long and Healthy Life

Immortality was always a dream for humans – it was the driving force behind the alchemists’ search for the mythical Philosopher’s Stone. While they haven’t found the secret to life eternal, alchemists did find many interesting things, laying the foundations of sciences like physics and chemistry. Doctors haven’t found the secret to immortality either – and they have ultimately given up on this dream to pursue prolonging life instead.

There is no single secret to a long and happy life – there are many. One of the most important factors that most tips on longevity agree upon is diet: what you eat has a major impact on how long you can expect to live. So, let’s take a look at some of the foods most experts agree that have the potential to prolong life.

Fruit and vegetables

Many experts agree that a diet built around plant-based foods is one of the secrets to a long and healthy life. Some even go as far as to say that the more colorful the food is, the more beneficial it is. There are many regional diets that contain far more fruit and veggies than our traditional “western” one. Those living in Okinawa – the southernmost prefecture of Japan – have a diet especially rich in fruits and vegetables. As a result, the inhabitants of the prefecture have among the longest life expectancies in the world: 83.7 years, on average.

Green tea

Green tea

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence about the benefits of green tea – it is said to keep your body healthy, your mind clear, and your body fat melt away. Some of its benefits were confirmed by science, too – namely, that it prolongs life.

A long-term study conducted in China with more than 100,000 participants has shown that drinking green tea at least three times a week will prolong life, on average, by 1.2 years. This delicious hot drink achieves this feat by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease – the number one cause of death in many countries.

So, drink up often – green tea is not only a delicious, refreshing drink but a way to prolong your life, too.

Olive oil

Olive oil

Finally, one of the things that should be present in all kitchens around the world – not just because of its health benefits but for its delicious taste, too – is olive oil. A staple of the Mediterranean diet, one that is considered the “gold standard” in preventive medicine, olive oil is considered by many the one secret to a long and happy life.

But olive oil alone is not capable of doing wonders – but coupled with other elements of the same diet, it can contribute to preserving health for longer.

Perhaps it’s not a surprise for many of you that the diet consists of some of the elements enumerated before: olive oil, fruits, and veggies with every meal, with the addition of nuts, legumes, fish or seafood, and moderate portions of eggs, dairy, meat, completed with an occasional glass of red wine and some sweets. It can be an incredibly satisfying diet that can do wonders for your cardiovascular health and prolong life.