Researchers have now named dark chocolate as a critical part of their “longevity diet”. Although it leaves room to enjoy “some” of your favorite delicacies, the diet requires you to cut out red meat altogether. Its creators also recommend fasting every day, saying that everything should be eaten within a 12-hour window. Experts from the University of Southern California have looked at hundreds of nutrition studies over the past decade in an effort to find a diet that “offers the best chance of living longer and healthier.” Legumes, whole grains and vegetables are a staple of their diet, as are plenty of nuts and olive oil. Some fish are allowed and chicken intake should be “very low”. Red or processed meat should be cut whole and sugar and processed cereals – such as white bread, pasta and cereals – should be reduced. U.S.A. researchers have determined a “longevity diet” – a diet that can offer the best chance of living longer and healthier – after reviewing hundreds of nutrition studies conducted over the past century. They say the “optimal diet” should include plenty of legumes (pictured) – such as lentils and beans – as well as whole grains and vegetables. The researchers also support the consumption of certain fish, but not red or processed meat and only “very low” amounts of white meat. “Good levels” of nuts and olive oil and “a little” dark chocolate will also be eaten under the diet. And they also fast for at least 12 hours a day and for five days every few months for those most at risk of disease. However, the two academics behind the study do not specify exactly how much of certain foods people should eat. Adherence to this diet can “delay aging” and reduce the risk of age-related diseases, including diabetes and cancer, the researchers said. Lead author Dr. Walter Longo, an expert on aging and the biological sciences, has argued that “it is not a dietary restriction that is only intended to cause weight loss.” Instead, it aims to slow down aging and “help prevent morbidity and maintain good health in old age.” A wealth of evidence suggests that these dietary patterns will encourage healthy cell function and repel obesity, diabetes and cancer. Dr. Longo and Professor Rosalyn Anderson, an aging specialist at the University of Wisconsin, published their findings in the journal Cell.

HOW SHOULD IT BE A BALANCED DIET?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS • Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count • Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains • 30 grams of fiber per day: It is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole grain cereal cookies, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and a large baked potato with the peel • Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options • Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish each week, one of which should be fatty) • Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume in small quantities • Drink 6-8 cups / glasses of water a day • Adults should have less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
The studies covered popular diets such as calorie restriction and the high-fat, low-carbohydrate keto diet. The work also looked at the Mediterranean diet preferred by celebrities, as well as vegetarianism and veganism. Various types of dietary patterns were also considered, including intermittent fasting, which is common and short-lived. The researchers combined these diets with lifetime data from those who followed them. An ideal diet, according to their findings, will include the consumption of moderate to high amounts of carbohydrates, which is about half of a person’s daily caloric intake. It will also incorporate a “low but sufficient” amount of protein mainly from plant sources, which is about one tenth of the diet. One third of all calories should come from vegetable fats. And people who followed the diet would eat only small amounts of sugar and processed cereals, they added. The longevity diet would also see people eating food equal to the day in an 11 to 12 hour window. And every three to four months, people at higher risk of disease would fast for five days. Fasting periods increase autophagy – the body’s way of cleansing damaged cells – and the regeneration of cells in the body’s tissues, the researchers said. This leads to enhanced metabolic function – the rate at which the body burns calories. And it can delay immunity – the natural reduced function of the immune system that comes with age. “Adjusting this network in favor of longevity can delay aging and reduce risk factors and / or the incidence of age-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases,” she said. study. The researchers observed that the longevity diet is similar to the Mediterranean diets – which are largely of plant or vegetable origin. These are followed in “aging” places where there is a “high number” of people aged 100 and over, such as Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan and Loma Linda in California, the team said. However, the longevity diet is an “evolution” of these diets by reducing the hours of consumption and recommending fasting. The team is now planning a study of 500 people to further study nutrition. The team noted that the diet may not be recommended for everyone and should take into account age, health status and genetics, as those over 65 may need more protein “to cope with weight loss and lean fat loss”. body mass “. They advised people to talk to their doctor before making major changes to their diet. And the couple argued that people should focus on “smaller changes that can be adopted for life” and not on big changes that could have detrimental effects. Dr Longo added: “The longevity diet is not a dietary restriction intended only to cause weight loss, but a lifestyle focused on slowing down aging, which can complement standard health care and, as a precautionary measure, help in preventing morbidity and maintaining health in old age. ‘