There are five principles of longevity diet

The Compendium of Materia Medica points out that "food is the lifeblood of human beings." Hippocrates, the "father of medicine" in ancient Greece, also said: "Let food be your medicine." Many modern studies have shown that healthy eating habits are one of the necessary conditions for strengthening the body and prolonging life. Researchers from the Longevity Institute of the University of Southern California and the University of Wisconsin recently published a review study in the international academic journal Cell, pointing out that human nutrition must be adjusted according to age, genetics, personal metabolism and other conditions, and combined with hundreds of studies on laboratory animals and human nutrition, disease and life span, a multi-system, multi-pillar approach was used to define the "longevity diet." Professor Walter Longo, one of the researchers and director of the Longevity Institute of the University of Southern California, described the longevity diet as: "A lot of beans, whole grains and vegetables, some fish, a small amount of red meat, processed meat and white meat, less sugar, less refined grains, higher levels of nuts and olive oil, and some dark chocolate." In addition, specific suggestions were given on what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat.

Staple foods: Most should come from unrefined carbohydrates

Among the nutrients necessary for the human body, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins are called macronutrients because they are needed in large quantities and account for a large proportion of the diet. The review pointed out that in the diet, 25% to 35% of energy should come from fat, 10% to 15% from protein, and 45% to 60% of calories should come from unrefined carbohydrates, that is, unprocessed "complete" carbohydrates, including whole grains, coarse grains, beans, potatoes and other foods.

Jing Hao, a professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University, said that unrefined carbohydrates are rich in dietary fiber, take longer to digest, can prolong satiety, help control appetite, maintain blood sugar stability, and improve the intestinal microecological environment, reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. Unrefined carbohydrates retain more vitamins, minerals, antioxidant nutrients, etc. in food, which not only increases the nutritional supply, but also brings other benefits to health. For example, under the premise of the same weight and the same energy, the B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, etc. contained in whole grains are three times that of white rice; the black and red bran of whole grains contain anthocyanins, and barley and oats contain beta-glucan, which is beneficial for anti-oxidation, can reduce bad cholesterol, and prevent coronary heart disease.

According to the 2021 Scientific Research Report on the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, the majority of Chinese people still eat refined rice and flour, and 80% of them do not meet the whole grain intake standard. Wang Xingguo, director of the Nutrition Department of Dalian Central Hospital, suggested that whole grains, beans, etc. can be mixed with white rice to make porridge or rice when cooking, and the number of times refined grains such as white steamed bread, white rice, and noodles can be reduced; potatoes and root vegetables that have not been refined can also be used as high-quality non-refined carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, and pumpkins. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), each person should consume 200 to 300 grams of cereal foods per day, including 50 to 150 grams of whole grains and beans and 50 to 100 grams of potato foods.

Protein: "Vegetarian + Seafood" mode

Protein is an important component of human cells and tissues. The review stated that protein and certain amino acids in food can increase growth hormone signals, which is very important for prolonging life, but they will also increase the level of insulin-like growth factor 1 (which can activate the pro-aging axis) in the body and accelerate aging. Therefore, the longevity diet pattern recommends that protein intake should be small but sufficient, and it is best to be mainly from plant sources; you can also choose a "vegetarian plus seafood" diet pattern with fish and seafood as the main source of protein. The consensus released by the International Lipid Expert Group proposed a "protein source pyramid", at the top of which is plant protein, including soybeans and other beans, nuts, followed by fish, eggs, milk, poultry, etc. They are all high-quality proteins.

There has been a lot of evidence that eating less meat (especially red meat) and more plant protein is more conducive to longevity. A study published in the British Medical Journal involving more than 710,000 participants and followed up for 32 years pointed out that the intake of plant protein can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 8% and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 12%. The 2021 "Scientific Research Report on the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" shows that in the Chinese dietary structure, there is a problem of insufficient intake of milk, fish, shrimp and soybeans. Wang Xingguo said that high-quality protein should account for 50% or more of the total dietary protein supply; some plant foods lack essential amino acids for the human body, and the intake of appropriate animal protein should be guaranteed. It is recommended to eat less or no processed red meat, eat 2 to 3 servings of fish per week, 226 to 339 grams (2 to 3 palm sizes), an appropriate amount of eggs and milk, and eat more beans and other plant proteins. The top five protein contents per 100 grams of beans and soy products are black beans, soybeans, mung beans, red beans, and tofu.

Fat: Increase plant sources

The review suggests that the diet should contain 25% to 35% fat, and most of it should be vegetable fat. Many foods have a fried aroma and a silky taste because they contain fat, and the main component of fat is fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids mainly come from animal fats such as lard and fatty meat, as well as plant fats such as cocoa butter, coconut oil and palm oil. Excessive intake can harm cardiovascular health; monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids are beneficial for lowering bad cholesterol, and they mainly come from vegetable oils and fish fats. Therefore, people should eat less animal fat and more foods containing unsaturated fatty acids.

The "Report on the Nutrition and Chronic Disease Status of Chinese Residents (2020)" shows that the energy supply ratio of dietary fat in Chinese people continues to rise, and the average daily cooking oil consumption per household is much higher than the recommended value; the proportion of residents dining out or ordering takeout continues to rise, and the oil and salt problems in canteens, restaurants, and processed foods deserve attention. Wang Xingguo reminded that the amount of household oil should be controlled, not exceeding 25 to 30 grams per day. It is best to use vegetable oils for daily cooking, such as sunflower oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, olive oil, tea oil, linseed oil, etc.; eating various oils in turn is conducive to maintaining a balanced intake of fatty acids. In addition, eating more beans and soy products rich in unsaturated fatty acids can help regulate blood pressure and blood lipids, and can also help women delay the decrease in estrogen activity. The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends eating 15 to 25 grams of soybeans a day, which is equivalent to eating at least 5 mahjong-sized northern tofu or a fist of tofu skin or silk.

Eating time: controlled within 12 hours a day

Many studies have confirmed the benefits of time-restricted eating, such as controlling weight, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and slowing down the aging process. The review also mentioned that calorie restriction in the longevity diet is to control the daily eating time within 11 to 12 hours. For example, if you eat breakfast at 8 am, then don't eat anything else after 7 or 8 pm.

Nowadays, it is popular to use time-restricted eating and bigu to lose weight, but researcher Professor Longo pointed out that fasting for too long will slow down metabolism and is not good for health. You can try a 5-day "simulated fasting" every 3 to 4 months, that is, a low-calorie, low-protein, low-sugar, medium-fat (30% energy supply) plant-based diet. This can revitalize the immune system, reduce the incidence of cancer, improve cognitive ability, and prolong life. Jing Hao said that the above-mentioned time-restricted eating method is not suitable for everyone; it is relatively safe, feasible and effective to eat within 12 to 13 hours a day. Wang Xingguo added that diet should be moderate, mainly not eating snacks after dinner, not staying up late to eat supper, etc.

Crowd: Avoid malnutrition if you are over 65 years old

The review pointed out that the longevity diet should be adjusted dynamically according to the age and health status of different individuals. In particular, people over 65 years old may need to increase protein intake to avoid malnutrition. In the absence of obesity, insulin resistance, etc., a higher intake of complex carbohydrates can help the elderly avoid a decline in physical function. Experts said that the diet of the elderly should pay more attention to comprehensive nutrition, and staple foods, poultry eggs, milk, beans, vegetables and fruits are indispensable. Elderly people with weak digestive ability, poor immunity, and weakness should pay attention to protein supplementation, and can take supplements under the guidance of a doctor if necessary.

This study once again proves that a diet based on plant-based foods is very beneficial for longevity. In fact, the traditional dietary structure of Chinese people is based on plant-based foods, but since the 1990s, the intake of animal foods has increased rapidly, and now it needs to "return". The Chinese Nutrition Society also advocates food diversity and reasonable matching, and recommends an average intake of more than 12 kinds of food per day and more than 25 kinds of food per week.

In addition, experts remind that longevity is also related to genetics, social conditions, natural environment and other lifestyles. Therefore, people should also keep exercising, quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, understand family medical history and take preventive measures, have regular physical examinations, and pay attention to mental health and brain function.