It’s called the Blue Zone diet. The diet is mostly plant-based. The daily food intake of people living in Blue Zones is about 95% vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. They do not eat much meat, dairy, sugary foods or drinks, and processed food.
Do blue zones eat eggs?
Eggs are consumed in all five Blue Zones diets, where people eat them an average of two to four times per week. As with meat protein, the egg is a side dish, eaten alongside a larger portion of a whole-grain or other plant-based feature.
What do blue zones eat for breakfast?
In blue zones regions, the routine is similar. Ideally, breakfast or the first meal of the day consists of protein, complex carbohydrates (beans or veggies) and plant-based fats (nuts, seeds, oils) and a majority of the day’s calories are consumed before noon.
Do blue zones eat potatoes?
The Japanese sweet potato, also called imo, is a cornerstone of the traditional Okinawan diet, a cuisine synonymous with good health and longevity. Yet this blue zones star ingredient became the starch of choice in this island chain not because it’s nutrient-dense or rich in antioxidants, but mostly by necessity.
What is Blue Zone diet? – Related Questions
Do blue zones drink coffee?
Coffee is a daily ritual in blue zones areas, as well. Sardinians, Ikarians, and Nicoyans start their days with a cup, lightly sweetened without cream. In addition to a daily cup of coffee, blue zones centenarians drink water, tea and wine.
Do blue zones eat rice?
1. Rice. Several varieties of rice—from white and brown to red or black rice—are staples in all five Blue Zones, but especially Nicoya, Okinawa, and Loma Linda.
Do they eat pasta in Blue Zones?
Pasta: Pasta gets a bad rap, but centenarians from the blue zones, particularly in Ikaria and Sardinia, eat pasta frequently. Look for pasta made with just a few high-quality ingredients. Gluten-free varieties are available in many stores and are often made with quinoa and brown rice.
Do Blue Zones eat vegetables?
The Blue Zones diet includes mostly whole, plant-based foods, and limited meat and animal products. “That means fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts.
What kind of bread do they eat in Blue Zones?
People in Blue Zones areas eat very little bread, but when they do, they predominantly eat sourdough. Unlike other breads made from white flour, sourdough bread doesn’t cause spikes in blood sugar. Substitute sourdough or 100% whole-grain bread for white bread, and be mindful of your serving size.
Do Blue Zones eat pizza?
You won’t find pizza, burgers, kebabs or Pop-Tarts on the Blue Zone table. These people eat food that is cooked from scratch and rarely touch highly processed junk food.
How often do blue zones eat eggs?
People in all of the blue zones eat eggs about two to four times per week. Usually they eat just one as a side dish with a whole-grain or plant-based dish.
Do Blue Zone people eat oatmeal?
Statistically speaking, the Blue Zone Diet includes:
Fruits and vegetables (more than 5 servings a day) Nuts and seeds. Beans. Whole grains such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, etc.
Do blue zones eat avocado?
Avocados, which have a long list of health benefits, are a staple for the Loma Linda community. According to a National Geographic article on the world’s Blue Zones, avocados are helpful in lowering cholesterol and contain 30% more potassium than bananas.
Do Blue Zones eat honey?
Natural Sugar
Blue zone inhabitants consume sugar in its natural form – found in foods like fruits, vegetables, honey, and milk. Excluding honey, these natural forms of sugar also provide fiber and protein, which help regulate blood sugar.
Do Blue Zones eat dessert?
Instead of sugary treats, Blue Zones residents tend to snack on foods like nuts, packed with fiber and healthy fats, or reach for nutritious fruits for some natural sweetness.
Do Blue Zones drink alcohol?
You can consume alcohol and live to a happy 100, even up to one drink daily for women, two for men. We know from blue zones centenarians that this is true: People in four original blue zones areas drink alcohol moderately and regularly. The trick is to drink one to two glasses per day with friends and/or with food.
What is the average age in blue zones?
While in the US, the average life expectancy is 78 years, in the Blue Zones, living to be over 100 isn’t uncommon. The regions that make up the Blue Zones include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California.
Do blue zones eat meat?
People in four of the five blue zones consume meat, but they do so sparingly, using it as a celebratory food, a small side, or a way to flavor dishes.
Why are blue zones so special?
Blue Zones are regions of the world where a higher proportion of people live more than 100 years. There are currently five known Blue Zones. Their inhabitants’ longevity is partly attributed to their diets, along with other factors, such as exercise and social environment.
What one food could you survive on the longest?
Cecil Adams, the erstwhile columnist, claims to have run the numbers with his assistant and found that a whole lot of potatoes and milk would get you most of what you need – with the exception of the mineral molybdenum. But you can get all you need of that by also eating a bit of oatmeal.
