5 Foods To Eat For Longevity — Foods That Fight Diseases
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If you think that good karma, healthy environment, and genetics are the only determinants of your life expectancy, then here’s some news for you. What you eat can add years to your life. While you might argue that you can increase your longevity by just exercising, sleeping well and staying stress-free, food is an important factor that we all often neglect.
It’s true that you are what you eat and if you eat the right kinds of food, you’ll definitely be hale and hearty all through your lifetime. That doesn’t mean you can munch on a bag of fries and gulp down a can of soda and expect life to bless you with extra years to live. Most of what we today is either laced with chemicals and preservatives or is full of empty calories. Indulging in such foods is akin to inviting the world of diseases to your doorstep. So, how do you trick your body into living longer by eating the right kind of food?
Here’s a list of foods that you should eat to keep yourself safe from diseases and increase your longevity-
1. Eat Whole Grains
Did you know that eating pasta, whole grain bread, and other baked goods can add extra years to your life? Multiple studies have shown that eating whole grains can help you stay healthy and increase your longevity.
We already know that white bread and other similar products have no nutrients in them. Instead of doing good to us, they steal away some precious years of our lives. So, eat whole grain products and pay attention to the ingredients used in your baked foods. It should say 100 percent whole wheat! According to a study, each serving of an ounce of whole grains can lower our mortality risk by 5 percent (1). Additionally, eating whole grains lowers the risk of deaths due to heart diseases by 9 percent. While this is no magic potion, it’s simply because of the nutrients found in bran and whole wheat. It is full of fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B, magnesium, and phytochemicals.
2. Go Nuts!
We all love nuts, don’t we? Although nuts can be quite heavy on the pockets, they are worth it. We’ll tell you why. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who ate nuts more often had higher chances of living a long life (2). In fact, the study also observed that those who ate nuts on a daily basis were 20 percent less likely to be affected or diagnosed with cancer, heart diseases, and respiratory diseases.
The reason for this has got to do with the composition of nuts. Nuts are high in calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, unsaturated fats, antioxidants like carotids and flavonoids, folate, etc. These work together to keep your heart healthy and fight any inflammation in your body. If you’re worried that you will put on weight by eating nuts, then you can say goodbye to those worries. Nuts give you a feeling of satiety and thus help you from eating unnecessarily.
3. Say Hello To Fishy Business
To all you fish lovers, we have got you happy news from the fishy world. For starters, most fish, especially the fatty ones are rich in omega 3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation throughout the body (3). If you’re someone who has a family history of heart ailments, eating a serving or two of fish every day will help you keep heart diseases at bay (4). Also, fish contains compounds called carotenoids that ensure good mental health and protects us from neurological diseases (5). You can eat tuna to serve this purpose.
Include fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, to your diet and reduce your risk of being affected by diseases. According to research, 2600 Americans with an average age of 74, who were studied, exhibited high levels of omega-3s in their blood. These people had an 18 percent reduced risk of unhealthy aging (6). So, if you want to age gracefully, we guess you need to befriend these little guys from the ocean/the river/the fish mart.
4. See, Weed Is Allowed! Seaweed, You Know?
Seaweeds are basically the plants that live underwater. Edible seaweed is basically a form of algae that can be used in cooking preparations. It is most commonly eaten by the Japanese in their cuisine. So, if you want to give it a try, you can order some sushi and seaweed salad for yourself. Before you cringe about eating underwater algae, remember that it is rich in a cancer-fighting compound called fucoidan (7). Some studies have also shown that seaweed helps in blocking of fat absorption (8).
5. Spice It Up
What’s life without a bit of spice, right? And what’s the fun in devouring food that doesn’t make you reach for a glass of water because of its delicious spicy content? There’s more reason than the spicy wings challenge to eat spicy food. A component called capsaicin found in chili peppers plays an important role in fighting obesity, cancer, and regularizing the blood sugar levels (9).
Now, that’s our secret to being immortal, eh? So what are you going to munch on to add years to your life? Let us know in the comments below.
