How to live longer: Two surprising food groups that could increase your life expectancy

While none of us are going to live forever, there are numerous ways to add some extra years to one’s life by being vigilant with what you eat. Eating for longevity is possible and often the easier approach to increasing life expectancy. A new study lifts the lid on which particular foods groups could help one to live longer with two in particular proving to be the best.

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A latest US study offers fresh evidence that the tired low-carb versus low-fat debate is largely missing the mark when it comes to healthy eating.

A new study of more than 37,200 adults suggests that both low-carb and low-fat diets can be linked to longer lives.

Poor quality diets with lots of refined carbs and processed meats were both linked to shorter lifespans, suggesting again that vegetables, whole grains, nuts and healthy fats are some of the best foods to eat to live a longer life.

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The evidence from the study backs up the idea that diets rich in both healthy fats and healthy carbs could mean living a life life past the age of 100.

The study also noted that mortality may depend on the quality and food sources of macronutrients. Life longevity with these foods is strongly determined on whether they’re loaded with the low-quality, processed fats and carbs that many know are bad for one’s health including white bread, sugar and red meat.

What the experts say?

Study author Zhilei Shan, research scientist at Harvard University said: “No matter if people choose low-carb diet or low-fat diets, the quality of the macronutrients matters.”

Dane Buettner, who studies the diets of people living in the world’s Blue Zones which saw people living to 100 with regularity, added: “The four pillars of every longevity diet in the world are whole grains, greens, nuts and beans.”

Adding to the studies recommendation of healthy fats and carbs in the diet.

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What foods should be consumed?

The findings of the study backs up previous studies and research pointing to a plant-based diet, bursting with nutritious phytochemical, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

In other words, foods that come from the earth and not out of a factory can be the best for one’s health, whether they’re more carbs or more fatty.

Nuts, for example are relatively high-fat foods, however, they are fats which the body seems to process in naturally and healthy ways.

On the carb side, vegetables, fruits and whole grains were linked with longer lives, while sugar and refined carbs were not.

There is also evidence that if one must choose between refined carbs and saturated fats, fat wins.

In a study with the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, participants improved their overall cholesterol scores by replacing junk carbs with more saturated fats.

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