We all want to live a long & healthy life, maybe even to 100 and beyond. The average life expectancy of people in the US is 78.6 years. The life expectancy for a woman born is 81 years and for men is 76 years. It is increasing every year but at a slow pace. Despite the uptick, Americans’ average life expectancy is still lower than that of people in comparable countries.
As reports suggest, the USA has a slow growth rate in life expectancy. Many factors contribute to low life expectancy, for instance, heart diseases, cancer, obesity, etc. With a proper lifestyle, you can eliminate all these illnesses and issues with a proper and healthy diet.
Interestingly, Japan has the highest life expectancy with women living around 87.3 years and men around 81.1 years. Statistics apart, many people on earth have been able to surpass 100 years of a healthy life. This article highlights the tips and advice on what one should eat to live to 100.
Make It To 100 With These Eating Tips
Here’s what centenarians eat to live to 100!
Healthy Lifestyle
Life expectancy depends on many factors. But, the diet seems to play an important and major role in living to 100. A healthy diet helps in the increase in longevity and decrease in diseases that shorten it. The habits and choices of food are highly responsible for maintaining a healthy body and living longer.
In fact, 80% of maintaining good health depends solely on a proper diet and healthy food intake. Including pulses, grains, nuts, etc., is a must. Avoiding processed food, refined sugar, etc., is not at all healthy.
Include Pulses
Pulses are a healthy food choice, which is a good source of iron. It helps prevent heart disease and diabetes due to the presence of fibre. To meet 60% of our daily requirement, the intake of a one-cup serving of cooked beans helps get 15 grams of fibre.
Many people who live to 100 are the lovers of pulses. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Undoubtedly, there is no other perfect food than beans, peas and lentils. A cup of beans contains around 16 grams of fibre which reduces cholesterol level.
The soluble fibre present in beans helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and protects us from heart diseases. According to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, a daily intake of 5-10 grams of soluble fibre can reduce cholesterol by about 3-5%.
Studies reveal that people who eat more legumes have a lower risk of heart disease than others who do not eat these. Additionally, legumes partly take the credit for younger-looking skin. Have your daily share of pulses to live longer.
A Well-Balanced Breakfast
There is an old saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”. The old saying promotes a healthy nutritional habit.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get the power your body needs. To kick off the new day, start your breakfast with fresh and vibrant foods.
Our body needs fuel after a long fast the whole night. It is important to have a good breakfast to provide energy to your body to work the whole day. Firstly, the body’s glucose level is very low in the morning, and it is necessary to boost it by having a balanced diet.
Having breakfast within an hour of waking up is highly recommended. If you skip breakfast, you put yourself on the path of getting inflammation, gastric mucosal damage and stomach ulcers.
Not skipping breakfast increases your metabolism and supports healthy weight maintenance.
Importantly, breakfast should be varied and include foods from a multitude of categories in the food pyramid. Vegetables, fruits, oatmeals are good sources of good quality of fats, vitamins and antioxidants.
The first meal of the day should contain simple carbohydrates to provide the energy needed for the body. Intake of varied products for breakfast avoids nutritional deficiencies in the long run.
More Fruits And Vegetables
Benefits of fruits and vegetables are endless. In fact, you won’t find better nutritional sources than fruits and vegetables which are packed with a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, fats and sodium and have plenty of fibre to boost your health and immune system.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day as no single fruit or vegetable contains all of the nutrients you need. Eating a variety of colours and flavours provides you with a mix of nutrients the body needs. Watch the food labels you purchase. Being conscious about what you eat also helps you to plan your diet.
Fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial nutrients that your body cannot produce on its own. These are a part of a well-balanced diet that prevents you from any risks in health or diseases.
Additionally, green leafy vegetables contribute to a large extent to the health benefits. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, etc., are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
A decreased risk of coronary heart disease has been seen in people who have less than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, compared to people who have less than 5 servings a day.
Nevertheless, adopting healthy habits and diet could extend life expectancy, putting you away from many health issues. Diet and lifestyle are the keys to maintain good health and live longer. Importantly, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, etc. which are the powerhouses of a variety of vitamins and minerals, and maintain a healthy lifestyle to be a proud centenarian.