Top Foods for a Long Life: What to Eat to Reach 100 Years Old

Watan-It may seem impossible to determine what is “healthy” and what is not when eating out. However, a longevity expert claims that three types of restaurants are usually a safe bet—and they may surprise you.

Dan Buettner, 64, has spent nearly two decades studying regions in Greece, Costa Rica, and Japan. It is said that residents of these areas are ten times more likely to live to 100 years old than the “average” citizens in the United States.

Dan Buettner’s Top Restaurant Picks for Living to 100

In a TikTok post last year, Dan revealed that the longest-living people maintain “whole food diets,” avoiding processed products and anything with additives. However, he also emphasized that restaurant meals are not entirely bad in some cases and shared his favorite choices, according to a report by the British newspaper Mirror.

“I’ve spent 20 years studying the diets of the world’s longest-living people, and 90% of what they eat is whole, plant-based food,” he told his 152,000 followers. He then added, “But how do you get that kind of food when dining out?”

He mentioned that he always looks for certain things when arriving in a new city. First, he searches for a restaurant that offers delicious beans and rice for under $10.

“Second, I look for Thai restaurants. You can always find a great fried tofu dish—I love red curry or green curry. And third, I look for Indian restaurants that excel at cooking lentils—try dal,” he added.

Lentils, in particular, have garnered special attention due to their potential health benefits in many academic studies. In a 2017 review, scientists highlighted their high potassium content, which supports heart health and helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Compared to other legumes, lentils have the highest content of starch, insoluble dietary fiber, and high amounts of bioactive carbohydrates that support gut microbiota, preventing colon-related diseases, according to researchers. Additionally, lentils are a cost-effective legume with lower amounts of fat, sodium, and vitamin K but a high potassium content.

The Power of Beans and Soup: A Longevity Expert’s Daily Diet for Living to 100

Due to their nutritional and health-promoting potential, lentil-based functional food products and nutrient-rich formulations should be widely promoted, Mirror reported.

Meanwhile, other experts have also praised different types of beans, particularly kidney beans, which are not only high in protein but also rich in fiber, potentially aiding in weight loss and blood sugar regulation.

In light of these insights, Dan eats minestrone soup loaded with beans every morning. Although this is unconventional, he emphasized in 2021: “Take a cue from the world’s longest-living men—every day of their lives, in most villages of the Blue Zones, they eat Sardinian minestrone soup, which I eat daily.”

He continued, “It consists of three types of beans and barley—you can buy them too, as they form a complete protein. Plus, it contains about 20 different types of fiber that your gut microbiome will love. And of course, be sure to add some good black coffee to your breakfast. The biggest source of antioxidants in the diet is coffee. And don’t forget to call your mother.”