In 440 BC, the famous ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once said: "Let food be your medicine, and not let medicine be your food." This famous saying summarizes the relationship between food and health. , after thousands of years of testing, it is now regarded as truth.
A large number of studies have confirmed that how much, what and how you eat will have an impact on your health. Moreover, theoretically, we can make ourselves live longer and healthier by adjusting our eating habits.
So, what kind of diet is considered a "longevity diet"? A study recently published in Cell conducted a systematic discussion on this and put forward some precise suggestions for public reference.
How much to eat?
Previous studies on non-human primates and humans have shown that caloric restriction (CR, which refers to the restriction of total food intake) is closely related to health and longevity.
For example, monkeys who receive caloric restriction can delay muscle loss, protect muscle mass, and reduce inflammation levels... Therefore, monkeys who eat less tend to be lighter and can live healthily to old age. In humans, caloric restriction is also strongly associated with slower brain aging and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Since the 1980s, the average daily caloric intake of American residents has increased by 20% (425 kcal). These high-calorie diets are often accompanied by high sugar and high fat, causing them to accumulate fat. Increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels. On the one hand, they activate aging pathways, on the other hand, they promote insulin resistance and obesity, bring a series of visible health problems to people, and silently shorten people’s lifespan.
It can be seen that "eating less" appropriately is necessary for longevity.
When to eat?
Intermittent fasting is another recognized healthy eating method.
However, which form and frequency of intermittent fasting is most effective? Not eating every other day? Or fasting 2 days a week? Research shows that fasting for five days every three to four months can bring many benefits, including lowering blood pressure, insulin resistance and the risk of other diseases.
Unfortunately, it is obviously not easy for ordinary people to keep their minds functioning normally while not eating for several days.
Therefore, researchers recommend a more scientific and "humane" way of fasting: limit the eating window of the day to a certain range and fast for the rest of the time. The vast majority of relevant research shows that this type of fasting is effective for weight loss. But how long does it take to be banned?
After comparing a large amount of data, researchers pointed out that the ideal eating window is 11-12 hours a day (for example, completing three meals a day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.), and stricter prohibitions Food time control may cause some side effects (Note: Studies have confirmed that longer daily fasting periods involving skipping breakfast are associated with higher mortality).
Low carbs and high protein are not necessarily good
After a meta-analysis of 430,000 participants, researchers found that blindly pursuing low carbs is not beneficial to health.
Compared with moderate carbohydrate intake, both low carbohydrate intake (40% of energy) and high carbohydrate intake (70% of energy) increased the risk of death. For people who got less than 20% of their energy from carbohydrates, their overall risk of death increased by 50%.
In addition, "high protein" and "low fat" cannot be equated with "longevity". Whether protein and fat are beneficial depends not only on the amount, but also on the source. Balancing energy structure is the top priority of eating.
Studies have pointed out that plant-based proteins and fats are generally better than animal proteins and fats. Data show that animal-derived protein may increase the risk of aging-related diseases; the diet group supplemented with vegetable fats (nuts and olive oil) has a 30% reduction in the probability of serious cardiovascular events compared with the low-fat diet group .
Accordingly, the researchers enumerated ideal dietary characteristics: moderate to high levels of carbohydrate intake (50%-55%) from unrefined sources; low but sufficient protein intake from plant sources ( 15%); and sufficient fat from plant sources to meet approximately 30% of energy requirements.
What to eat if you want to live longer
In summary, we list the key features of the "longevity diet" as follows:
Caloric intake does not exceed the standard; < /p>
Complete eating within 11-12 hours every day;
Have a medium to high level of carbohydrate intake and a moderate amount of plant-based diet (mainly soybeans) to supplement sufficient protein and fat.
If the recipe is concrete, "Rich beans, whole grains and vegetables, and moderate amounts of fish are the first choices. In addition, avoid red meat and processed meat, eat less white meat, and pay attention to low sugar and low refined grains." , and add some nuts, olive oil and dark chocolate appropriately,” the researchers said.
If the above "longevity diet" is adopted from the age of 20, the life expectancy of women can increase by 10.7 years, and the life expectancy of men can increase by 13 years.
However, researchers also emphasized that for different groups, different dietary plans should be tailored based on factors such as age, gender, health status, and genetics. For example, people over 65 years old need to supplement more protein to avoid weakness or disease caused by bone and muscle loss.
References
/releases/2022/04/220428125433.htm·1
/cell/fulltext
/news/2022 -03-team-guidelines-intermittent-fasting.html
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