The Food That Will Help You Live Longer
Back in 2008, Dan Buettner—a National Geographic writer and explorer—published a book called The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. He and a team of scientists travelled around the world to study areas where a high percentage of people live to be 100+ years old. After focusing on communities that were also largely free of heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes, they identified five longevity hotspots that they labeled "blue zones": Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya, Costa Rica.
What do these centenarians have in common? They move their bodies a lot, they have social circles that reinforce healthy behaviors, they take time to destress, they're part of communities (often religious ones), they're committed to their families, and they have very nutritious diets that all include legumes. In fact, the longest-living people in the blue zones eat a cup of beans every day.
Low in fat, filled with fiber, very inexpensive and (dollar for dollar) packed with more protein than meat, beans are a nearly perfect food that are not part of most Americans’ diets—but they should be. According to the U.S. dietary guidelines, we all should be eating a minimum of a ½ cup of beans a day, but Americans eat on average about 4 tablespoons. Consider this: In a study of 785 older adults in several countries, each ¼ cup increase in daily legume intake resulted in a 7 to 8 percent lower risk of dying.
What else can beans do for you? According to research they can. . .
Reduce the risk of heart disease
A 19-year study of 9,632 American men and women found that people who eat legumes four or more times a week have a 22% lower risk of coronary artery disease than those who eat legumes less than once a week. Research also shows that legumes lower blood pressure and that a single serving of beans a day can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by 5 percent.
Protect against diabetes
Eating legumes helps prevent type 2 diabetes, as well as improve blood sugar control in people who already have diabetes.
Help with weight loss
Meals that contain legumes have been shown to be more satiating than meat-based meals, probably due to the combination of fiber, protein, and slowly digested carbohydrates. Regular legume eaters have healthier body weights than those who don’t eat beans.
For recipes incorporating legumes and other super-healthy foods from the blue zones check out The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes To Live To Be 100
Roasted Chickpeas
2 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 400° degrees. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2. Place chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and gently dry them until they are very dry.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oil and spices. Add the chickpeas to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
4. Pour the chickpeas in an even layer onto a sheet pan lined with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until crispy and golden brown.