Food - Drink
What Are 'Blue Zones' And Why Do People Who Eat There Live Longer?
By KATHERINE BECK
While no one has ever found the mythical fountain of youth, there are areas throughout the world with high concentrations of people living for 100 years or longer. These “blue zones” have a common environment and lifestyle that promotes active living, healthy habits, and familial connections, which have been credited for the residents’ longevity.
These blue zones are found in Europe (Italy and Greece), Latin America (Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica), Asia (Japan), and the United States (Loma Linda, California). Blue zone residents have several features in common, including eating until 80% full, avoiding greasy foods, and eating many complex carbohydrates.
Meat isn’t often consumed in the blue zones; instead, the residents primarily eat plants and lots of beans, with meals containing three to four ounces of meat only a handful of times a month. As a result of their lifestyle and eating habits, the people living in the blue zones rarely have medical issues like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.