Ideal diet for long term health/longevity

[Anonymous]

CNN has this article up and I thought it was interesting, given the last post about a diet of junk.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/08/health/longer-life-diet-wellness/index.html

The jist:

less/no red meat.
More fruits and vegetables
At least a teaspoon of seeds or nuts per day
More plant source proteins, such as beans and legumes

They also had some interesting statistics. Only 12% of adults consume at least 1.5 cups fruit per day. Only 10% eat at least 2 cups vegetables, only 5% consume enough whole grains to make up least half of their daily grain intake. Only 50% of people get a least a teaspoon of nuts/seeds per day.

What surprised me most was the fruit and vegetable intake statistic. That is terrible that so few people are eating fruits and vegetables. Which makes me wonder, well then what are they eating?

How does your own diet compare?

[Anonymous]

This is news to you, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is news to you, OP?

Yes. Not the Mediterranean/plant based diet being healthiest, but the poor statistics in what people eat (rather aren’t) eating. One large apple is probably 1.5 cups worth fruit. I can’t believe only 10-12% of people are eating more than 1.5 servings of fruit/vegetables Per day

[Anonymous]

I don’t have a taste for sweets, so fruit does not appeal to me. I eat a kiwi every morning and that’s it. I eat vegetables at every meal. I live on an island and eat lots of fish, but grew up on a cattle farm and eat beef at least every other day, I do not eat poultry or deli meats. I do eat whole grains, but I work in grain so it’s always in the back of my mind.

[Anonymous]

I have to make myself eat fruits and veggies.

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to slowly adopt the Mediterranean diet after some blood work came back with high cholesterol, high bad cholesterol. I’m a healthy weight, don’t drink a lot, regularly workout, eat lots of vegetables. My problem is I have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol and eat a lot of animal products (meat and dairy).

I’m a big believer in small changes stick, so I’m starting this journey by having 1 meatless day a week. Once I get that established, I’m moving on to another change. Hopefully, it’ll all add up.

[Anonymous]

Possible to overdo it on spinach? I drink a spinach shake daily and it consists of multiple cups of spinach.

[Anonymous]

I eat that diet featured in the CNN article, and make my daily fruit veg intake. I've eaten that diet since my late 20s. Am 50 now and healthy, slender, BMI. No medications. I do believe a med type diet is the best imo


To the spinach smoothie person. Your smoothy cuts all the fiber into smithereens so you are losing out on the benefits of fiber. Yes you have your micronutrients but fiber is critical and underappreciated.

[Anonymous]

Breakfast: muffin
Snack: chips
Lunch: pizza and soda
Snack: pretzels
Dinner: fried chicken, mashed potatoes
Dessert: ice cream

Typical American diet.

[Anonymous]

I eat yogurt and a smoothie (fruit and veg) for dinner. I am bad about lunch and usually eat out, a sandwich or salad with fruit. I never drink coffee and rarely drink diet soda. For dinner, our family usually eats a grilled lean protein, typically fish, salad with lots of veggies (spinach or kale, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, red or purple cabbage, chickpeas) with homemade dressing. We also eat another serving of a green vegetable: green beans, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kale. We always have fruit, usually berries, pears or apples. My kids love lentils, rice, pasta so our non meat meals are usually lentils with rice and vegetables and fruit. Or if we do have pasta, a homemade sauce with lots of veggies. I think my problem is big portions.

[Anonymous]

Japanese diet is great. (Also works for people who can’t do the med diet because of sensitivity to some foods).

[Anonymous]

I eat a diet very close to what is described by CNN. Only eat fish/chicken/meat two meals per week, try to use plant-based and healthy fat alternatives whenever possible, make most of our food from scratch, and avoid processed or added sugar items.

What really helps is having a year-round weekly farm share for produce. We buy a large share, which is a huge amount of produce for our family of 4. We eat it all every week, even if it means getting creative. I also drink a green smoothie most morning and we make “energy balls” for snacks with almond butter and lots of whole grains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I eat that diet featured in the CNN article, and make my daily fruit veg intake. I've eaten that diet since my late 20s. Am 50 now and healthy, slender, BMI. No medications. I do believe a med type diet is the best imo


To the spinach smoothie person. Your smoothy cuts all the fiber into smithereens so you are losing out on the benefits of fiber. Yes you have your micronutrients but fiber is critical and underappreciated.

Could you share this article?

[Anonymous]

What is it about beef that’s correlated with lower life expectancies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I eat that diet featured in the CNN article, and make my daily fruit veg intake. I've eaten that diet since my late 20s. Am 50 now and healthy, slender, BMI. No medications. I do believe a med type diet is the best imo


To the spinach smoothie person. Your smoothy cuts all the fiber into smithereens so you are losing out on the benefits of fiber. Yes you have your micronutrients but fiber is critical and underappreciated.

Could you share this article?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/01/health/mediterranean-diet-recipes-wellness/index.html