Best and worst foods for increased life expectancy!

Foods have been linked to an individual’s lifespan. Some foods can increase it while some can shorten it.

To increase life expectancy, dietitians advise certain foods. Which are these foods that one must incorporate in their diet for health and longevity?

Food and life expectancy

Whenever we talk about health and longevity, the food and diet of the person come to mind. The diet of an individual and the person’s life expectancy has a strong relationship with each other.

Certain foods can stop or slow the life clock from ticking. They strongly impact the health and lifespan of the person.

More than just counting calories from one’s diet, it is also important from where these calories come from. Certain foods help in prolonging the life of an individual. And some foods can shorten life and cause early death.

Age and ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are now forming a major part of the diet of people in the UK as well as globally. Research has shown that this is linked to obesity, diabetes type 2, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

A recent study published this year revealed that ultra-processed foods caused the body to have a faster-aging process. This led to an increase in the risk of all-cause mortality.

Another study from the University of Michigan in 2021 showed that when a person eats one hot dog, 36 minutes of the person’s life is deleted.

Every soft cola drink decreased life span by 12 minutes, bacon by 6 minutes, and double cheeseburger by 9 minutes.

This life-shortening would be large in years considering the number of such ultra-processed foods each individual consumes daily and yearly.

Even a small piece of cheese can shorten lifespan by a minute. So can bread and packed bakery products. These cause modest reductions in the life of an individual.

Good foods for your lifespan

Eat healthier and consume better foods. This adds minutes to your life. Which are these good foods for longevity?

Bananas can prolong life. Each banana adds 13 and a half minutes to the eater’s life. A portion of baked salmon also is a good food to slow the clock of aging.

Every seafood adds five minutes to life. Mushrooms, nuts, green tea, or other plant-based foods also prolong life.

But all said and done, it does not mean that one should completely and strictly stop all ultra-processed foods. Eating once in a while is okay. But a major chunk of our daily goods should be not processed foods.

Also one can swap the hot dogs for hearty homemade veggie burgers filled with portobello mushrooms, grains, and haricot beans. You can also consider instead fish or barbecue prawns.

Read more: What is cognition nutrition? Food composition and health benefits!

In place of bacon, one can eat alternatives such as gently fried porcini or even shiitake mushrooms. Instead of cheeseburgers, one can eat fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

Green tea can replace soft drinks to prevent rapid aging. Nuts can replace bread and bakery preparations.