Searches for “healthy ageing foods” have soared, and so have
supermarket shelves of powders and pills promising eternal youth.
Away from the marketing, longevity researchers quietly eat
something far more ordinary: varied, mostly plant-based meals built
from simple staples.
Experts from institutions including Harvard and USC say that
decades of data now point to a handful of everyday foods that
support brain, heart, skin and muscle health as we age. They are
not exotic, but the way you eat them, day after day, can be
surprisingly powerful.
Healthy ageing foods: what longevity scientists say
During her doctoral work on diet and ageing, Marta Guasch-Ferré
focused on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and vegetable oils.
Speaking to Martha Stewart, she said these foods were “associated
with healthy aging, cognitive function, physical and mental
health”.
For Guasch-Ferré, the common thread is clear: “Plant-based
types. Lower processed foods.” That means piling your plate with
plants most of the time, and keeping highly refined products as the
exception, not the rule.
Longevity specialist Valter Longo has seen the same pattern in
Mediterranean, DASH and Okinawan eating styles. Legumes,
vegetables, nuts and olive oil in particular are “very much
associated with longevity and health in lots of studies, not just
our own”, he explained to Martha Stewart.
Guasch-Ferré is wary of miracle-food hype. “I wouldn’t say
there’s one food in particular that stands out, not a superfood
that will solve all your problems. It’s a combination”, she says,
pointing to an overall pattern rich in fibre, antioxidants and
healthy fats.
9 everyday foods that support healthy ageing
Across these long-lived populations and research cohorts, nine
food groups keep reappearing as foundations of a healthy-ageing
diet.
- Leafy greens and other vegetables
- Berries and other fruits
- Beans, lentils and other legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Oily fish
- Yogurt and other fermented dairy
- Tofu, soy and other plant proteins
Plenty of vegetables, especially leafy greens like spinach and
kale, plus colourful options such as carrots and peppers, bring
fibre, vitamins and polyphenols with antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties. These have been linked to healthier
blood vessels and slower cognitive decline.
Fruit, especially berries, provides similar protective
compounds. Studies cited by Guasch-Ferré suggest berries have been
“associated with preventative” benefits for the brain, and they
also help counter oxidative stress that ages the skin.
Beans, lentils and split peas supply plant protein and fibre
that help keep blood sugar steadier and cholesterol in check, while
whole grains such as oats, brown rice and wholemeal bread replace
rapidly absorbed white carbs that drive glycaemic spikes.
Nuts and seeds add more protein, vitamin E and healthy fats.
Zhaoli (Joy) Dai-Keller told Martha Stewart she adds chia seeds to
yoghurt for extra fibre, protein and omega-3s, a small tweak that
can fit easily into a British breakfast.
How to eat these foods daily – and what
to limit
Healthy fats matter too. “Try to swap the use of butter or other
animal fats with olive oil. It’s something easy to do that most
people can do to improve their health”, says Guasch-Ferré. Oily
fish such as salmon, mackerel or sardines then brings omega-3s that
support the heart and brain.
Fermented foods nourish the gut, which in turn influences
immunity and inflammation. Speaking to Martha Stewart, Dai-Keller
offered a simple starting point: “Eat more yogurt.” In French
research, foods like yoghurt, choucroute, miso and pickles all
support a diverse microbiome.
Dietitian Claire-Aurore Doray links highly processed, sugary and
fried foods with faster skin and cellular ageing. She told Notre
Temps, “Our arteries, our heart, our brain, our skin, all our cells
will become damaged more quickly when we sustain an inflammatory
diet over time”.
Doray stresses this is about balance, not rigid bans. “Realising
their pro-inflammatory potential does not mean they must be
excluded. A balanced and serene way of eating does not rule out any
food. These foods should remain occasional and be linked to moments
of pleasure, sharing and conviviality”, she says.
Dai-Keller applies the same scepticism to “anti-ageing”
supplements, saying, “There is very limited empirical evidence
suggesting their effectiveness. I don’t take them personally.” For
her, the real “diet secrets” to a long, healthy life are foods that
are “enjoyable, shareable, and connect people”.
Use
the Netmums Symptom Checker