Posted Jan 20, 2011
THE secret of eternal youth may elude us but that shouldn’t stop us from trying to stay young by eating and drinking the right things.
And that doesn’t just mean a balanced diet and plenty of exercise.
There are some foods which, over the years, have been shown to have a positive effect.
Here’s a look at what we should be eating to help defy the years.
FISH
We’ve been told for a long time that we should be eating at least two portions of oily fish a week. The reason? The omega-three fatty acids they contain can help lower our cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
One of the first studies to confirm the health benefits of fish came 30 years ago when researchers began to study why the native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of heart disease.
The reason, scientists now think, is the extraordinary amount of fish they consume in their daily diets.
YOGURT
Yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps stave off the threat of osteoporosis and it’s also good for gut health through the presence of “good bacteria”.
In the Seventies, Georgia in the former Soviet Union, was rumoured to be home to a high number of centenarians and one theory is the large amount of yoghurt they ate.
APPLES
Apples have a way of suppressing your appetite. They contain pectin, which sends a message to your brain to tell you to stop eating. If you eat one half an hour before a meal, or when you feel peckish, it can stop hunger pangs for up to four hours.
This makes it a remarkably effective tool if you’re looking to control your weight. That in turn comes with a whole myriad of health benefits which will help you feel younger.
BLUEBERRIES
Long-described as a “superfood” thanks to high levels of antioxidants, blueberries can have a positive effect on our health as we age.
One study carried out 11 years ago saw rats being fed blueberry extracts. Scientists found they outperformed others on balance and co-ordination as they aged. Blueberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, which is important in thedevelopment of bones.
CHOCOLATE
We regularly hear eating small quantities of dark chocolate is good for us as it contains a useful amount of antioxidants and in particular flavanols, which help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowersthe risk of high blood pressure, type two diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.
OLIVE OIL
We’ve long been told that the Mediterranean lifestyle is the reason why people in countries such as Italy and Greece live longer.
Eating a diet that contains a lot of olive oil is useful as it contains monounsaturated fats, which is good for our hearts, and polyphenols. These are powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.
This effect was first recognised 40 years ago when an international study noticed the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete.
NUTS
As long as you’re not allergic to them, nuts should be a regular part of your diet as they are a rich source of unsaturated fat, just like olive oil. One study focused on the diets of Seventh-Day Adventists, a religion that emphasises healthy living andvegetarianism. It found that people who eat nuts will live, on average, for twoand-a-half years longer.
RED WINE
The main thing in deriving health benefits from alcohol is not to over do it. Drink too much and the damage to your health will vastly outweigh any positives.
Evidence shows that drinking red wine in moderation helps protect against heart disease and diabetes.
It contains resveratrol, a compound that is likely to contribute to its benefits.