Those who eat like this live longer

Researchers used tens of thousands of data sets to examine what diet makes you sick. Her conclusion: If you want to live a long life, you have to avoid meat and sugar — in favor of a plant-based diet.

BOSTON – Half of Germany seems to be starting the new year with good intentions. In addition to Dry January, which is abstinence from alcohol for a period of one month, the ambitious projects of an increasing number of people also include a vegan project, that is, the exclusion of meat or animal products from the menu, as well as the targeted avoidance of sugar. A new long-term US study shows that these dietary changes not only make you feel good in the short term, but can be extremely beneficial to the body in the long term. According to this, some dietary patterns reduce the risk of premature death by up to 20%.

Less sugar, less meat, more greens – researchers have discovered that those who eat like this live longer

For the study conducted by the research team led by Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health reported in the journal in January JAMA Internal Medicine Data on 119,315 people from two large studies over a period of 36 years have been published. Above all, the nutritional quality and mortality of the study participants were examined. The most obvious finding is that people who ate a nutritious diet were less likely to die early – regardless of whether it was from cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease or neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

The health effects of a particular diet are often seen over decades. It’s good that assessments like this can be done on populations,” said Astrid Donaliz of the US State Department. German Dietetic Association (DGE) to kreiszeitung.de.

Nutritious Nutrition: The Key to a Long, Healthy Life

The nutrition expert continues: “The results support our current nutritional recommendations for a healthy mixed diet, which consists largely of plant foods such as vegetables and fruits, supplemented with small amounts of animal-based foods such as meat.”

Basically, the more natural and unprocessed a food is, the higher the nutrient content. Nutrient-dense foods are distinguished by the fact that they contain not only macronutrients – that is, carbohydrates, proteins and fats – but especially large amounts of micronutrients. These include vitamins, minerals, trace elements and secondary plant matter.

What is the nutrient density?

• Nutrient density is the amount of nutrients in a food relative to its energy content.
• With the lower energy needs of people in industrialized societies, the need for essential nutrients such as B-vitamins, the preference for foods with a higher nutrient density is increased.
• Nutrient-dense foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and dairy products, and lean meat and fish. On the other hand, foods high in fat and sugar, such as alcohol, have a very low nutrient density: They provide many calories but do not contain any essential ingredients.
• Source: DEBInet / Nutritional Information Institute

Studies show that healthy eating patterns have a lot in common

However, the results of the extensive study also show that “there is more than one way to eat healthy and take advantage of the health benefits associated with it,” according to American nutrition expert Dr. vs. David Katz CNN. There will not be a “one size fits all” diet or the only right way, but to note that there are important similarities between the four dietary styles identified as particularly healthy – namely the Mediterranean diet, the vegan diet, and the US “Healthy Eating Index” and Alternative Healthy Eating Index – Baseline.

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Vegan and Unprocessed: Researchers Decipher Dietary Patterns for a Long Life

“Although these diets differ in some aspects, they all contain large amounts of healthy plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and small amounts of grains,” explains Hu, chair of the department of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study. Refined, added sugars, sodium, and red and processed meats.”

This diet significantly reduces the risk of total death – four dietary patterns that make all the difference

• Mediterranean diet: Plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil – with plenty of healthy, unsaturated fats and phytonutrients with moderate alcohol consumption.
• Vegetarian diet: Focus on plant-based food, not animal products, including fish, dairy products, and alcohol.
• Healthy eating index system: Basic dietary guidelines in the United States that focus on the consumption of healthy plant foods. So red, processed, sugar and unhealthy meats — namely, polyunsaturated fats — and alcohol should be largely avoided.
• Alternative healthy eating index: Nutrition concept developed at Harvard University based on scientific knowledge. The menu includes nuts, seeds, whole grain products, as little red and processed meat as possible, and sweetened beverages. Moderate consumption of alcohol is allowed.

Healthy nutrition: vegetarian food as a common denominator

Since people quickly get tired of just eating a certain way, “that’s good news,” says the registered dietitian and professor of medicine at Harvard University. “This means we can be very flexible when it comes to creating our own healthy eating habits that can be tailored to suit individual food preferences, health conditions, and cultures.”

Amazing Numbers: Even mild changes work wonders for the body

Hu said the study found a significant reduction in the risk of dying from some chronic diseases when people made moderate dietary changes over time. People who improved their diet by 25% reduced their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 6 to 13% and their risk of dying from cancer by 7 to 18%. “The decrease in mortality from respiratory diseases was even greater, reducing the risk by 35 to 46 percent.” Even the risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease like dementia dropped by up to 7 percent after moderate changes in eating habits.