Blue Zone Diet Secrets: What Compounds Keep You Young

Highlights

• Blue Zones have attracted attention due to their exceptionally long-lived communities.
• The dietary habits of people in Blue Zones may influence their longevity.
• Long-lived people in Blue Zones consume high amounts of polyphenol-rich food, which may exert effects against aging by modulating hallmarks of aging.

Longevity-associated geographic Blue Zones, where people live to 100 at some of the highest rates in the world, host populations of people possibly distinguished by what they eat. In that sense, their diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, contain exceptionally high levels of plant compounds called polyphenols. As such, plant-derived polyphenols are compounds believed to have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

A review, published in Ageing Research Reviews, from Scapagnini and colleagues of the University of Molise in Italy proposes that polyphenol-rich diets in the Blue Zone regions of Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya, Costa Rica modulate hallmarks of aging, core underlying physiological processes that drive aging. The degree to which Blue Zone polyphenol-rich diets influence hallmarks of aging to possibly promote longevity needs further research. However, the possibility that dietary polyphenols play a role in extended lifespan in Blue Zone individuals means that people outside of these regions could include polyphenol-rich foods in their diets in an attempt to live longer.

Genetic studies in long-lived individuals in these regions suggest a highly debatable role of genetics in promoting longevity. For this reason, Scapagnini and colleagues turned to dietary habits, an environmental influence that may promote longer lifespans. The diets of Blue Zone residents across the globe stand out as being rich in fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of polyphenols, which research has shown modulate hallmarks of aging. Reviewing the polyphenol-rich foods from the five Blue Zone diets and their effects on hallmarks of aging may help anyone wanting to include these compounds in their diet when picking out foods.

Okinawa, Japan

Okinawa, Japan, has a high prevalence of centenarians—people over age 100. A study found that Okinawa centenarians have healthier blood chemistry profiles than average, which was associated with a lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and diabetes.

As far as the Okinawan diet goes, nutrition intervention studies with vegetables generally consumed in Okinawa have conferred positive changes in markers related to optimal aging, such as lowered weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. These findings suggest that, indeed, polyphenols contained in plant foods confer effects against aging, possibly leading to a high prevalence of centenarians in this region.

For a more detailed breakdown of the Okinawan diet, traditionally, it has been characterized by low-calorie, nutrient-dense food, rich in antioxidants and low in carbohydrates. Notably, the Okinawan diet entails a high consumption of orange-yellow root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, and leafy green vegetables.

More specifically, sweet potatoes are a major component of the Okinawan diet. Along those lines, the most common sweet potato variety consumed in Okinawa is known locally as Beni Imo, or “purple potato,” characterized by dark-purple flesh. The Beni Imo sweet potato contains high levels of anthocyanin pigments, a type of polyphenol. Some studies suggest that anthocyanins work against genomic instability, a decline in stem cell function (stem cell exhaustion), and an imbalance in gut microbes (dysbiosis), three hallmarks of aging.

Research has also suggested that high anthocyanin polyphenol consumption is associated with improved blood sugar metabolism, blood fat (lipid) profiles, and blood vessel cell function in humans. Thus, elevated anthocyanin polyphenol intake from sweet potatoes may serve as one way that the Okinawan diet promotes longevity.

Additionally, Okinawans consume substantial amounts of soy-based foods like tofu and miso soup. Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a type of polyphenol that modulates the activity of a longevity-associated protein called FOXO3. Human trials have also associated soy-derived isoflavone polyphenols with enhanced cognition, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis prevention. Accordingly, increasing consumption of isoflavone polyphenols from soy-based foods, similar to Okinawans, may serve as a way to support longevity.

Another key ingredient to the Okinawan diet is turmeric, which contains the polyphenol curcumin and which Okinawans often add to soups or consume as tea. Curcumin is a polyphenol with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Research suggests that curcumin helps alleviate hallmarks of aging like DNA molecular tagging changes associated with aging (epigenetic alterations), dysfunction of the cell’s powerhouse (mitochondrial dysfunction), inflammation, and dysbiosis. Thus, consuming more curcumin from the spice turmeric, as Okianwans do, may help against certain hallmarks of aging.

One beverage that Okinawans drink regularly is green tea, which contains the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), among other chemically similar polyphenols. The polyphenols in green tea have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, higher consumption of green tea has been associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in a Japanese population. Research also suggests that EGCG helps against chromosome end shortening (telomere attrition) and dysfunctional cell waste recycling and disposal (impaired autophagy), both hallmarks of aging.

In essence, tailoring your diet to that of the Okinawans by consuming more sweet potatoes, soy-based foods like tofu, turmeric, and green tea may promote longevity. In fact, research suggests that the polyphenols contained in these foods alleviate certain hallmarks of aging. Therefore, consuming these foods as well as green tea may help you gain some of the pro-longevity effects that Okinawans get from their dietary habits.

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia, Italy, is an island located off the western coast of Italy and exhibits a higher concentration of centenarians than other parts of Italy. Genetics research on Sardinians suggests their exceptional longevity may not be linked to genetic composition since certain genetic markers did not show the expected association. For this reason, researchers have analyzed non-genetic factors like nutrition that may contribute to Sardinian longevity.

As for nutrition and dietary patterns in Sardinia, this Blue Zone’s eating habits consist of eating a combination of fruits and vegetables, high in polyphenols. Some research has also suggested that a large quantity of polyphenols comes from the Sardinian consumption of red wine and coffee.

However, a link between red wine consumption and longevity in Sardinia has remained controversial. For example, one study showed that red wine consumption among Sardinians was not correlated with exceptional longevity, reporting that the average intake of red wine was lower in the Sardinian Blue Zone than in other regions of the island. The lack of correlation between red wine consumption and longevity suggests that another dietary source, such as coffee, may account for Sardinians’ high intake of polyphenols.

As for the consumption of coffee in this Blue Zone, Sardinians’ regular coffee drinking gives them increased amounts of certain polyphenols. In that regard, coffee consists of a mixture of polyphenols; however, chlorogenic acid is the most abundant polyphenol component in this beverage. Along those lines, research suggests that compounds in coffee, like chlorogenic acid, may improve vascular function, abdominal fat, high blood pressure, and inflammation. Accordingly, the high daily intake of coffee by Sardinians may work to improve some of these health-related features associated with aging.

Interestingly, chlorogenic acid may also target a hallmark of aging—epigenetic alterations. In human cancer cells, chlorogenic acid was shown to alter DNA molecular tagging patterns, which may confer beneficial effects against cancer.

Thus, while Sardinians may get some of their polyphenol intake from red wine, the damaging effects of the alcohol associated with red wine call into question red wine’s ability to promote longevity. Therefore, it may be the case that polyphenols like chlorogenic acid in coffee account for the most prominent source of Sardinian polyphenol consumption. As such, including coffee in one’s morning routine may serve as a way to get polyphenols associated with supporting cellular processes necessary to prevent and restore epigenetic alterations.

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria is a Greek island located in the eastern part of the Aegean Sea with an estimated population of about 8,000 residents. A significant portion of its population is above age 90. As with Sardinia, genetic analyses of Ikarians suggest that genetics may play less of a role than lifestyle factors like dietary habits in Ikarian longevity.

Interestingly, as far as diet goes, research has shown that between 62% and 69% of elderly people in Ikaria adhere to a Mediterranean diet. Long-term adherence to a Mediterranean diet, which includes a high intake of polyphenols, was inversely correlated with a prevalence of having multiple age-related diseases. Eating a Mediterranean diet over extensive time frames was also associated with higher healthy aging index scores, where higher scores are indicative of a better health profile.

On Ikaria, the Mediterranean dietary food sources encompass the consumption of antioxidant-rich plant foods with polyphenols. These plant foods include olive oil, lettuce, onions, chickpeas, lentils, and fresh fruit.

Honing in on the Ikarian consumption of olive oil, research has shown an association between daily olive oil intake and a lower risk of mortality from all causes. Moreover, daily olive oil consumption was inversely associated with cardiovascular disease incidence.

As for what polyphenols in olive oil may confer aging intervention properties, the most prevalent is oleuropein. Oleuropein is believed to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and gut microbe-altering properties. The collective effects of consuming oleuropein via olive oil may be the prevention of age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. As such, the high amounts of oleuropein in Ikarian olive oil may be one factor contributing to the exceptional longevity of certain individuals in this Blue Zone.

Some research also suggests that oleuropein targets certain hallmarks of aging, including dysfunctional cells that accrue with age (senescent cells) and stem cell exhaustion. Thus, by modulating these hallmarks of aging, oleuropein may confer effects against certain age-related diseases like cancer and promote longevity in Ikarians.

Loma Linda, California

Loma Linda is a small city in Southern California and is home to a community of people who prioritize health and longevity—Seventh-day Adventists. This community is distinguished from the rest of the California population, primarily due to having a life expectancy approximately a decade longer than the rest of the state’s population.

The main attribute making the Adventists different from other populations is the high prevalence of vegetarians in their community. The vegetarian dietary pattern is consistent with the Adventist health recommendations, which include a lifestyle free from alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, along with regular physical activity. Furthermore, the polyphenol-rich plant foods that the Adventists consume may contribute to their exceptional life expectancy.

Research on the effects of a vegetarian diet among a group of Adventists associated their dietary patterns with reduced all-cause mortality. This finding suggests that adherence to a vegetarian diet may contribute to the exceptional longevity of some Adventists.

The vegetarian diets of Adventists consist of legumes like chickpeas, common beans, and soy products, all significant sources of polyphenols. Thus, to adopt a diet similar to Adventists, eating copious amounts of legumes as well as plant-based protein foods may help attain high levels of polyphenols. In turn, the polyphenols from such a diet may promote longevity.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

The Nicoya Peninsula, characterized by one of the highest life expectancies in the world, is located in the northwest region of Costa Rica. Interestingly, individuals aged 60 and older in the Nicoya Peninsula have approximately a 29% lower mortality rate than their counterparts in the rest of Costa Rica. Nicoyans also tend to have lower levels of blood sugar and blood fats (triglycerides).

Nicoyans eat meat and dairy products; however, they also eat an abundance of fruits. The fruits that Nicoyans eat include mangoes and papayas. Additionally, Nicoyans eat ample amounts of rice, black beans, and squash.

A study that included people in their 90s (nonagenarians) and centenarians from Nicoya showed that the majority of these individuals eat fruit one to three times a day. These aged individuals also preferred mangoes, suggesting that Nicoyans get much of their polyphenol intake from this fruit.

The polyphenol content of mangoes includes an abundance of the molecule mangiferin. Mango polyphenols, particularly mangiferin, have shown promising effects against age-related diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

One hallmark of aging that mangiferin may help against is chronic inflammation since some research suggests that mangiferin has anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, eating mangoes daily, similar to Nicoyans, may help alleviate age-related chronic inflammation and promote longevity.

A Common Feature of Blue Zones: A Polyphenol-Rich Diet

When trying to pinpoint environmental factors that make Blue Zones unique, diets rich in polyphenols stand out. People in these Blue Zones tend to consume ample amounts of fruits and vegetables daily, containing an array of polyphenols that modulate hallmarks of aging in various ways. Thus, applying examples from Blue Zone polyphenol-rich plant foods to your diet may modulate hallmarks of aging in ways that promote longevity.