Could your diet add years to your life? New research reveals that sex-specific healthy eating patterns could add up to three years to your life. Learn which foods benefit men vs women.
According to new research on how diet influences lifespan women might see health benefits from eating more whole grains like quinoa, while men could benefit from drinking more coffee. The study found that selecting a healthy eating pattern that matches your sex could potentially add up to three years to life expectancy.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Tongji Medical College in China studied data from over 100,000 people in the UK. They evaluated five well-known healthy eating plans, including ones that focus on reducing salt, increasing healthy fats, and following a balanced vegetarian diet. Their results were published in the journal Science Advances.
A Healthy Diet
In general, following a nutritious diet was associated with a lower risk of dying early, especially from cancer and diseases related to the lungs. However, some diets seemed to be more effective for men than women, and vice versa.
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For men, the most beneficial diet was the Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet. This plan includes lots of fibre, fruits, nuts, healthy fats, and coffee, while limiting red and processed meat, sugary drinks, and foods high in trans fats such as cakes, biscuits, and fried items. Earlier studies have shown that drinking two or more cups of coffee per day might be especially helpful. Men who followed this eating pattern at age 45 could potentially gain up to three extra years of life.
Mediterranean-Style Diet for Women
For women, a variation of the Mediterranean-style diet showed the greatest benefit, adding up to 2.3 years in middle age. This diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, and healthy fats, with red and processed meat eaten in small amounts. Whole grains are especially important, with recommendations of three to six servings daily, such as brown rice, oats, or wholemeal bread.
The researchers think these diets are helpful because they are rich in fibre and antioxidants, which support a healthy digestive system, reduce inflammation, and improve metabolism.
Keeping It Balanced
Certain foods were found to be beneficial across all the diets studied. Eating more fruit and vegetables reduced the risk of early death by five per cent. Drinking tea lowered the risk by four per cent, while eating nuts and chicken cut it by three per cent. On the other hand, drinking sugary drinks increased the risk of early death by seven per cent, and eating too much processed meat, potatoes, or sweets was also linked to a higher risk of dying early. Importantly, the benefits of a healthy diet remained even after considering genetic differences, showing that diet plays a major role in determining how long we live.
