What are ‘Blue Zones’?
A National Geographic expedition to uncover the secrets of longevity found five places in the world where people often live to over 100 years old, and often reach old age without disease or health conditions such as obesity, cancer, diabetes or heart disease.
Research on these areas sought to identify the factors associated with living a long life and determine how they might be transferable to populations in other parts of the world. The term ‘Blue Zones’ was coined after researchers marked the locations on a map with blue circles.
Here’s what researchers discovered in each of the zone locations:
Okinawa, Japan
Home to some of the world’s longest-lived people, Okinawa has a diet that’s low in calories, yet dense in nutrients. The foundation of the Okinawan diet – accounting for over half its calories – is root vegetables, rather than the rice we associate with a traditional Japanese diet. One of the main vegetables is a purple sweet potato that is rich in protective polyphenols, while others include soya beans and seaweed. The other components of the diet include fish, lean meat (including pork), and spices. Okinawans adopt the principle of ‘hara hachi bu’ – eat until you are 80% full. They also enjoy secure social networks and a strong sense of purpose.
Learn about a traditional Japanese diet.
Nuoro Province, Sardinia
This Italian region is home to some of the world’s longest-lived men, who enjoy a largely plant-based diet of wholegrains, beans, garden vegetables and fruit, as well as sheep’s milk and cheese. This community reserves meat for Sundays and special occasions; they enjoy red wine moderately and incorporate exercise into their routine, which includes tending livestock throughout the mountainous local terrain. This diet differs from elsewhere in Europe because it relies on wholegrains and dairy and uses lard (which is rich in vitamin D), rather than olive oil.
Read about the Mediterranean diet.
Ikaria, Greece
Here the diet is more traditionally Mediterranean, with plenty of fruit, vegetables including leafy greens, wholegrains, beans and olive oil, as well as goat’s cheese, honey and herbs. The diet of this island differs to that of the mainland – it has a lower calorie composition, makes extensive use of wild and garden-grown vegetables and includes coffee and herbal tea. This island community is also no stranger to a mid-afternoon break, which is thought to help lower stress and rest the heart.
Nicoya, Costa Rica
With little to no processed foods in their diet, this community enjoys a plentiful supply of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, including yams, corn and sweet potato; they also drink the local mineral-rich water which contains calcium and magnesium. The diet includes fish, meat and dairy products, and has low levels of sugar but a high intake of coffee. Other aspects that form the foundations of this community include faith, family, an optimistic outlook and an active lifestyle.
Loma Linda, California
Outliving the average American by a decade, this community enjoys a predominantly vegan diet of leafy greens, nuts and legumes; those who choose to eat dairy, eggs and fish do so in moderation and more as a side dish than a main. A large proportion of the city’s population are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; they tend to avoid smoking and drinking and rest on the Sabbath (but otherwise enjoy an active lifestyle).
How does the Blue Zones diet work?
As you might expect, given the different backgrounds, cultural traditions and environments of the five Blue Zone populations, there is no single Blue Zone diet. There are, however, common themes that run through the diets, the most notable being the reliance on self-produced, locally available foods. Other commonalities include a high intake of plant foods such as legumes, beans and nuts, and some meat (most often pork), seafood and dairy. The research team identified other common factors relating to how these locations eat and their lifestyles. These nine commonalties were coined the ‘Power 9’ and are divided into four key areas:
MOVE
1. Moderate, regular physical activity is built naturally into the day. Blue Zone communities do not frequent the gym, they live in environments that require physical activity, whether it’s growing their own food, tending livestock or doing physical chores.
OUTLOOK
2. Blue Zone communities enjoy a sense of purpose and a positive outlook, which has been estimated to add seven years to life expectancy.
3. They also enjoy routines that allow them to take time out. This may be in the form of prayer, afternoon siestas or getting together with friends or family.
DIET
4. Moderate calorie intake appears to be key. Whether it’s the Okinawan 80% rule or eating the smallest meal in the evening and fasting overnight, these communities do not overindulge and naturally practise time-restricted eating.
5. There’s a ‘plant slant’ to their diets. Beans, pulses and root and green leafy vegetables play a big part in all Blue Zone diets, making up about 95% of the diet.
6. Wine is enjoyed by four out of five of the Blue Zone communities but is drunk moderately and in company.
CONNECT
7. Most of the Blue Zone communities follow a faith.
8. A strong sense of family or commitment to loved ones runs through the communities, whether that’s to a life partner, investing time in children or supporting ageing parents.
9. There’s a tribal support for healthy behaviours within the communities, making it easier for individuals to stick to these habits.
What can I eat on the Blue Zones diet?
The specific foods relevant to each Blue Zone, and the recipes they use, are largely driven by culture and local environment. On the whole, Blue Zone communities enjoy pesticide-free produce that is locally grown or grown in their own gardens, as well as meat from free-range or roaming livestock. Interpreting this way of eating for those of us living in a largely urban, Western environment may seem difficult and potentially expensive, however the Blue Zone food guidelines suggest we include the following:
- Wholegrains including oats, barley and wholewheat
- Beans and pulses (such as fava, black and soy beans or lentils): one portion daily
- Vegetables including leafy greens, sweet potato and yams
- Fruit such as tomatoes, oranges, apples, bananas, dates, figs and peaches
- Nuts (including walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts): two handfuls per day
- Some meat, but no more than twice per week, with portion sizes kept small (about 80-90g)
- Fish and seafood, especially the smaller oily varieties such as sardines and anchovies
- Dairy: predominately sheep’s and goat’s milk rather than cow’s. This may include full-fat, naturally fermented products like yogurt but with no added sugars
- Eggs: no more than three per week
- Olive oil
- Herbs and spices, including turmeric
- Wine: 1-2 small glasses per day, preferably with food and in company
- Coffee and tea
What foods to avoid on the Blue Zones Diet?
Despite being different, the various Blue Zone diets minimise or exclude the following:
- Processed food such as ready-to-eat packaged products and salty snacks
- Processed meat and meat products
- High amounts of red meat
- Refined grains
- Refined oils
- Sugar and sweetened food and drinks (limited to celebratory meals).
Is there evidence to support the Blue Zones diet?
Evidence specific to the Blue Zones diet is lacking because there is no single diet: the eating patterns of the locations are diverse and vary over time. This lack of evidence makes it difficult to isolate the key elements that contribute to health and longevity, and how we can adapt them to suit our own modern, urban lifestyles. However, what we do know is that nutrition has the potential to support longevity: studies show generic, healthy plant-rich diets are associated with reductions in the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and death from all causes. Although controversial, calorie restriction such the Okinawan 80% rule may also promote longevity, although the data remains mixed for humans.
When it comes to lifestyle factors, these may be supported by research – that’s because our chances of inheriting long-lived genes may be as little as 10 to 25%, while living a physically active lifestyle that combines social connection appears to support longevity.
Will I lose weight on the Blue Zones diet?
The Blue Zones diet is not specifically designed for weight loss. Whether you lose weight or not will depend on your individual circumstances, including how you were eating beforehand and the amount of weight you have to lose. Any weight loss is likely to be achieved by switching to a largely plant-based diet that is high in fibre and low in sugar and calories.
Is the Blue Zone’s diet healthy? A nutritionist’s view
The Blue Zones diet essentially replicates much of the current recommendations for healthy eating. Evidence supports the idea that healthy eating can prevent heart disease, increase lifespan and support healthy ageing. A healthy diet also appears to reduce the risk of obesity and helps maintain a healthy weight.
In fact, diet is one of the main factors in preventing age-related diseases and preserving good health, but it is not the only one. The Blue Zone communities eat local, seasonal, mainly plant-based produce – but they also eat together, build physical activity into their daily lives and engage in their communities. This seems to help them maintain key capacities including mobility, cognition and a sense of purpose.
However, the Blue Zones theory is not without its critics. Dr Saul Newman, a researcher at the Australian National University, suggests that there are discrepancies around the age data and that people in the Blue Zones may live no longer than their counterparts. Other reports also point to the lack of rigorous age validation using death certificates and social security records for at least one of the five Blue Zone locations.
What’s more, while people in Japan have the highest longevity of any country, men in Okinawa on average don’t live as long as their peers elsewhere in the country. A 2012 study suggests that the Okinawan phenomenon may now be a thing of the past. Although following the Blue Zones concept has been associated with a lower risk of obesity and weight gain over a short period, the longevity effect (if any) of the proposed diet will not be measurable until many years have passed. In fact, the diet may help improve overall health and longevity, but these results are typically seen when adopted as a community-led programme. All of which suggests that additional evidence is needed before the diet can be recommended.
Does the Blue Zones diet work?
Without the necessary studies to confirm this, we can’t judge whether following this way of eating will have any effect. One issue is the differences between these communities and their ability to grow their own food and the majority of urban populations for whom replication of this way of eating is likely to prove difficult and expensive. What we perhaps should be looking to the Blue Zones for is the apparent improvement in health quality during old age, as living longer doesn’t always equate to living healthier.
Overall, should I follow the Blue Zones diet?
There is nothing new about the findings of the Blue Zones project – the communities studied appear to enjoy a balanced approach to eating, while lifestyle factors recognise other important aspects like the value of social connection and regular physical activity. All of these, if practiced consistently, may benefit your health now and in the years to come.
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This page has been reviewed on 21 October 2024 by Kerry Torrens.
Kerry Torrens is a Registered Nutritionist (MBANT) with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.
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