A recent study conducted by Harvard researchers found that adopting a plant-based diet can boost your health and increase your likelihood of living a longer life — even if you don’t start until middle age.
The paper, published in the journal “Nature Medicine” in March, found an association between eating plant-based and healthy aging.
For the study, healthy agers were defined as participants aged 70 or older who were free of chronic conditions like heart disease and had excellent cognitive, mental, and physical health.
Researchers followed 105,000 participants between the ages of 39 and 69 over the course of 30 years to determine how their diets in midlife impacted their overall wellness. Participants were given a score based on how closely they followed eight eating patterns.
The study found that the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, which was developed by Harvard researchers, is the diet most associated with the highest positive health outcomes.
“People whose AHEI score fell in the highest quintile had an 86% greater chance of healthy aging at age 70 and a 2.2 times greater chance of healthy aging at age 75 compared to those whose AHEI score fell in the lowest quintile,” according to Harvard Health Publishing.
The do’s and don’ts of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index
Get more of these 7 types of foods
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Unsaturated fats
- Low-fat dairy products (moderately)
Limit your consumption, or refrain from eating these foods
- Sugary beverages
- Red meats
- Trans fats
- Sodium
- Processed meats
“Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may enhance overall healthy aging, guiding future dietary guidelines,” the study notes.
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