A vegan diet could potentially lower your biological age, according to a new study in the medical journal BMC.
Scientists studied 21 pairs of adult identical twins, with one of each pair following a vegan diet for eight weeks, and found that the vegan twins had reduced DNA methylation, a marker of biological aging.
So, what is the best anti-aging diet according to science?
There are many different interpretations of aging.
“Lifespan is how long you live, Healthy life expectancy“It’s about how well you live your life. Who wants to live a long life and be poor?” says Dr Linia Patel, women’s health consultant, performance nutritionist, and author of Eating for Menopause.
Breakfast – a leisurely 10 minutes
It may sound difficult, but eating your breakfast slowly may help your body digest nutrients better, says Laura Clark, R.D., a registered dietitian.
“If you find it difficult to eat breakfast, why not at least sit down for 10 minutes with a cup of coffee?” she asks.
Several studies have linked short- and long-term stress to reduced absorption of nutrients and phytochemicals (such as antioxidants) that are essential for maintaining cellular health.
Taking the time to sit down and eat can help reduce stress levels.
“We need to start thinking about food in terms of not just what we eat, but how we eat it, and I think that’s where we’ll get the most bang for our buck in terms of anti-aging,” Clark says.
Lunch – Vegetable-packed lunch
When it comes to what you actually eat, color is key to an anti-aging diet, says Dr. Linia Patel.
“Phytochemicals found in a wide variety of plants have the ability to reduce oxidative stress.” Oxidative stress is damage caused to cells by chemicals called free radicals and is known to contribute to ageing.
Luckily, these phytochemicals are easy to spot: the darker the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals it contains, but that’s not all.
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Eating enough fiber keeps your gut healthy and in balance. In fact, scientists have found a link between gut health and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Poor gut health increases the likelihood of developing these diseases.
“Your gut bacteria loves fibre, and you’ll find it in whole grains but also in beans, lentils and plant-based foods of all colours,” she says, recommending watching your sugar intake too.
Consistently consuming large amounts of added sugars and refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation in the body, which is linked to many diseases and can shorten your health and lifespan.
Dinner – Less than expected
Dr Hussein Al Zubaidi, physical activity and lifestyle lead at the British Association of General Practitioners, says an anti-ageing diet depends on what you avoid eating.
“One of the most important areas of evidence is [for longevity] “Calorie restriction,” he says.
“When you reduce your calories a little at a time every day, your body […] “OK, less energy coming in.”
“Now we need to clean and mop up. [with problems]”So you need to clear out unnecessary and dead cells,” he says. And this process is actually very beneficial for longevity.
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This theory is backed up by several studies published in journals such as Nature Ageing.
Dr Al Zubaidi says the 5-2 diet, by the late Dr Michael Mosley, which advocates intermittent fasting, is a good example of calorie restriction.
Dessert – “Don’t mind the donuts.”
Finally, each nutritionist emphasized the importance of moderation, even when putting these ideas into practice.
“We have limited resources, limited time, limited mental space,” Clark says. “Stop criticizing yourself all the time. Don’t worry about the donuts.”
Instead, they all say to focus on small changes in your diet that you can implement consistently.
“Start with small exchanges and build on them,” Dr Al Zubaidi said.
