A specialist in longevity has highlighted a “superfood” that everyone should incorporate into their daily diet to enhance their lifespan. Drawing inspiration from the dietary habits of individuals residing in Blue Zones, he recommends consuming at least half a cup of this particular food every day.

Blue Zones are areas globally known for lower incidences of chronic illnesses and extended life expectancy. These regions typically have a higher proportion of centenarians than any other place.

Several factors contribute to this phenomenon, with diet being a significant one. Inhabitants of these zones predominantly consume plant-based foods and avoid processed meals.

Dan Buettner, the founder of Blue Zones LLC, elaborated on his website: “It starts with food choices. Most of the Blue Zones residents I’ve come to know have easy access to locally sourced fruits and vegetables – largely pesticide-free and organically raised. If not growing these food items in their own gardens, they have found places where they can purchase them, and more affordably than processed alternatives.

“They have incorporated certain nutritious foods into their daily or weekly meals – foods that often are not even found on the shelves of convenience stores or on the menus of fast-food restaurants across the country. They have inherited time-honoured recipes or developed recipes on their own to make healthful foods taste good – a hugely important part of the Blue Zones diet, because if you don’t like what you’re eating, you’re not going to eat it for very long.”

Drawing on research into Blue Zones, Dan shared his counsel on the best foods to consume and those to steer clear of. “The findings here represent a long-term, statistical, and science-based study,” Dan explained.

“We needed information that was not just anecdotal or based on interviews, visits in the kitchen, or shared meals with individual centenarians. We analysed more than 150 dietary studies conducted in Blue Zones over the past century, and then we distilled those studies to arrive at a global average of what centenarians really ate.”

Dan continued: “Here we provide some guidelines you can follow to eat a Blue Zones diet like they do and live to 100.” Among his suggestions was the recommendation to include at least a half-cup of cooked beans in your daily diet.

Beans are, according to Dan, the “cornerstone” of every Blue Zones diet across the globe. Whether it’s black beans in Nicoya, lentils, chickpeas, and white beans in the Mediterranean, or soybeans in Okinawa, Japan, beans hold a staple place in the diets of these regions.

“The disparity is clear,” Dan pointed out. “The long-lived populations in these blue zones eat at least four times as many beans as we do, on average. One five-country study, financed by the World Health Organisation, found that eating 20 grams of beans daily reduced a person’s risk of dying in any given year by about eight per cent.”

He detailed that the typical bean consists of 21 per cent protein and a substantial 77 per cent complex carbohydrates, which provide a gradual energy release, in contrast to the surge from refined carbs.

Beans are also notable for their low fat content and high fibre levels. Dan noted: “They’re cheap and versatile, come in a variety of textures, and are packed with more nutrients per gram than any other food on Earth.”

He suggested incorporating at least half a cup of beans into your daily diet. Furthermore, he remarked: “And because beans are so hearty and satisfying, they’ll likely push less healthy foods out of your diet. Moreover, the high fibre content in beans helps healthy probiotics flourish in the gut.”

For those looking to boost their bean intake, he recommended:

• Discovering cooking methods for beans that you and your family enjoy
• Ensuring a diverse selection of beans in your kitchen cupboard, whether dried or canned
• Using pureed beans as a thickener to enrich soups with creaminess and protein
• Adding cooked beans to salads to make them more filling
• Stocking up on condiments that enhance bean dishes and elevate their flavour
• Opting for Mexican eateries when dining out, as they typically offer pinto or black beans.