Eat more plants, better fats, less processed food: 3 rules for longevity

A vegetable soup recently promoted in Taiwan as a "longevity" and "anticancer" dish is made from just four common ingredients: cabbage, carrots, onions and pumpkin, according to Yahoo Taiwan.

It was developed by Japanese doctor Hiroshi Takahashi, a former researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School. He introduced a cooking method without seasoning to utilize natural antioxidants and dietary fiber, helping reduce inflammation and metabolic stress in the body.

The cook keeps the skin of the pumpkin and carrot on after washing, cuts the four ingredients into small pieces of approximately equal weight (about 100 grams each), boils them with one liter of water, and simmers over low heat for 20 minutes. The dish requires absolutely no salt, sugar or MSG, drawing sweetness from the vegetables so that the body can absorb the maximum amount of water-soluble nutrients.

The true value of this dish lies in its ideal combination of the principles of a longevity diet a model similar to the popular Mediterranean diet.

Research from prestigious medical and health organizations worldwide indicates that all dietary models aimed at high longevity share a common theme centered around the three following foundational factors:

Make whole plant foods the foundation of meals

The most important principle is to favor foods in their natural and unrefined state. In your daily diet, leafy greens, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains should make up the largest proportion.

Assistant Professor Liao Yi-ching of the department of nutrition at Chung Shan Medical University (Taiwan) says whether it is the Mediterranean diet, Nordic diet, Okinawan diet, or DASH diet for preventing hypertension, all are closely related to a reduced mortality rate.

The key common point of these models is focusing on plant-based food sources, minimizing red meat and processed foods, and utilizing natural herbs and seasonings for flavor to reduce the metabolic burden on internal organs.

To stay healthy and live long, leafy greens, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains must make up the largest share of your daily diet. Photo from Ha Phuong

Prioritize healthy fats

The second factor determining the quality of your meal is the source of fat. Instead of using saturated fats and harmful animal fats, the longevity diet requires people to shift toward unsaturated "healthy fats", such as cold-pressed vegetable oils and fats from nuts and seeds.

Hou Ming-chih, vice superintendent at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital (Taiwan), warns that overconsumption of harmful oils and fats, especially during banquets and parties, will place heavy pressure on blood vessel walls and the metabolic system.

Excess energy accumulated over time will promote chronic inflammation, directly threatening liver function and the digestive system.

Limit salt, sugar and ultra-processed foods

Eating bland, light meals and strictly controlling salt and sugar intake are mandatory for protecting the body. In particular, abstaining from ultra-processed and pickled foods is the key to maintaining a healthy gut ecosystem.

Gastroenterology and hepatology specialist Fu Chung-jui of Show Chwan Memorial Hospital (Taiwan) says the habit of abusing fast foods and processed foods deprives the body of micronutrients while disrupting the balance of the gut microbiota.

Regularly consuming whole foods is the fundamental solution to protecting the intestinal mucosa and preventing disease early.

Besides these three nutritional factors, experts note that immunity cannot be maintained by "willpower" alone.

Dr. Lin Yi-tsung, director of the infection control center at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, emphasizes the role of food safety and hygiene, because contaminated food will trigger inflammatory responses and immediately weaken the immune system.

A healthy and long-lived body cannot rely solely on a single bowl of soup or a single food item, but requires a comprehensive combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise habits, quality sleep, and the ability to manage stress daily.