Vegetarians can eat most types of pasta, especially if they eat eggs. However, pasta dishes are not as cut and dry as meat-focused dishes, which provide many proteins that vegetarians are missing from meat and are generally healthy. Most packaged pasta, including spaghetti, penne, and more, is vegan. It’s worth checking the label to be sure, as some pasta dishes contain eggs.
Another important aspect to consider when choosing a vegetarian diet is the amount of protein you consume. Vegetarians should base meals on starchy carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread, cereals, rice, and pasta, which should make up just over a third of your food intake. However, not all pasta is vegan, and some pastas may contain eggs in the ingredient lists.
To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods, including whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains. For example, you can make your own vegan pasta and sauce, find vegan pesto alternatives, and enjoy easy and satisfying vegetarian pasta dishes for every occasion and preference.
In summary, while most pasta is vegan, not all pasta is. To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods, including whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains. In summary, vegans can eat pasta if the pasta is vegan, but it’s essential to follow a simple guideline to ensure a balanced vegetarian diet with plenty of nutrients.
📹 Hidden Veg Pasta #recipe #pasta #cooking #plantbased
A delicious pasta sauce packed full of hidden veg! It is gluten free, vegan and so easy to make. Perfect for kids and picky eaters …
Can you eat noodles if vegetarian?
Noodles are long, thin strips of unleavened dough, with wheat, buckwheat, and rice noodles being common and safe for vegans. Less common noodles made with seaweed, acorn, or mung bean are also suitable for vegans. Egg noodles, however, are not suitable for vegans as they combine flour with egg, leading to confusion.
When buying noodles, consider the type of noodle and the source of the dough. Shops that specialize in vegan food can ensure products are vegan-friendly, while online stores offer a wider range of specialist types, including vegan and gluten-free options. Be cautious when checking ingredient lists, as some suppliers may be misleading in their labeling.
Nutrition is another important consideration for vegans. Non-vegans often rely on meat and dairy as their primary protein source. Vegans should find alternatives like tofu, which is often accompanied by noodles. Noodles can provide essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can be beneficial when choosing less processed brown and whole-wheat versions.
What do vegetarians lack the most?
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics warns that vegetarians and vegans should ensure they are getting enough vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal products and can lead to anemia, blindness, muscle weakness, tingling, and numbness. Vegans should include B12 supplements, fortified cereals, and veggie burgers to counteract the increased risk. Mushrooms, particularly in the outer peel, are found in varying amounts but are not yet considered a food source of the vitamin.
Vegans and ovo-vegetarians should find foods or supplements that compensate for the missing calcium, which is crucial for protecting against osteoporosis. Vitamin B12 deficiency is especially important for pregnant and lactating vegans, as it can impair neurological development in infants and result in bone demineralization in breastfeeding women.
What happens if I eat a lot of pasta?
A pasta meal can be savory, filling, and inexpensive to produce and cook. However, overeating pasta can lead to several health issues, including increased diabetes risk, missing key nutrients, increased risk of heart disease, potential high blood pressure, and weight gain.
Pastas are loaded with simple carbohydrates, which can lead to increased blood sugar levels in the body. High-carb diets can also increase the risk of heart disease. Additionally, having too many refined carbs like white pastas can raise the risk of heart disease.
High blood pressure can also be a risk factor for heart disease. Enjoying pasta just occasionally can help reduce this risk. Additionally, pasta is one of the most overeaten foods, with many having four times the amount at home and even more at restaurants, especially those with all-you-can-eat options.
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How unhealthy is pasta?
This article examines the potential health benefits and drawbacks of pasta, a food item that is high in carbohydrates and gluten, while also highlighting its potential to provide essential nutrients for maintaining good health. The article examines the available evidence to determine the potential impact of pasta on human health.
What does a vegetarian eat on a typical day?
A vegetarian diet should comprise a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, grains, healthy fats, and proteins. In order to replace the protein typically derived from meat, it is recommended to consume plant-based sources of protein, such as whole grains, legumes, tempeh, tofu, and seitan. For those following a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, eggs and dairy products can be incorporated to increase protein intake. Nutrient-dense whole foods provide essential vitamins and minerals, thereby addressing any nutritional deficiencies.
What’s the hardest thing about being vegetarian?
Vegetarians can still obtain most of their nutrients, including protein and fiber, but they may struggle to obtain certain nutrients like iron, omega-3s, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12. While plant-based sources offer these nutrients, they are not as abundant as meat or fish. Calcium can be challenging for vegans due to dairy foods like milk and cheese, which are high in calcium. Most vegans will need to supplement with vitamin B12.
When making significant changes to a diet, such as forgoing meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, consult a healthcare practitioner or dietitian to discuss the need for supplements. They can ask more questions about your diet and conduct tests to determine if you are deficient in certain nutrients. With strategic plann
ing, you can still get the necessary nutrients and be satisfied with a plant-based diet.
What foods can vegetarians not eat?
Vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, lacto vegetarians, ovo vegetarians, and vegans are all types of people who follow a vegetarian diet, with some consuming red meat but also consuming poultry or fish. Some people are semi-vegetarians, flexitarians, and pescatarians. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics supports vegetarian eating, stating that it is healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Teenagers can follow a vegetarian diet, but it is important to follow a balanced diet to avoid potential health risks.
Do vegetarians eat rice and pasta?
Vegetarians and vegans typically consume a diet consisting of grains, beans, pulses, carbohydrates like pasta, rice, and potatoes, nuts and seeds, and fruits and vegetables. To maintain a healthy diet, follow the Eatwell Guide by consuming at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, focusing on wholegrain varieties, incorporating lower fat and sugar dairy alternatives, consuming beans, pulses, and proteins, using unsaturated oils and spreads in small amounts, and drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid daily to stay hydrated.
What is the most strict vegetarian diet?
Vegetarians, also known as vegans, eat plant-based foods and reject all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and honey. They are also known as lacto vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, pescatarians, and flexitarians, who eat mostly vegetarian but occasionally eat meat. Despite the differences in definitions, there is a consensus among nutrition experts and health organizations that a more plant-based diet is beneficial, regardless of whether one is a true vegetarian or not. Most Americans don’t consume enough fruits, vegetables, legumes, or whole grains, and there is a consensus that eating more of these foods would be beneficial for everyone.
What should vegetarians eat most?
Pulses are essential for those who cannot obtain protein from meat, fish, or dairy products. Other non-dairy protein sources include eggs, meat alternatives like tofu, mycoprotein, textured vegetable protein, and tempeh. A variety of protein sources is necessary for the right amino acid mixture for cell building and repair. Unsaturated oils and spreads are healthier than saturated fats, but should be consumed sparingly as they are high in energy.
Who eats a lot of pasta?
Italy is renowned for its diverse assortment of pasta shapes and recipes. The average Italian consumes approximately 23 kilograms of pasta annually, which represents the highest per capita consumption globally.
📹 If Pasta Is So Bad, Why Do Italians Live So Long? Italian Lifestyle & Longevity – Dr.Berg
Is pasta really that bad? Here’s what you need to know. Timestamps 0:00 If pasta is bad, why do Italians live so long? 0:10 …
Sardinian here, born and raised in the island. Now, about centenerians and their diet, you have to understand a couple of things : life in Sardinia, let’s say in 1920 or even earlier, was very very different from what it is today. Sardinia was a very poor, remote place (expecially those villages in the mountains where people live the longest). Child mortality was very high back then (in Italy not only Sardinia) and people didn’t have access to stuff like antibiotics or vaccines, so the ones who grew up, grew up to be strong.They used to walk/work a lot in the countryside (see physical activity). The food? It’s defenetly true that Sardinians weren’t vegeterians/vegan at all, but they couldn’t afford to eat animal products everyday. They do ate pecorino cheese (99% of them were shepards), but not even remotely the amounts of what they do today. Meat was consumed maybe once a month, and it was mainly pork or lamb. Fish/sea food? Not really. Sardinians centenarians are expecially concentrated in a region called Ogliastra, but let’s say in most of the inland. This is a mountain region, near the sea (of course it’s an island). None of them were fishermen, only shepards. When talking about Sardinian centenerians, we’re talking about people who for the first 30-40 years of their lives at least, ate very few calories. They used to consume way more vegetables and wild herbs (pumpkin, zucchini, celery, potatoes, carrots, beans, lentils, cauliflower, wild fennel etc.) than what they do today.
Italian here. There’s a bunch of “secrets” that need to be shared. We don’t attend fast foods, we cook at home instead or go to eat where people cook (restaurants, families or friends). We don’t buy processed food, we buy unlabelled food (veggies, fruits, whole fishes, meat..). We don’t drink sodas, we drink water and wine. We vary our foods A LOT and follow the vegetables calendar. We have a lot of extra virgin olive oil and blame other vegetable/seeds oils. We use winegar instead of dressings. We have universal healthcare, for everyone. We’d walk/bike half a mile to a shop/friend rather than drive there. We have a different approach to life and culture (e.g. lots of paid days off, paid maternity leave, some of the best universities are public and all of this makes your stress levels lower). We (still) have lovely and fair weather with temperate winters and long/warm springs and summers, we are low in rain and it all makes us spend much time in open air. Better food, good habits, great lifestyle and lovely weather. That’s Italy (and most of the mediterranean area).
My grandfather died last winter in age 105. He was in good health till 103, lived alone,cooked by himself,was able even to fix furnirure in the house till 100 years. He ate a lot of white bread every day, red meet and pasta, fish, one grappa in the morning, one glass of red wine for lunch and dinner and a lot of olive oil. But always ate breakfast in the morning in the same time and lunch ALWAYS at 1 p.m and NEVER ate fast food in his life.. He lived in Dubrovnik,Croatia
Bread is made by slow fermentation in most villages in Italy, some starters are very old, wine is made at home so it is fermented, they ferment eggplant and pack it in olive oil, olives are preserved in the same way along with many other foods, they forage for wild dandelions many different varieties and rapini. They make there own dried meats from pork and the dried stuff is fermented from 6 months a year or longer, pasta sauce is made by using different cuts of meat with the bone on… the meat is slow-braised cooked in onion and garlic when fully cooked the sauce is added and simmered again, you get the goodness of the bone and marrow. The Italians are passionate about life, food, and family… they love their mamma, and nonna, because they are the cornerstone of the family always cooking good food, love and passion reduce stress. Just some thoughts from an Italian
Last fall, I spent 6 weeks in Italy, traveling. I ate pizza/pasta every day, and had dessert and coffee every night. It was my 3rd trip to Italy and I was not going to miss out on the delicious food. When I got home, I had lost 4 pounds. I had guessed that I was probably gaining weight, but no. I think it is the quality of the food. No GMO. Also, we moved more, sightseeing and just enjoying life. I think the passaggiare (stroll) every night after dinner was key.
The low stress is by far the most important factor. In Icaria island, in Greece, also people live longer because of that. There, the vegetables and most food (even meat) are home grown, purely organic. Personally the stress I believe makes the biggest difference which affect the cortisol. Also being loved and involved in a community, with not too much to be expected from an individual, like the big cities and the fast paced lifestyle, can lead to less percentage of depressed people and you will see more happiness overall. Happiness, balance, along with quality food are the other factors that contribute.
I am Dutch and live in the Netherlands, I am 50 and my grandmother still lives she is 97 and my other grandmother died three years ago aged 97. We cycle a lot and eat lots of vegetables, Little bit of meat and fish and not a lot of junk food. We are used to cook ourselves. Although live is changing here and youth is getting overweight and stress levels increases because of economy and jobs. I live in the countryside and life is slow and No stress at all. Neighbours help each other and we garden a lot and we are surrounded by nature and the sea.
I lived in Europe for 6 years. Totally different lifestyle than here in the US. Food is so much higher quality, serving size is much less. Meals are a social event that last a lot longer at restaurants (but you aren’t eating more). You can tell stress levels are far less there. I went to Italy many times because it was my favorite country. I noticed they eat a lot of seafood and don’t have much red meat. Pork and seafood are much cheaper and accessible there. If I ever go back, I probably wont be coming back to America.
There are so many inaccuracies: First of all, who lives in Sardinia today is well aware that the times of the “blue zone” are over: The young Sardinians are overweight and sick just like everyone else. In southern Italy we have the fattest children in Europe. So you should interview a centenary to know what he ate when he was young. I’m Sardinian so i’ve done that with my grandmothers and great-grandmothers. They experienced the word war, they were poor, so they ate many soups (vegetables and legumes), thistle, cauliflower, bread (Sardinia has an enormous tradition of bread), whoever had cattle often ate cheese. They ate a lot of fruit, especially citrus fruits, watermelons, melons and figs. The Sardinian “fast food” were “pai è casu” (bread and cheese) and “pai è obia” (bread and olives). During the holidays the “piglet” (roasted young pig) was eaten together with traditional sweets (Sardinian sweets are sweetened with honey and often contain goat’s or sheep’s cheese). It is true that in Sardinia a different pasta was eaten because the women made it at home with durum wheat flour and water. Today the Sardinians eat the same barilla pasta you eat, our main pasta producer imports most of the wheat from America, not surprisingly here in Italy we are beginning to have big problems with gluten. There are really alarming rates of diabetes in Sardinia, and surprisingly high rates of multiple sclerosis. Not because of the pasta, not because of the Mediterranean diet, but because today almost no Italian does the “real” Mediterranean diet.
I’ve been eating a ketogenic diet for almost a year. I was recently on vacation in France and I ate bread and pastries every single day I was there. I had lost one pound when I got home. It’s important to note that in France it is illegal for food producers to put chemicals in their food. So when you look at the labels you only see actual food ingredients. Food allergies are almost unheard of in France. I didn’t see a single obese person the entire time I was there. Their wheat flour is also different than ours.
I think the good Doctor is on to something. I think that freaking glyphosate is causing some major problems with people. I have eaten bread and flour products for my whole life, but it was around the time when they started using glyphosate to kill the wheat for drying, that I started having eczema. I stopped eating flour, and the eczema disappeared. I’m convinced that it was the glyphosate in the flour that was causing it, and not the gluten. Alot of people that think they’re gluten intolerant might not be gluten intolerant, it could be the glyphosate that is causing them the problems. You’d think if I was gluten intoloerant, I would have had problems eating wheat products when I was younger. I called a flour manufacturer in my state of Oklahoma and asked them if there was any guarantee that the wheat in their flour was grown here and not up north, but the lady said there is no way to know for sure, because they sometimes source wheat from northern states. In Oklahoma and southern states, it’s hot enough where the wheat naturally dies and dries without spraying glyphosate to kill it. In the northern states and Canada, where it’s cooler, when they get ready to harvest their wheat, they spray it with glyphosate 2 weeks before they harvest it. They kill it to dry it out for harvest. Glyphosate should be banned, and anyone caught spraying this poison on our food should be thrown in prison.
I was lucky enough to live in Sardinia for about 6 months in 1982 to 1983 when my exhusband was stationed at Decimomannu which used to be a NATO base at that time. We lived in Uta on the top floor of an artichoke farmer’s house. People have mentioned how slow the lifestyle was but I don’t recall anyone mentioning how in the afternoons it was siesta time and all the shops were literally closed down. In the evening, the restaurants were booming at 8 and 9 oclock in the evening and the lambrusco wine flowed . We frequented a wood fired pizza place that was always jampacked. And the owner had a huge pizza pan on the wall that if anyone could eat the whole pizza they did not have to pay for it. It was well used. Another item that we frequently ate were the mussels which were fresh from the sea and you could buy a 5 kg net for super cheap. The landowner and his family would visit and he always brought his homemade wine which you would drink in a little jelly glass. Good memories.
Blue zone Slower pace More leisure time Going out to see friends Parties Gardens People eating from their gardens People growing organic food from their gardens At parties, you are eating food from someone’s garden, not the grocery store. Pasture raised animals Wild caught fish Walking everywhere City was built before cars, so walking every where is practical Close knit families Your garden gives you lots of vegetables, so you eat lots of vegetables, grains not so much, people don’t grow their own grains.
Hello Dr. Berg! Firstly, thank you so much for all that you do, especially in relation to educating people about the Keto/low carbohydrate diet. I am a 51 year old Canadian woman living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who in 2016 managed to completely reverse her Type 2 diabetes by following this way of eating. I was very fortunate that it was my own Endocrinologist who prescribed me this way of controlling my blood sugar levels when I reacted badly to Metformin. I now feel so grateful for having recovered my health, not to mention, my energy! (It was also wonderful to say goodbye to at least 45lbs in excess weight, which I have managed to keep off.) Which leads me to my question! Why don’t my blood sugar levels rise when I am in Italy? I have now been there six times since 2016, and I have not experienced any blood sugar issues while there, even when I eat “as the Romans do”! That is, eating the occasional plate of pasta, tiramisu, or the occasional scoop of gelato! This fact often puzzles and intrigues me…! Maybe it’s a sign that I just simply need to move to Italy! I do realise that Italians eat very simply and take great care in making sure to use quality ingredients, no matter their economic “background”. All this said, I just really want to thank you for the hugely inspiring and timely work that you do! Grazie mille! Sincerely, Isabelle
As an Italian living in the US, I can say that lifestyle and the social role that food has in the society plays a big difference. We dont eat out, we also include a lot of vegetables and prefer healthy fats. We like to walk and be active. We also get a month of vacation per year and we do not have to worry about student loans or medical bills
I really think it’s tied to a lack of contaminants and the variety. There’s pasta, there’s meat, there’s tomatoes, there’s veggies. There’s also smaller yet more courses and I’ve always found that pleasurable. It’s not how much you eat but a melody of flavors and if you stretch that out you give yourself time to digest and monitor your hunger. So now eating is not a utilitarian function but an experience. Judged by the end result. Satisfaction and pleasure. But European countries take their food supply much more seriously and they do not pollute it. Just Common sense. Why would I pollute my food? I’d also Like to ask her how much came from the garden. I’m sure 30-60%. And if from market not imported from Chile but the same town. So we are talking organic locally sourced fresh produce. The pig? Locally raised and slaughtered? This is the difference.
I haven’t been to Sardinia, but I have been to other parts of Italy. Things I noticed: 1. There are basically no fat people there. It was days before we saw one that wasn’t a tourist. 2. They walk a lot. 3. They eat very small breakfasts. Espresso and maybe a tiny pastry. 4. Their servings in general are much smaller than in the US. We ordered spaghetti once and were surprised to see how little there was on the plate. It would be a kids meal in the US.
One of the most important factors in American obesity is a lack of daily movement. We sit all day and when we’re not sitting at home or work, we’re driving. Our suburbs are not walkable, and our public transportation is poor. I recently went on a river cruise on the Rhine. I walked a lot every day and the food in Europe was of a much higher quality. I felt great. As soon as i returned to the US I felt bloated after eating. I’m convinced it’s all the chemicals we use. Everything is over processed, and the restaurant meals are enough for three people, and loaded with sodium. We also have way too much sugar in just about everything.
I’m Sardinian. All my family is. My grandparents moved from Sardegn a to Australia. My grandfather and grandmother are still alive live in Australia. They are in their 80s. My grandfather is just as active as he was in his 60s. My grandmother has a lot of health issues but that is because she ended up adopting the 90s mentality of low fat diet and ate a lot of sugar. She has type 2 diabetes. My grandfather on the other hand always stuck to the traditional Sardinian diet even in Australia. Never remember seeing my grandfather sick. My father always tells me their diet consisted mostly of vegetables where he came from. Little meat, pork or lamb here and there. Lots of fish. Heaps of artichokes, eggplants lots of tomatoes and olives! My grandmother use to cut up cured lard and give it to me to eat on its own between meals or as she prepared dinner. She cooked in lard. They also ate lots of salads that they grew themselves at home. Now that I think of it, sounds very keto! They ate lots of almonds, basil, parsley, bay leaves, fennel, chickpeas, cabbage.. the list goes on.
It has become very clear to me that the secret to living a long healthy life is simply not eating highly processed, mass produced foods. Raising your own fruits, veggies, and animals, then cooking them yourself is the key to great health and well being. This “simple life” lifestyle, which fosters low stress and community is what causes people to live longer and more healthy. You can talk a lot about various isolated people groups that live very long and healthy (Okinawan’s, Sardinians, etc) and try to equate there long life to specific foods they eat, but the real reason behind their health is living “close to the land” and staying away from the fast pace, heavily manufactured lifestyles of “civilization.”
I’m so happy to be Italian, the mediterranean diet is the secret of longevity. The fact is all about the quality of food here in Italy, expecially for the use we do of olive oil, fresh fish n meat, fresh vegetebles n fruit, we have the habit to drink only water and a glass of wine at meal. Desserts are mostly eaten only during celebrations, so the stereptype you’ve in USA about Italian meals is pretty uncorrect, we don’t live to eat, we eat to live.
Hi, I live in Venice Italy and I will tell you about what italian eat. Breakfast caffe and croissant ( always) lunch is almost 90% pasta, dinner is usually mean meal with various things. Before dinner about 18:30-19h we have aperitivo wich is always glass of vine or spritz and after dinner is always digestivo like you heard in article. The key is, the food is always fresh and prepared just before a meal and people are very active like walk, run, cycling ect ect . So eat fresh, be active and drink a little vino 🍷 Salute
I guess I’ll have to say that they live a different lifestyle they don’t use a car for everything they walk a lot and they also have naps in the afternoon which helps a lot!!! They don’t worry about having the best cars or lifestyle that probably worry more about having a good time!!! They’re happy people as well
Being Italian, many of my relatives live to near 100 years old. Their daily diet includes: red wine, cofee, organic pasta, homemade bread, homemade tomatoe sauce on many dishes, garden fresh organic vegetables and fruits. Dandelions fresh out of the front yard, Wine Acetic acid based vinegar and real pure olive oil Daily. We also eat little beef pork, fish Mediterranean styled recipes.
I was born and live in Sardinia. It is the lifestyle that in my opinion in Sardinia makes people last as long as possible, and by lifestyle I mean the set of that specified in the article. I would like to make a note: myrtle hurts, it is a super alcoholic, usually homemade, my grandmother made it reach 50 vol! I got drunk badly enough not to drink for almost 10 years! But I could say that the most is the low stress? Also we Sardinian stay always active! Retaired people always go to the farmland to coltivate their land even at 80 years old!
Ability to not use food for dopamine release as a compensation for the lack of grip on life. Aka, eat what the body needs, at the time the body asks for it, and being able to listen to the body (silence, no stress, attentiveness to details since the threshold is so low being free of human-made worries like that ‘important’ career or that neighbour’s thought.)
My grandma lived to 98 (she just passed after a stroke) and she was very active, always happy, never complained, she loved milk and occasional alcohol, home cooked food only (she was born and raised in Russia) not much sugar either. So i think being active, low stress and home cooked food and low sugar is the secret.
I lived in Spain for around a year and a half and was probably the closest to my ideal weight I’ve ever been in my life. I lost over 2 stones ( 28-35 pounds or so ) in that time. I wasn’t on any diet but the major changes were including more salads, Olive oil, white wine vinegar olives, tomatoes, garlic & red wine in my diet and either walking or swimming a few times a week. I still ate bread, pasta, sugar in coffee and some deep fried stuff occasionally but rarely had take away food and never ready meals. My work was more varied and less stressful compared to the UK and I was always meeting new people and outside more. When I told a Spanish friend we usually took 30 mins for lunch and ate a cold sandwich in the UK they couldn’t believe it.
Like others have said, stress is a key factor. “Dopo domani” is a common response to any situation that requires fixing in Italy. It literally means after tomorrow: meaning they’ll get to it when they get to it. They don’t worry themselves to death, they eat whole and fresh foods, seafood, and they don’t over indulge.
Hello Dr. Berg, I’ve been perusal your articles for several years and today came across this one. It struck a note with me as I’ve lived in Italy for the past 28 years and by now am probably more Italian than American…especially with regards to food. Beyond Italy’s incredible culinary tradition there is the true love and appreciation for really good food and that begins with fresh local produce and time, as in time of preparation. All Italians cook, everyday. Sure there are days when you’re in a hurry and throw something together quickly but almost all meals are prepared and done well. Personally I cook everyday, lots of fresh local produce, some cheese, legumes, mostly farm fresh eggs, home made sourdough bread, occasionally meat and probably once or twice a week pasta or rice. I’m almost 65 and weigh the same as I did when I was 30 years old and though this has a lot to do with a high physical activity level, a lot of it comes down to healthy eating habits. I should say that I don’t eat lunch and when eating dinner I rarely have second helpings. I also fast one or two days a month but more for the way it makes me feel as opposed to needing to lose weight. With regards to stress, I hardly know what that is, I live in a small village in Tuscany where you know all your neighbors, life is slow but rich. I know that I’m blessed. Thank you for your good work, I follow you!
I just finished perusal a show with Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentis. They stayed in Rome and Tuscany for a month respectively. But one thing they always commented about was the quality of the ingredients, and how strong flavours were compared to the same things in North America. They visited a mill where they ground flour to make bread for pasta sold on the farm and in town. The grain was a very old variety, changed very little since the grandfather’s time. And there was a lot of pork. Some beef, but mostly cuts of pork at the butcher. They visited small farms, a local beekeeper in Tuscany, and bakers. But in both Rome and Tuscany people did not have huge portions of pasta. It was almost like a side dish.
We cook pasta “al dente” (ready to the tooth) which means we cook a few minutes before the cooking point it’s more digestible. In the rest of the world, people overcook pasta and it becomes literally the glue that attaches to your intestine. By the way, thanks to UE, even if in Italy we are importing wheat from Canada (it’s cheap) with glyphosate which means cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc.
My dad is 96, almost 97 (American). He has always kept a positive attitude and refused to be stressed. Since he was young (and even now), his motto has been “you have all the time in the world.” Ate anything he wanted but was always athletic (still is)! The key to a long life is choosing to be happy even during the tough times, and to keep moving. Oh, and good genes
Also, at least for me it is the water. I was born in south Italy. When ever I travel to the area o lose weight and generally feel.better. Yes the activity level is higher, yes I get mega doses of vitamin d from the sun, pork,wine,fish,and vegetables. The second I get back to the states dtink.the water I bloat up, and get sick. I prepare a small plate of pasta that I purchased in italy and I get sick. The only difference is the water in which it boiled in. I understand this is anecdotal, but this is 35 years of experience I am reporting. Thank you.
I am from Bologna, Italy. My parents were born and raised in the region of Puglia. They maintained a diet rich in fiber and minerals through the consumption of veggies and fish. Yes, meat twice a week. Legumes was also consumed in large amounts. As far as fruits, we would go and eat whatever was in season. My mom would make fresh pasta on Sundays or large batches of tortellini and lasagne to be frozen. We ate pasta, of course, but it was not an every single day thing. I’m in my fifties and I carry on with their eating habits. Plus the physical activity.
Growing up in Africa in the village, I never knew what pasta was, there was no fried potatoes, we could only ferment milk but nothing more, food was freshly grown, my grandfather had all sorts of fruits in his garden, we used to pick macadamia nuts and break them with stones and eat them, ( that was fun) Avocados were our typical lunch and we would go back to school….now that I live in a different country 10years down the line I am yet to adapt to the source of food. It makes me sick that nothing is no longer freshly produced, they important from every corner of the world to have enough. Am Just confused
I think working less hours, having a close family, long term friends helps a lot. In Italy they probably have lunch with their children as they do in Spain, every lunchtime around 2pm the whole family has lunch together, mon-fri, even Dad! Then pick up the kids from school at 1pm and drop them back at school at 4pm. Different life, centered around the family unit and putting importance into having a 3 hour lunch break.
I moved to Italy a couple years back from the UK and noticed a definite health improvement. When I was still living in the UK I used to play football with a few friends. I was never great at football, however, I enjoyed it just the same. One of the reasons I was never great at football in my opinion is that I was quite slow thinking and therefore not fast enough in my reaction times. When I used to come to Italy for holidays and visit my wife’s family we ate very well. On returning to the UK, I noticed that my football abilities were better just after these holidays. My reaction times were much faster. I believe that my cognitive functions had increased. My friends would say that I had been practicing football in Italy during those periods. Of course I hadn’t been, just eating well. The most important food difference I had noticed in my opinion was the quality of the fruit. In fact in the UK, I ate little fruit as it was just tasteless and watery. The fruit in Italy is so tasty and juicy that it becomes addictive to eat and the smell of ripe fruit here is amazing! Something you would not experience in locations where fruit is imported. As for importation, I believe that the best fruit is kept by the country of origin for themselves and the poorer fruit shipped to other countries. Of course, this s just my opinion; however, there is a noticeable size difference in the fruit here, it is massive in comparison. Sea food also a big Italian gift! It’s not just pizza and pasta my friends.
Diet is one thing but living long depends on so many factors. I grew up with rice and over 100 of my cousins eat heavy meat, vegetables and rice and all of us weighs between 95-135 lbs. I weigh 100 lbs and have the same weigh in the last 60 yrs and can still wear my teenage clothes. We laugh a lot, family support is huge with slowing down aging and health. No stress because we keep ourselves so busy and we do a lot of sports together like tennis, golf, swimming, hiking and traveling. When you are happy, diseases seem to stay away from us. Our grandparents all lived past 90. They ate everything, no alcohol, no smoking and they never heard about diets. Today Americans are obsessed with dieting and it really steals the joy of eating. Just eat and exercise and laugh a lot, you will be fine. Stop reading fake news and people’s opinions, talk with your family if you need any opinions. It’s therapeutic and a stress reliever.
My Grandfather lived to be 96! Grew up in Philadelphia! Ate what ever he wanted! Smoked cigar’s 5 per day! Very very little sugar! He loved to walk for miles! His exercise was yard work! But he would say don’t over do anything! And he always got a good night’s sleep! But he steered clear of sugar soda candy!
Growing up in a Greek family I guess I was subjected to the “Mediterranean diet.” Yes we did eat a lot of fish and vegetables swimming in olive oil, but we did eat bread and pasta as well. The bread was different, though, as well as the pasta. Never seemed to make you fat. One thing that did stand out, however, we never ate breakfast–ever. So I guess we were natural intermittent fasters. An uncle told me once if you eat breakfast you’ll simply fall asleep. To this day I rarely eat breakfast.
Then I lived in Italy I lost around 10 kg and cleared my skin just doing nothing and eating everything I wanted (compare to Moscow there you gain weight just by breathing and getting acne all ower your body). I guess it’s due to low stress, gentle climate and healthy organic non-GMO food and good water. Even though I lived in Milan which is more industrial city, and all milanese were complaining that the climate there is the worst compared. Also I have never saw an obese person there, everyone was toned and in a good shape, and, most important, happy and relaxed (well, compared to Eastern or Central Europe).
Great article. I’m an Italian living in Canada. My family immigrated to canada in 1965 and maintained our southern Italian recipes, rituals and customs while adapting to life in Canada. perusal your article I can relate to that Mediterranean diet. Although it is not adhered to as consistently as it used to be, we still try. Because Toronto is very multicultural, I’ve learned to incorporate the better parts of international foods and spices into our Italian recipes.
Very interesting article. I am Italian, I was born in Genova ( Liguria) and it happens that growing up I spent most of my Summers in Sardinia and south of italy. In Liguria we eat a lot of fresh fish, ( my father is 75 and still fishes all year around on his little ” gozzo”, typical boat) The type of fish we found on our plates is always FRESH and obviously, according to the season. We made our own olive oil, like in Sardinia – and snack on olives too. We eats a lot of vegetables and have wild herbs on our plate every day. The roasted pork is one of the most well known and loved meal in Sardinia. It is amazingly tasty -and healthy. They call it ” purceddu”. Lobster are always fresh and so tasteful here and so is ” bottarga” ( dried fish egg) The bread in Sardinia is very peculiar, it is called ” pane Carasau or Guttiau” It is extremely thin, like a piece of paper and it is usually eaten with tons of olive oil, garlic and sea salt. Incredibly tasty! Both regions aren’t afraid of ” fat”, we use walnuts to make “salsa di noci”, our pesto sauce is made with lots of pine nuts and tons of parmesan cheese, we love good chicken and we eat their skins too! I have been living in the US for almost 15 years and I can’t eat the pasta I found in our grocery store, reason why I started making my own from scratch – lol. and nope it is not too hard to do it, it takes 30 min max. I miss my father’s produces from his small loom, the daily fresh eggs his 5 hens punctually deliver every morning and his fresh caught fish.
In my life I have lived in Italy for several months at a time. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was that they fast. Most people would have a coffee in the morning and skip breakfast. We would usually have a big lunch around 1 30 pm. At around 7 30, we would have a light dinner. That translates to a daily 18 h fast. We also walked a good amount during the day. My grandfather is 90 and has eaten that way his entire life and he is full of health. I can’t say the same thing about both my grand mothers. Both my grand mothers had a snacking habit. They would would eat the same meals listed above plus snacks throughout the day (e.g. ice cream, sweets, water with sugar, etc.). Both of them reached a diabetic state and had dementia in their 80s. One died at 87 and the other died at 81. To me, this is first hand evidence that daily insulin spikes should be kept to a minimum (1-2 max) for good health.
Lack of stress. Exercise/Fun in the sun. Much cleaner overall environment. Much better quality foods. Historically hard working, physically strong and long lived people aka, great genes. I have an Italian friend. Without even trying, he is naturally strong- always has been just like his entire family. He can literally lift a car if it is not parked straight against a curb. I lift MORE weights than him and I cannot do this- at all. Genes matter.
Italians are pretty notorious for indulging in their wine too. They walk a lot and live a laid back lifestyle surrounded by family. They seem to have a diet consisting in low amounts of processed food as well. Low stress is key. Everybody hates on booze but a couple glasses of wine in moderation surrounded by family & friends can be hours of glorious conversation.
For those who don’t know about glyphosphate: It was originally used in the 40’s as a biocide for paint. Later it was found to kill weeds and plants very well. The mechanism for killing plants is by locking up trace minerals, especially maganese and zinc, but also potassium, magnesium and many others. I could go on for an hour about it, but just understand it has a VERY back negative affect on mineral nutrition in the body. Also, it has a half life of 22 years… meaning if 1 ounce is applied to ma field, in 22 years there is still half an ounce… another 22 years later there is still a 1/4 ounce… and so on. Most big farming operations are applying it in high quantities multiple times a year. cheers Dr Berg! This of course is without going into the difference between old wheat varieties (both pheno and geno typically and nutritionally) and modern wheat varieties which ONLY target higher yields and have no concern about quality.
I’ve been living in the capital of Sardinia (Cagliari) for the past six months. I’m 71 years old and have lived in the U.S. all my life. I agree with Dr. Berg relative to the quality of Sardinian/Italian wheat from which the pasta is made. I have found that the food and beverages in Sardinia are far less processed as compared to American food. More importantly, in Sardinia, food (meats, vegetables, honey, cheeses, wine, beer, fruits, etc.) is grown and sold locally and there are far less processed foods sold by multi-national corporations. So, individuals can pick and choose higher quality foods to customize the diet/fasting practices that works best for them. Sardinians do hold on to rich cultural traditions like close family relationships, time-honored recipes for growing foods, raising domesticated animals and taking an entire month off (August) from work. I do notice that people walk more. Cagliari is becoming more westernized but not as intense as the U.S. and other northern European countries.
Low stress and walking a lot is the most contibutes to live them long. May grandma died at the age of 104. When she was 97 the doctor is no hesitate to do the operation on her fractured leg despite of her age because she is healthy, all her organs is healthy no complication. Well, except the fracture of her leg that cause of fall accident that needed an operation so she can sit properly and walk again. She ate everything but not drinking alcohol. My grandma is a true witnessed of eating moderately is gives you a long life. She eat everything like pork, seafoods, fish,vegetables, fruits and fresh cows milk every morning but she always ate them in moderately and low sugar. She never buy chocolates, icecream and cakes even she had plenty of money to buy but she will ate if somebody will give. haha!
I’m Sardinian and basically we avoid processed food, we cook at home our meals without using sauces like ketchup or things like this and a lot of people grow their own vegetables at home or eat vegetables that are grown here in Sardinia without using pesticides. I don’t know if these rules are the key to live longer but stay sure that helps to stay healthy.
I love seeing the interview with the woman from Sardinia. My key take away from what she said is the concept of “not too much.” They are not doing a keto diet, but instead they consume small amounts of starches, fruits and alcohol, ina addition to the high quality fats and proteins. So why not advocate this way of eating instead of the keto way? It seems like a much more enjoyable diet and definitely very healthful.
I live in southern part of Spain and I guess it is quite similar to Sardia. I am sure it is about low stress levels, chill lifestyle and lots of fresh vegetables, sea food and fish. The town I live in is mostly habitated by elderly people over 75 years of age and they are full of energy, they are positive, active with close to 0 stress levels. Also, what I noticed, they strictly follow their timetable. Always eat at the same time, take siesta and don’t exhaust your body in the heat.
My grandparents lived in Mexico. They grew up poor. My grandma was born in 1897 and my grandpa was born in 1903. They planted vegetables. They ate chicken 1x a week. They worked manual labor for their entire life. They slept early and woke up early at break of dawn. Grandma lived to be 97. Grandpa lived to be 103. I believe its a combination of many things…to live a long and healthy life Modern medicine keeps people living long 80s, 90s but the quality of life sucks to say the least
mirto is a good digestive!! and yes here in Italy we spend 2-3 h a day for cooking… i live in Liguria, and we apreciate fruits and veggies at km 0, we drink 1 glass of red wine a day, 3 times a week pasta, 2 times meat, 2 times fish, rigorously fished in Ligurian sea! and the rest are veggies, a lot of vegetables! and the grandma of my husband she has 102 years next month… and she is looking and doing very good….
I’m 50. My grandmother is 102 in August ! All other grandparents lived until 90s. Diet all home made, nothing processed. Ate everything including wine and home made cakes. Pastries with coffee at 11 everyday. We are Mediterranean living in the USA. Lots of meat butter good oils. Fresh herbs and some vegetables. Lots of fruit.Some dishes have 2 or 3 cups of fresh herbs. Jesus,good food and don’t worry, says my 101 grandma.
In Europe we cook at home most of the time and the quality of food is way better than in America. I eat pasta (produced in Italy) once or twice a week, no added sugars (with the occasional exception of pie at a bday or so), and for the rest I eat pretty much anything, especially eggs, fish, veggies and diary and meat. I’m not much into alcohol but my Spanish grandparents drink a glass of red wine every single day at lunch. They are both in their mid-80s, super healthy, active and looking much younger (they walk 2 hours every day! Unless it rains, which almost never happens in Madrid 😂 so they have no excuse). They rarely eat out of the house, my grandma cooks everything from scratch- so do I, eating out or ordering food is done only in a “crisis” situation, like, just came back from a trip and have no food, otherwise I make time to cook and I enjoy it. Low stress, nature, sport/active lifestyle are jus as important as diet imo to a healthy life.
I live in Liguria. We have a very simple diet, lots of vegetables, lots of very good olive oil homemade. Thank you for your research and info! Ligurian cuisine is traditionally “poor”, meat was eaten only once twice a week (rabbit), fish (on the coast), vegetables, pasta (mixed with vegetables, beans etc), eggs, vegetable tarts, chickpeas flour, olives and a lot of olive oil!
I’m guessing it’s the seafood. My family is really long lived, and they eat tons of fresh, locally caught sea food (they live on the Faroe Islands). My grandparents are well into their 90’s now and my great-grandparents all died in their late 80’s and early 90’s (they were all born in the late 1800’s). They live almost exclusively on whale, fish, sheep and potatoes during the potato harvest season. My grandfather helped my cousin build his house when he was 91 years old. He’s 94 now.
I moved to Sardinia 12 yrs ago and for me one big advantage here is that you have a lot of local/regional fruits/vegetables available any time of the year. Lots of artichokes in Jan/Feb, lots of oranges/lemon from Nov to June, a huge variety of May to September, pomegranate in autumn, fish and seafood all year long. It is “easier” here to pick the right things for a healthy diet. If everybody would have enough time and resources to choose the right food every day, we might do this more often. But if you are talking about statistics availability and price become a major factor….
Another great lesson Dr Berg and thank you.👍😊 As a Corean/American living in northern Italy, I think food is healthier here compare to US. We live in a tiny village of 600 people and life is slower and simpler with much less stress. One of a big reason why we’ve decided to live here after my retirement 11 yrs ago and loving every moment of it. Meanwhile I’ve experienced that both Sardinian and Okinawan people have relaxed culture and both consume pork often with daily physical activities well over reaching 80+ yrs that could be closely related to healthy longevity. Thank you for your passion to help others and have a nice day.🙏😊 pk
I have spent a lot of time working in Italy- the fundamental difference is that food (and wine, oil) is one of the main things in life. Almost everybody LOVES food, how fresh it is, where it comes from etc… It is the norm there to buy fresh local organic ingredients, and cook them at home. People take time to eat together. They will happy work an extra hour into the evening so they can spend 1- 1.5hrs over lunch. People have heated (friendly) arguements over where the best oil/wine/artichokes/whatever comes from. I think these days though stress levels are high, the same as everywhere unfortunately, due to the pressures of modern society. Italians are a lot more convivial though, help each other out. I’m British by the way (all of our pasta is from Italy luckily😃). Thanks very much for all the highly informative articles over the years!!!
I think the biggest contributor to longevity is lifestyle, time between meals, and portions. One of my relatives lives next to a farmer in Minnesota who is almost 100 years and he still farms til this day. I think you can find a blue zone in any country, it’s just more about lifestyle and mental health in my opinion. We live in an altered modern capitalist reality based on greed and production.
My father was almost 98 when he passed from several mini heart attacks and he still had all his faculties. His sister was 106 2 days ago on April 20 and rarely repeats herself. Her mind is good too. They both ate pretty healthy foods except for white bread! They grew up poor and had lots of related stresses/ My father fought in WWII and I KNOW that was stressful! Neither live(d) in the Blue Zone, they live(d) in New Brunswick Canada. Maybe it was all the physical work and keeping busy that helped them a lot!
I was traveling Italy for months and this is not true at all. Italians smoke, eat pasta, drink 🍷, eat bread 🥖, and have ice cream of some kind of dessert 🍨 (gelato) … they eat and eat some more then wash it down with coffee or more wine. Its not fair to generalize and say they all eat perfectly well. I did see a better quality of life, low stress and moderation with drinking. fashion is a big deal to them as well, like they are all super models! also, they are always talking of laughing, theres no stigma to just enjoying life there🥳
Thank you Dr. Berg. This is a fantastic article, and the thread following is very interesting. It leads me to believe that so much is based on your connection to nature and community and just fresh air and being balanced and connected to your own roots. In reading all the threads, I feel I am learning to harmonize my life in a way that might be beyond any one right way of eating or any one right thing to do, but I get it, sun, ocean, fresh air, good food, love and gathering around the table together make for the perfect recipe. Thanks so much for all that you give. It really makes a difference.
I’m from NY and have lived in Friuli region of Italy the past 20 years. The stigma of Italians eating a lot of pasta and pizza is false. While they do consume it 2-3 times a week, it’s not a daily thing. Also, they’re usually more active by walking or bicycling places and eat fresh foods. Sadly though, I do see a westernized diet slowly becoming more common here. As far as your question, Dr. Berg, I believe the Low Stress is what contributes to their long life the most. A close second would be their food is much much fresher and less processed as ours, as well as a low consumption of sugar.
I was born and raised in Italy, half living in the north and half in the south. Everywhere in Italy it is normal to buy the basic ingredients and cook. Cooking is an act of love for ourselves, the people we love and life in general, eating good and well-made things is part of the beauty of living. Not only women know how to cook also many men, I would say almost all and not only pasta. Always eating the same things is boring so we try to vary. It’s not very smart to be bored doing something of you can get bored doing nothing as well. Healthy and varied diet accompanied by consumer protection legislation. In general less stress and more quality in all aspects of life. Many vegetables, many recipes and attachment to local traditions and, not forget that In Italy we drink much less alcohol than in northern European countries. Little and quality. I think what we have in common with the Japanese is the respect for the beauty of life.
I have been fasting and eating only one meal a day for Lent, and I can honestly say that I felt ten times more healthy when I was eating more and lifting heavy weights, than I do now being lighter. I had to pretty much stop lifting because I hadn’t the energy to lift and then go work all day. I was rarely sick before but now have caught a nasty sinus cold. Longevity is one thing but if you don’t have a quality of life, it doesn’t mean much.
Often said this, here in the UK, they keep telling us the Mediterranean diet is the best, because they live longer, but what bothers me is they never take into account all the other factors, like there laid back lifestyle with low stress which is the biggest killer, and the 10 months sunshine they get each year giving them plenty of vitamin D, which if you live in the UK you maybe get to see the sun for a week in July if your lucky. The Fresh fish and olive oil maybe contributes to half the factors of longevity in my opinion.
Recently I returned from Italy and lived in the Northern part near Venice. Everyone in my neighborhood was elderly, most road a bicycle or walked everywhere. I worked with many Italian and they didn’t stress out and didn’t let anything worry or upset them. Their diets were similar to what you listed. They eat much much smaller portions of food and everything is natural or biological (organic)
They live longer because people are far less stressed, much more relaxed and know how to enjoy life. As for the pasta, here in Europe we have small portions, we don’t really binge. Just like the French, butter is virtually everywhere and they eat a sweet breakfast but they remain skinny because how much you eat is key. The wheat is far less processed too and the tomatoes are heaven.
I am 89 fairly healthy 145lb now just 5ft.5″ with some mild old age problems,me and my family were eating all those things Dr.Berg said not to eat for as long as I remember, yes we had some pains and illnesses,but was it really only from food we should not eat? Well it is too late for me to worry about it now mmm that slice of Bread with butter and strawberry Jam and a cup of coffee is tasting so good
I probably a year late in this discussion, I just found out your website from youtube recommended articles, I am asian, we eat rice everyday, we eat a lot of fish, vegetables, not much of fried food, fruits are our desserts. Cakes are only on someone’s birthday. My grandma died at 105, and my grandpa is still alive, he is 96 years old. Rice can’t be that bad or asian digest rice better?( not sure). Because we eat rice everyday, at least 2 times a day. All of us are moderately thin and healthy. No diabetic in our family.
That lady looks great! She is inspiring to me! No double chin or jowls, glowing smooth facial & neck skin, even in unflattering indirect lighting. No sagging of her face. Many overweight Americans by their forties have fleshy chins and jowls. It just goes to show how a healthy diet and active lifestyle can really make a difference! Love your informative articles.
Happiness and a sense of belonging. Whenever I visit Italy, I notice they are at home with themselves and their community. They may look grumpy but they are fundamentally fine in their heads. In contrast, many Americans I see in the U.S. suffer so much psychological and psychic pain: drugs, crime, suicides, you name it. A deep topic!
My thoughts are the fact that they hold on t their customs. I don’t know if many will remember our North American culture, the way it was back in 1948? Every Sunday there was the Lords day act. Zero transports on the highway, and businesses stayed closed on Sunday. In Every town and city one could find many plaques with the 10 commandments.People were joyful, with wonderful smiles, and kindness at Christmas time. One would have to look long and hard, to find a rights filled, entitled, narcissistic person.
Stress is HUGE in aging you. Also, I know alcohol in general is not recommended, but I think drinking wine has something to do with increasing life expectancy. My boyfriend’s grandmother was from Denmark. She lived to be over 100 years old. She kept going strong up to the very end and never missed her one glass of wine with dinner.
90% of Italy eat pasta 4/5 days a week. In Sardinia, the woman forgot the pecorino cheese, cheese anyway never miss in every part of italy. The reality is that 90 percent of long life is because little stress(despite our politicians) and good food, olive oil no butter, and wine, especially red. The glyphosat you’ll find even in some Italian pasta, especially from wheat coming from Canada.
In Puglia, southern Italy, my grandpa made me try red wine when I was 8. He poured it into a small glass, no more than 30cl=10us fl oz. and said “come on sonny, time to grow up, you’ll be a young man from now on” 😁 He also wanted me to get used to eating hot red pepper, it was stir fried with garlic in olive oil, then they added tomato and let it cook for 30′. The final sauce was meant to season spaghetti. Poor cheap food at the time, in his mind he was raising me as a real man 😂. Well I dont know yet if I am one but I can’t live without drinking red wine and eating spicy food at dinner, that helps me clearing all the stress of the day, just a kind of reward
I think the low stress factor it’s important, in Italy people talk a lot with each other, and share things with people that are nearby ( like vegetables that they planted ), they eat stuff that they grow, they use fresh herbs and lemons. the meat, they grow the animals. And value fresh ingredients like fresh fish, good olive oil, good cheese. Maybe the secret it’s all of that…eat a little bit of everything, in moderation and with quality 😃
My grandmother lived to be 101. She had all her noggins, she was mobile, she was able to bathe and feed herself. She was Hawaiian/Chinese/Portuguese and if she ate pasta, she wouldn’t eat bread. If there was noodles, she ate a very small bowl of rice. She loved to eat fish and had a bowl of fruit (especially papaya) practically every morning. She rarely drank and I have an inkling that she smoked cigarettes in her teens. Her heart finally gave out a few months shy of turning 102. We were blessed to have had her so long.
something makes me feel being ‘so isolated’ from other cultures and people, they most probably are very connected one to each other and feel the ‘tribal emotional support’ and connectivity amongst themselves which makes them strong emotionally and not only; as we know loneliness kills and alienation as well
I consider whole grain pasta to be healthy, but you should have them split up in to maximum 2 meals a day, and with a good amount of healthy plant seed oils (I prefer olive). Other than that I eat nuts and vegetables. Only drink water, coffee, and tea without milk or sugar. If you’re vegan have your vit.B12 and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (like algae oil), maybe vit.D if you’re a nightshift worker or not out in the sun much, and you’re good. I’m 40 years old, athletic, everyone thinks I’m much younger. Take good care of your bodies folks 💟
My dads family are from Sicily and my whole family has adopted the Sicilian culture to the UK. I go to sicily almost every year and i noticed that it is generally a very healthy and fit country who live for a century. Although the country suffers with poverty compared to the likes of Italy and Sardinia, the diet is pretty much the same, only we eat pasta almost every day of the year 😂. One thing you will NOT see in Sicily is processed foods and ready meals. The diet is 99% fresh, organic meat, fruit and veg and I think that is the key to a long healthy life.
Such a great article thank you Dr. Berg. I love the interview unlike any healthy, conscious person. I’m very concerned with where I live what I eat and I’ve already made lots of improvements and I’m continue to lose weight. I was up to 250 at one time and my weight would come and go I’ve done intermitting fasting. I’ve done various diets now I’m really on the homestretch and I’ve lost more weight than I ever have. I finally broke the 200 barrier I’m down to 197.5 this morning. And the last time I was below 200 was back in 2014 so it’s been nine years. Thank you for all your help.
Very Interesting Topic. My grandmother passed at age of 98. What I remember from her is that she used to eat very small portions. Her diet was mostly cheese, milk, eggs, tomato, cucumber, onions and whole wheat bread. She was not a big fan of meat in general. I rarely saw her eat any source of meat. She walked a lot but one thing was very interesting. She used to get a one Shot of Neurobion injection every year. I am not sure why she used to get Neurobion but I believe that it somehow helped her live longer along with her diet and activity.
Dr Weil covers this topic a lot, and I agree with him when he states that eating happy with happy people increases digestibility and decreases obesity as a result. I swear this is true. In the west eating under distractions is its own pandemic. Also, people in India believe in eating while sitting and without distractions. I have started doing this more and more and love my silent meal times… can really taste the food, feel more satisfied, and feel so much peace even if eating by myself I make this a practice as much as possible now. Thanks for the articles Dr Berg xoxo <3