Live to eat? More like eat to live forever.
While we may not be able to agree which diet is best overall — keto, Mediterranean, vegan — some certainly have a wide range of health benefits.
But new research has found the top contenders that could potentially add years to our lives.
Several diets have emerged over the years as some of the best options for losing weight, managing type 2 diabetes, lowering cholesterol, and prolonging life.
Now, a study published in the journal Science Advances has found five diets that stand up to the test: a Mediterranean diet, the Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet, the DASH Diet, a plant-based diet, and the AHEI.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 UK Biobank participants, surveying their regular diet for a decade and basing the results on how much longer a 45-year-old could live.
They found that men who followed the Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet, full of high-fiber and low-sugar foods, gained 3 years, while women gained 1.7 years.
Meanwhile, those who ate a Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats, fish and vegetables saw an additional two years, for both men and women.
The Mediterranean diet has long been touted for its significant health benefits, from cutting fat and lowering the risk of diabetes to neurological advances.
Men who followed the AHEI, or Alternative Healthy Eating Index, were estimated to gain 4.3 years, while women added an extra 3.2 years.
Developed by Harvard researchers, the AHEI eating plan gives ratings to different foods and nutrients associated with low risks of chronic disease.
This meal plan suggests incorporating fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts, legumes, plant-based proteins, fish and healthy fats into your diet.
Those following a plant-based diet that prioritizes foods derived from plants saw an average estimated gain of two years.
Similarly, another study found that the “green” Mediterranean diet, which cuts out animal protein, helps burn fat three times faster than typical healthy eating.
And for the DASH diet, a heart-healthy plan to lower blood pressure and prevent chronic diseases, the estimated gains were 1.9 years for men and 1.8 years for women.
This diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and low-sodium foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium.
