A vegan diet can reduce your biological age, according to a new study published 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. The vegan twin was found to have reduced methylation in their DNA, which is a marker of biological aging.
So, what is the ideal diet to combat aging, according to science?
There are different interpretations about aging.
“There is life expectancy, which is how long you live, and healthwhich is how well you live – because who wants to live long and live poorly?” says Dr Linia Patel, women’s health nutritionist, performance nutritionist and author of Food for the Menopause.
Breakfast – 10 relaxed minutes
Slowing down for breakfast, as difficult as it may seem, can help your body digest nutrients better, says registered dietitian Laura Clark.
“If you don’t think you can handle breakfast, can you at least sit down with your cup of coffee for 10 minutes?” she asks.
Several studies have linked stress, both short-term and long-term, with a reduction in the absorption of nutrients and phytochemicals (such as antioxidants), which are crucial to ensuring cells stay healthy.
By taking time to sit and eat, you can reduce your stress levels.
“We have to start thinking about food not just in the context of what we eat, but how we eat it. That’s where you make the biggest gains, I think, in terms of anti-aging,” says Ms. Clark.
File photo: iStock
Lunch – a rich rainbow of vegetables
When it comes to what you actually eat, Dr. Linia Patel says color is key to an anti-aging diet.
“Those phytochemicals that we find in the rainbow of plants have benefits that reduce oxidative stress.” Oxidative stress is damage caused to cells by chemicals called free radicals and is known to impact aging.
The good news is that these phytochemicals are easy to detect. The richer the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals it contains – but that’s not all.
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Getting enough fiber helps keep your gut healthy, which helps balance your body. In fact, scientists have already linked gut health to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression – poor gut health has led to increased levels of disease.
“Our gut bacteria love fiber and we find fiber in whole grains, but also in beans, lentils and different colored plant foods,” she says, before recommending we also take a look at our sugar intake.
Consistently eating too much added sugar and refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation in the body, which has been linked to many diseases and can shorten health and lifespan.
File photo: iStock
Dinner – less than you think
Hussain Al-Zubaidi, physical activity and lifestyle lead at the Royal College of GP, says an anti-aging diet is all about what you don’t eat.
“A key area that has more evidence [for longevity] It’s calorie restriction,” he says.
“A small but significant reduction in calories each day causes the body to […] say, ‘OK, we have less energy coming in.
“Now we need to clean and clean. We need to fix all the areas [with problems], we need to clean out any useless cells or dead cells.” And this process is really beneficial for longevity.”
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This theory is supported by several studies published in places like the journal Nature Aging.
Dr. Al-Zubaidi says the late Dr. Michael Mosley’s 5-2 diet, which promotes intermittent fasting, is a good example of calorie restriction.
File photo: iStock
Dessert – ‘Don’t worry about the donuts’
The last thing each nutritionist independently said was that moderation is key – including when you’re implementing ideas like these.
“We have limited resources, time and space,” says Clarke. “Stop self-criticizing all the time, don’t worry about the donuts.”
Instead, they all say to notice what small changes you can make to your diet and keep making them consistently.
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“Make small swaps to start and build on that,” Dr. Al-Zubaidi said.
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