My food philosophy isn’t about being militant, judgmental, or self-righteous. It’s just the facts based on the most current research, plain and simple.
Thanks to the emerging research into the Blue Zones—the places with the highest concentrations of people living to 100 and beyond—we have uncovered some key secrets to living a long, healthy life. Though these Blue Zones are spread across the globe—from Italy, to Costa Rica, Greece, Japan, and even California—research has pointed out some distinct commonalities between the lifestyle and food choices of all Blue Zone residents. Naturally, as a professional chef and health educator, I’m most intrigued by the nutritional aspects of longevity. It turns out that the majority of Blue Zone diets are anchored in minimally processed, locally grown, super-mineralized, nutrient-dense plant foods. Their primary food staples are fresh, local fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, sea vegetables, and cold-pressed oils with portion-controlled, minimal intake of animal-based products like cheese, fish, or meat (if they even consume them at all!) This consistent focus on eating mostly plant foods helps to keep inflammation down and prevent the onset of chronic disease.
Check out some other key stats about the relationship between longevity and plant-based (or non-plant-based) eating:
- A 2009 study that followed 547,000 older Americans found that those who ate the most red meat had a 31 to 36 percent higher risk of dying in a 10-year period.
- In California, Seventh-Day Adventists who are vegetarians live about a year and a half longer than those who eat meat, and those who also eat nuts frequently gain an additional two years of life expectancy.
- Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England followed 20,000 middle-aged men and women in England for 11 years and found that nonsmokers with the healthiest eating and exercise habits at the outset had a 14-year life-expectancy edge over the people with the worst habits.
- Researchers from Loma Linda University found that vegetarians had a lower risk of dying compared with nonvegetarians. The study included more than 70,000 men and women. Specifically, vegans had a 15 percent lower risk of death, ovo-lacto vegetarians (vegetarians who do not eat meat, fish, or poultry) had a 9 percent lower risk of death, and semi-vegetarians (sometimes called flexitarians) had only an 8 percent lower risk of death.
Here’s the bottom line: if you want to have the best shot at a long life, you’ve got to look way outside your current culinary box. I want you to jump up right now and scream at the top of your lungs, “That’s it! I’m moving to Costa Rica and living in the jungle! Honey, pack me a loincloth and a bamboo toothbrush!” Okay, but seriously, it’s important to recognize that the world’s longest-lived people choose a lifestyle that includes a healthy, balanced diet; daily exercise; and a low-stress life that incorporates family, strong ties to a community, a clear life purpose, healthy sex, and a strong foundation of spirituality or religion.
So if you’re looking for this in your own life, let’s start together. Embrace a gentle shift in how you eat, explore new ideas about maintaining your daily health, and allow this simple yet profound truism to sink in: the better your food choices, the longer you’ll be able to enjoy the best things in life.
I get that it’s less than ideal to be thrown into the deep end of the pool without an inner tube or snorkel. That’s why I’m here—to serve as your lifeguard and help you along the way. I’ll motivate, support, and encourage you to keep an open mind and a curious attitude as you explore new ingredients and recipes. You can start by just dipping one toe in the water . . . then another, then another. Making small, incremental changes and mindful substitutions helps take the pressure off. That’s how I did it.
You just have to be willing to experiment with better options. You may not want to use ingredients that are too strange or out of the ordinary. We all feel more comfortable with familiar tastes, textures, colors, and smells. For me, that’s food reminiscent of my Puerto Rican and Polish heritage. I won’t give up my mom’s classic grilled plantains—but I will put a healthier spin on the recipe. Fortunately, we have a plethora of delicious ingredients at our disposal to use as healthy substitutes. Check out my sensational swaps list below for some awesome ideas for your recipes!
Sensational Recipe Swaps
| Bad | Better | Best |
| Beef/Turkey Burger | Portobello mushroom cap | Veggie burger |
| Bacon | Tempeh bacon | Coconut or eggplant bacon |
| Butter | Non-hydrogenated vegetable spread | Extra-virgin coconut oil |
| Dairy milk | Soy milk | Almond, hemp, flax, rice, or coconut milk |
| Mayonnaise | Vegenaise | Cashew mayonnaise |
| Meat | Seitan, tofu, TVP | Tempeh, hemp tofu |
| Iodized salt | Sea salt | Himalayan crystal salt |
| White bread | Whole-wheat bread | Gluten-free or sprouted grain bread |
| White sugar | Turbinado sugar | Stevia, Lakanto, coconut sugar, maple sugar |
| Eggs | Egg-replacer powder | Ground flax or chia seed |
| Cream | Soy creamer | Coconut or almond creamer |
| Cheese | Soy or tapioca cheese | Cultured nut cheeses |
| Cold cuts | Veggie deli meat | Mandolin sliced veggies |
| Corn syrup | Agave nectar | Coconut nectar, maple syrup, yacon syrup, or stevia |
There are healthy substitutions for pretty much every bad ingredient, fattening food, cholesterol-laden treat, or diet-busting dessert on the market. Another thing that will help you put a healthy spin on recipes is becoming familiar with some new tastes and textures, like chia seeds and coconut kefir. Being familiar with new foods will give you even more options when you’re looking to make some dietary shifts. Simple adjustments to your recipes and a little bit of extra effort to obtain these ingredients can result in incremental changes that eventually add up to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle!
