20+ Blue Zone Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is the Blue Zone diet legit? ›

A healthy diet is one of the Blue Zones' 'Power 9,' but Dr Newman told The Sydney Morning Herald that there is no proof supporting the Blue Zone diet advice. He said: 'People are being sold this illusion there are these islands where people live forever. Look at the number of people who buy into the dietary advice.

In blue zones regions, the routine is similar. Ideally, breakfast or the first meal of the day consists of protein, complex carbohydrates (beans or veggies) and plant-based fats (nuts, seeds, oils) and a majority of the day's calories are consumed before noon.

Eggs are consumed in all five Blue Zones diets, where people eat them an average of two to four times per week. Cut down your consumption of cow's milk and dairy products such as cheese, cream, and butter. Try unsweetened soy, coconut, or almond milk as a dairy alternative.

The concept of blue zones having exceptional longevity has been challenged by the absence of scientific proof, and by the substantial decline of life expectancy during the 21st century in an original proposed blue zone, Okinawa.

People in Blue Zones areas eat very little bread, but when they do, they predominantly eat sourdough. Unlike other breads made from white flour, sourdough bread doesn't cause spikes in blood sugar. Substitute sourdough or 100% whole-grain bread for white bread, and be mindful of your serving size.

Avoid dairy when possible. If cheese is a must, try ice-cube size portions of sheep (pecorino) or goat (feta) cheese to flavor foods. If you eat eggs, limit intake to three times a week.

Grains including oats, barley, brown rice, and ground corn (not so much wheat) play a key role in the world's blue zone diets.

Carbo-loading for long life? Sardinians eat gobs of pasta and whole-grain breads—even their famed soup, zuppa gallurese, is a sort of bread casserole.

People in Blue Zones areas typically eat an egg every other day, or 3 per week. Favor eggs from cage-free, pastured chickens just like the Blue Zones centenarians. Beans are an important source of protein in the Blue Zones areas with centenarians eating at least one cup of cooked beans daily.

Do blue zones eat cheese? ›

Dairy is high in fat and sugar and is best avoided. Some Blue Zones countries do include sheep or goat dairy, but it is usually eaten in fermented products such as yogurt or cheese.

In addition to a daily cup of coffee, blue zones centenarians drink water, tea and wine. While coffee is often a hotly-debated health topic, it's shown to carry many health benefits. Most centenarians in blue zones regions drink up to two or three cups of black coffee per day!

It is argued that the single, most complete food a human needs to survive is human breast milk. Other foods may be nutritious but inevitably lack certain vitamins, minerals, etc.

And much of the research suggesting health or longevity benefits from certain lifestyle factors is based on observational evidence, so it's not possible to prove that these lifestyle factors are truly what cause people in these regions to live longer.

BOTTOM LINE: The Zone diet focuses on eating a specific ratio of macronutrients to combat inflammation. Though the eating pattern may be linked to several benefits, the proponents of the diet also make many strong and unfounded health claims around its efficacy.

The blue zones areas of the world share and benefit from a set of habits that we call the Power 9: practices that—together—increase longevity, health, and happiness. Our research has shown that these sets of behaviors and outlooks benefit people in these ways: Longer, healthier life.

But in Okinawa, too, people eat a bunch of fast food. Okinawa has the highest obesity rate in Japan for young people, and it's because it has become Americanized. I feel like people don't grow up eating the same things that the older generation used to eat.