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.

Generalization: Critics argue that the Blue Zone theory oversimplifies the complexities of longevity and health. The concept tends to focus on commonalities across these regions, such as diet and lifestyle, while overlooking the significant variations within and between them.

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.

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. People in Blue Zones areas typically eat an egg every other day, or 3 per 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.

In his opinion, it doesn't matter what fruit you consume. "Some would argue that berries are healthier than bananas, but the best fruit to eat is the fruit that you'll actually eat," says Buettner. He does caveat, however, that fruit is most often consumed as dessert in the Blue Zones.

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.

Do Blue Zones eat pasta? ›

For Whole Grains: You can include 100% whole grain pasta and bread in this category, but the whole grains (like the ones listed above) are preferable. For Beans: We include all pulses and legumes in this category, including chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, and green beans.

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.

Minimize your consumption of cow's milk and dairy products such as cheese, cream, and butter. Cow's milk does not figure significantly in any Blue Zones diet except that of the Adventists, some of whom eat eggs and dairy products.

Scientific reception

Harriet Hall, writing for Science-Based Medicine, stated that there are no controlled studies of elderly people in the blue zones, and that blue zone diets are based on speculation, not solid science.

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.

It's important to point out that weight loss isn't a big focus of the Blue Zone diet. Instead, the messaging around the diet stresses longevity, happiness, and good nutrition. That said, it's possible to lose weight on this diet.

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.