Fountain of Youth: 4 Foods for Longer Life

Choose your food wisely. The key to a longer life span is to stop looking in your medicine cabinet and take a closer look into your pantry.

Delving into the factors of longevity, researchers studied the natives of Okinawa, Japan who are known to age more healthily and tend to live longer than most places in the world. They also studied the residents of the San Blas Islands who have incredibly low rates of heart disease and Seventh Day Adventists who live up to seven years longer than their neighbors on average.

Consuming a diet with certain foods can leave you feeling energized, reduce your risk of illness, and allow you to maintain a healthy weight. You need to fuel your body with the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet

1. Tofu (Click the link to check the price)

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Perhaps you're not convinced about tofu as some people can't rave enough about its health benefits, because according to health buffs, it is a genetically-modified poison to be avoided at all costs.

But tofu, a white cheese-like product made of soybean curds, has been linked to several health benefits. It is often found cooked in typical Eastern Asian dishes. Tofu is one of the easiest and healthiest foods to cook with its extremely mild taste goes with anything.

2. Dark Chocolate (Click the link to check the price)

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Good news for chocoholics as chocolate can help you live longer. Cocoa beans are packed with antioxidants. It can cut your risk of heart disease - the biggest killer in the Western world. Its anti-inflammatory effect can reduce the risk of developing a stroke in the long run too.

According to Men's Fitness, eating dark chocolate can give your brain a boost and increase your alertness for a few hours after consumption.

3. Broccoli (Click the link to check the price)

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Leafy green vegetables have been given the thumbs up to live longer and one leafy green vegetable you should consider adding to your diet is broccoli.

According to medical consultant Dr. Sarah Brewer and dietician Juliette Kellow in their book 'Eat Better Live Longer,' broccoli provides vitamins C and E, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin.

And according to a large Chinese study, adults who ate the most cruciferous vegetables had a 22 percent reduced risk of dying from any medical cause.

4. Olive Oil (Click the link to check the price)

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You can get fat from the right sources; you can score from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil happens to be a phenomenal source of monounsaturated fat that can cut the likelihood of heart disease.

According to a New York Times Magazine piece, the heart-healthy olive oil is a potential reason that inhabitants of the Greek Island Ikaria just "forget to die." And according to TV chef Cat Cora, her family in Greece drinks half a cup of extra virgin olive oil and warm lemon water in the morning to keep hunger pangs in check and help with body maintenance, health, and longevity."

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