Macro partitioning
A traditional Japanese dietary pattern characterized by high fish and soy intake, low red meat and saturated fat, and moderate-to-low salt consumption is associated with the world's longest life expectancy, primarily by reducing mortality from ischemic heart disease and specific cancers.
Adopt a dietary pattern that prioritizes fish (especially for omega-3s) and plant-based proteins like soy over red meat. Maintain a low intake of saturated fats while ensuring adequate calcium and animal protein sources if tolerated. Incorporate unsweetened beverages like green tea. This macro-nutrient profile, rather than extreme caloric restriction, supports the longevity outcomes observed in populations with this diet.
The low mortality rates from ischemic heart disease and cancer are thought to reflect the low prevalence of obesity in Japan; low intake of red meat, specifically saturated fatty acids; and high intakes of fish, specifically n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, plant foods such as soybeans, and nonsugar-sweetened beverages such as green tea.
Why this rating
Based on large-scale population trends, FAO food supply data, and prospective cohort studies cited, though it is an ecological/observational review.
Source
Why has Japan become the world’s most long-lived country: insights from a food and nutrition perspective
Shoichiro Tsugane · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2020
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