Sardinian Centenarian Diet: the Italy's Island secret diet • PerfectSardinia (2024)

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Sardinian Centenarian Diet: the Italy's Island secret diet • PerfectSardinia? ›

Use Sardinian-inspired ingredients

Vegetables, greens, salads and bean soups with fennel, fava beans, chickpeas and tomatoes. Goat and sheep's milk products, which have anti-inflammatory properties and have been found to lower bad cholesterol.

Use Sardinian-inspired ingredients

Vegetables, greens, salads and bean soups with fennel, fava beans, chickpeas and tomatoes. Goat and sheep's milk products, which have anti-inflammatory properties and have been found to lower bad cholesterol.

ldlkdlkaEating habits in Sardinia are rooted in tradition and are based predominantly on vegetable-based food consumption (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts) and a small percentage of animal-based foods (necessary for the essential amino acids).

Favor beans, greens, yams and sweet potatoes, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Whole grains are okay too. While people in four of the five blue zones consume meat, they do so sparingly, using it as a celebratory food, a small side, or a way to flavor dishes.

People in Sardinia tend to eat a very traditional Mediterranean diet, which consists of mostly whole grains, vegetables, dairy products, and not much meat.

Breakfast is not considered a very important meal in Sardinia, Italy, Buettner said, so many Sardinians start their day with a lunch-style dish: often a minestrone soup, consisting of vegetables, pasta, beans, and Parmesan. The soup is eaten with sourdough bread and sheep's milk cheese as well as some black coffee.

Sardinians often start their day with bread, which can be enjoyed with honey, jam, or cheese. Coffee is a popular morning beverage. Sardinians love their coffee, with espresso being a common choice for breakfast. Yogurt and fruit are also common breakfast options.

The classic Sardinian diet consists of whole-grain bread, beans, garden vegetables, fruits, and, in some parts of the island, mastic oil. Sardinians also traditionally eat pecorino cheese made from grass-fed sheep, whose cheese is high in omega-3 fatty acids.

They primarily eat a variety of in-season fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and beans. Eat animal foods sparingly – When they do eat animal-based foods, such as meat, eggs, fish and dairy, they are used to flavor dishes rather than being the main focus of the meal or are enjoyed as celebratory foods.

In Loma Linda, [Calif.], centenarians often eat a hearty breakfast of oatmeal or a somewhat nontraditional tofu scramble.” While late-shift workers and those on varied schedules may have little control over mealtimes, choosing nutritious foods and eating well before bed can still make a difference.

Do centenarians drink coffee? ›

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!

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.

Some of the most well-known traditional Sardinian desserts include seadas (also known as sebadas), pardulas, casadinas, pirichittus, amaretti, and torrone. These sweets showcase the unique flavors and ingredients of the island, such as honey, saffron, citrus, almonds, and ricotta cheese.

Clearly a combination of diet and lifestyle, with a helping hand from genetics, plays a big part. Still, it's impossible to say exactly why the inhabitants of this tiny area live quite so long. In the end, the mystery remains a mystery.

Eat a lean, plant-based diet accented with meat.

The classic Sardinian diet consists of whole-grain bread, beans, garden vegetables, fruits, and, in some parts of the island, mastic oil. Sardinians also traditionally eat pecorino cheese made from grass-fed sheep, whose cheese is high in omega-3 fatty acids.

There are also plenty of delicious meat dishes, from roast lamb, goat, rabbit, and of course, su porcheddu (suckling pig). And don't forget the decadent cheeses and wines, sure to compliment any meal. The cuisine prepared throughout Sardinia varies in terms of its influence.

Eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains or extra virgin olive oil at every meal. Eating three servings a week of fish, seafood, nuts and legumes. Having one serving a day of poultry, low-fat dairy or eggs. Limiting red meat and sweets to one serving a week.