What should we eat to reach 70 years disease-free?, without depending on medication and with all physical and cognitive function preserved?

They study followed more than 105.000 people, with the most different diets, over 30 yearsThe result is impressive: only 9,3% reached the age of 70 in full health.

And what was the basis of these people's diet? Plants!

This work, published in the journal Nature Medicine (2025), confirms what several other studies have already shown: the more plant-based foods we put on our plates, the greater our chances of living longer and better. The study analyzed how adherence, over decades, to eight dietary patterns and the consumption of ultra-processed foods impact healthy aging.

Although patterns such as the Mediterranean Diet (aMED) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) have shown the greatest impact, the models Plant-Based (hPDI) that focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes also significantly increased the chances of healthy aging.

Eating patterns studied:

🔸 AHEI (Alternative Healthy Eating Index) → Alternative Healthy Eating Index (emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good fats, less sugar and processed meat).

🔸 aMED (Alternative Mediterranean Diet) → Alternative Mediterranean Diet (olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, less red meat).

🔸 DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) → Diet to Prevent Hypertension (rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, low in salt).

🔸 MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) → Mediterranean + DASH combination, focused on brain health (emphasis on green vegetables and red fruits).

🔸 hPDI (Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index) → Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index (prioritizes healthy plant-based foods, but reduces points for animal products).

🔸 PHDI (Planetary Health Diet Index) → Planetary Health Diet Index (focus on sustainability, more plants, less meat, lower environmental impact).

🔸 rEDIH (Reverse Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia) → Inverted Dietary Index for Insulin Resistance (valuing foods that improve insulin sensitivity).

🔸 rEDIP (Reverse Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern) → Inverted Inflammatory Diet Index (valuing foods that reduce inflammation).

🔸 UPF (Ultra-Processed Foods) → Ultra-processed foods (soft drinks, cookies, fast food, snacks, etc.).

Dietary factors of eating patterns:

 Main results

🔹 Only 9,3% of participants achieved healthy aging.

🔹 All healthy patterns increased the chances of aging well.

🔹 The AHEI was the one that stood out the most → up to 2,2 times more likely to age healthily at 75 years old.

🔹 Consuming ultra-processed foods reduced the chance of healthy aging by 32%.

✅ Foods that promote healthy aging:

• Fruits (especially berries)

• Vegetables 

• Whole grains

• Nuts and legumes

• Low-fat dairy products

• Unsaturated fats (such as olive oil and foods rich in omega-3)

❌ Foods that harmed:

• Red and processed meats (bacon, sausage, cold cuts)

• Trans fats (margarine, low-quality fried foods)

• Excess salt

• Sugary drinks (soda, processed juices)

• Ultra-processed foods

Differences by groups

✔ Women benefited more from the healthy diet than men.

✔ A healthy diet offset some of the risks in smokers, sedentary people and overweight people.

Practical conclusion

A diet that combines:

✅ Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, legumes and olive oil

✅ Little red and processed meat

✅ Low salt, sugar and ultra-processed foods

→ It is the most consistent strategy to ensure healthy aging, with better physical, mental and cognitive health.

Aging well doesn't just depend on genetics or luck. It also depends on what we put on our plates every day. A diet rich in plants, whole foods, colorful foods, and minimal ultra-processed foods can be a true "life insurance" for those who want not only to live longer, but especially to live those years better.

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