What are the best foods to support healthy aging? We wondered what longevity researchers, who have spent years studying different diets, foods, and eating patterns, recommend—and eat themselves. The experts we consulted say it’s not about a trendy superfood or a flashy supplement; it’s not that one food does it all. They emphasize variety and a pattern, one grounded in decades of data and centered on simple, mostly plant-forward foods. These are the foods they recommend you eat to create that pattern for a longer healthspan.
Meet Our Expert
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Marta Guasch-Ferré, PhD, adjunct associate professor, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and associate professor, Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Zhaoli (Joy) Dai-Keller, MA, MS, PhD, honorary senior lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, and lecturer at the School of Population Health, University of New South Wales
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Valter Longo, PhD, Edna Jones Professor in gerontology and professor in biological science at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, and director of the USC Longevity Institute
Related: Martha’s 10 Best Tips for Healthy Aging
Vegetables (Lots of Them)
Across large cohort studies on diet and aging, vegetables consistently show up as foundational. Marta Guasch-Ferré, PhD, evaluated the role of certain foods on cardiovascular disease and mortality during her doctoral training. She points to vegetables, along with fruits, whole grains, and vegetable oils, as foods “associated with healthy aging, cognitive function, physical and mental health.” The common thread? “Plant-based types. Lower processed foods.”
“Make sure to have sufficient fruit and vegetables in each meal from breakfast to dinner—whether it is cooked, blanched, or raw,” says Zhaoli (Joy) Dai-Keller, MA, MS, PhD. A nutritional epidemiologist, she focuses on how diet and nutrition can enhance healthy aging and longevity, and she emphasizes variety and frequency. Beyond fiber, she notes, these vegetables and fruits provide vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce cellular damage over time.
Fruits (Especially Berries)
Fruit is another pillar of longevity-focused diets, with berries earning particular attention in research. Guasch-Ferré notes that berries “have been associated with preventative” benefits — particularly in studies of cognitive health. Dai-Keller recommends fresh or frozen fruit added to yogurt to boost antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols.
Yes, blueberries are great, but the key isn’t loading up on a single fruit. Instead, it’s about incorporating a range of seasonal or frozen options consistently, our experts say.
Beans and Lentils
Credit: Petrina Tinslay
Legumes, that’s beans, split peas, and lentils, appear repeatedly in longevity research, whether in Mediterranean, DASH, or Okinawan-style eating patterns.
Legumes, along with vegetables, nuts, and olive oil, are very central in both his everyday Longevity Diet and short-term fasting-mimicking plans, and are “very much associated with longevity and health in lots of studies, not just our own,” says Valter Longo, PhD.
Legumes also serve as important protein sources, particularly in midlife. Guasch-Ferré points to these plant-based proteins as helpful in preventing muscle loss as people age.
Nuts and Seeds
Credit: Jake Sternquist
Nuts and seeds are another common denominator. They provide healthy fats and quality protein without the higher animal-protein load that some researchers caution against in midlife. Longo is particularly clear that protein quality matters: if someone weighs 100 pounds, he says, they need about 40 grams of protein a day—but “it cannot be 40 grams of legumes.” He suggests a combination of seeds, nuts, and legumes.
Dai-Keller adds chia seeds to yogurt for extra fiber, protein, and omega-3s, as a small, practical way to boost nutrient density.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Credit: Johnny Miller
If there’s one ingredient that longevity experts swap in without hesitation, it’s olive oil. It has been associated with improvements in inflammation and cardiovascular health.
“Try to swap the use of butter or other animal fats with olive oil. It’s something easy to do that most people can do to improve their health,” says Guasch-Ferré, who grew up following a Mediterranean diet in Barcelona. Aside from its well-known use as a dressing for salads, you can fry eggs in it, bake with it, and use it in dips and spreads.
Whole Grains
Credit: Bryan Gardner
Whole grains—not refined ones—are consistently linked with better aging outcomes.
Whole grain or complex carbohydrates are a shared feature of dietary patterns associated with slower biological aging, says Dai-Keller. These foods contribute fiber and help support metabolic health, which becomes increasingly important with age.
Fish
While plant-based eating dominates the conversation, fish often has a place, especially in pescatarian-style approaches.
Longo describes the Longevity Diet as largely plant-based, with fish included. Guasch-Ferré also mentions moderate amounts of fish or eggs as part of a healthy protein approach in midlife.
Yogurt
Credit: Brie Goldman
For overwhelmed midlifers, Dai-Keller offers a refreshingly simple starting point: “Eat more yogurt.” It’s accessible, versatile, and can be paired with fruit and chia seeds for improved gut health, higher-quality protein, and added fiber.
For older adults, especially those with lower appetites, Dai-Keller notes that protein-rich options like yogurt, tofu, and lentils, along with moderate amounts of fish or ground meat, can help meet higher protein targets needed to prevent frailty.
Tofu and Soy
Credit: Stephen Johnson
Soy foods—particularly tofu—show up both in the eating patterns of both Okinawans (the Japanese residents known for their longevity) and in Dai-Keller’s own kitchen. She rotates tofu into Chinese braises, curries, and even makes nuggets, which she serves with Korean-style sauces. Flavor matters, she stresses: “The sauce plays a huge role in making tofu taste delicious.”
Plant-based proteins like soy can help reduce our reliance on red and processed meats, which all our experts suggest limiting.
What They Limit (and Why It Matters)
Just as important as what’s on the plate is what isn’t.
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Red and processed meat: Longo says red meat “should be minimized or removed from the diet. Especially if it’s processed.” If you do consume red meat, he suggests once a week. Dai-Keller’s household limits red meat to no more than twice weekly.
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Sugary foods and beverages: Guasch-Ferré emphasizes that sometimes it’s “what we don’t eat” that matters, including restricting sugary foods and drinks.
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Supplements marketed as anti-aging fixes: Dai-Keller is blunt: “There is very limited empirical evidence suggesting their effectiveness. I don’t take them personally.” She also points to limited regulation and the difficulty of conducting gold-standard long-term trials.
It’s the Pattern, Not a Single Superfood
All three researchers resist the idea of a single miracle ingredient. “I wouldn’t say there’s one food in particular that stands out, not a superfood that will solve all your problems. It’s a combination,” says Guasch-Ferré. The most effective diets are plant-forward and fiber-rich.
And sustainability matters. Guasch-Ferré frames dietary patterns as something “people can follow through their lifespan,” not restrictive plans that fall apart after a few months.
Dai-Keller echoes that food should be “enjoyable, shareable, and connect people.” Those social and cultural aspects, she says, are part of the “diet secrets” to living a healthy, long life.
In other words, longevity isn’t hiding in a powder or a pill. It’s in vegetables drizzled with olive oil, beans simmered with spices, yogurt topped with fruit—repeated, day after day, for decades.
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