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Women should eat more quinoa while men should drink more coffee to add years to their lives, according to a new study.
Experts have pinpointed the best diets for individuals based on their gender that can add up to three years to their life expectancy.
Their analysis of more than 100,000 people in the UK found that women should stick to the ‘Alternate Mediterranean Diet’ while the ‘Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet’ is most beneficial for men.
Both have similarities, including eating more fruits, vegetables and healthy fats while avoiding processed meats.
However there are key differences – mainly that women should emphasize the high consumption of whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and oats.
Meanwhile, it’s more important for men to drink coffee and avoid sugary drinks, the study showed.
Writing in the journal Science Advances the team said they found a ‘significant association’ between various healthy diets and prolonged life expectancy.
‘Our results underscore the significance of adhering to healthy dietary patterns based on dietary recommendations for extending life expectancy, offering individuals the flexibility to adapt these dietary patterns according to their preferences and traditions,’ they said.
For their research the team, from Queen Mary University of London and Tonji Medical College in China, specifically looked at people on five different types of ‘healthy’ diet.
These included diets which centred on reducing salt, boosting intake of ‘healthy’ fats or focusing on healthy vegetarian options.
Analysis revealed that all were linked to a reduced risk of death – especially from cancer and respiratory disease – and a longer life expectancy.
But the diet designed to prevent type 2 diabetes was most beneficial for men, adding up to three years to their life expectancy at the age of 45.
This diet emphasizes a high intake of fibre, coffee, nuts, fruits and healthy fats while minimising red and processed meats and sugary drinks. Previous studies on this diet found that two or more cups of coffee per day were most beneficial.
It also promotes a reduction in the amount of trans fats consumed – including cookies, cakes, doughnuts and French fries.
Meanwhile a variation of the Mediterranean diet was best for women, adding up to 2.3 years to their life expectancy in middle age.
This diet focuses on the high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, and healthy fats, with limited intake of red and processed meats.
When it comes to whole grains, this diet recommends at least three to six servings per day, with a single serving defined as half a cup of cooked grains, rice or pasta, or one slice of whole–grain bread.
Several mechanisms may underlie the beneficial effects of these diets, the researchers said.
‘First, all the dietary patterns emphasize the consumption of vegetables, fruit and whole grains, which are rich in dietary fibre, flavonoids and other antioxidants,’ they wrote.
These components could contribute to improved metabolism and reduced inflammation, as well as a healthier gut.
The study also showed that, overall, certain foods were particularly good at reducing the risk of an early death across all diets.
People who ate the most fruit and vegetables had a five per cent reduced risk of early death, those who drank lots of tea had a four per cent reduced risk, while people who consumed a high amount of nuts and chicken had a three per cent reduced risk.
At the other end of the scale lots of sugary drinks increased the risk of mortality by seven per cent, while a diet high in potatoes and processed meat increased the risk of early death by four per cent.
Sweets and dessert – when eaten in large quantities – also boosted the chances of an early death by five per cent across all diets, the study found.
The findings also revealed that the boost to life expectancy from the diets held true even when genetics were taken into account.
‘Genetic factors are important contributors to all–cause mortality alongside environmental factors like diet,’ the authors said.
However, these data indicate that ‘a healthy dietary pattern was beneficial to a longer life expectancy regardless of whether individuals carry longevity genes’.
The findings were published to coincide with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
