Some scientists have no doubt this drink prolongs your life — it’s not alcohol

In today’s world this is not an easy task, but it turns out that there are so-called blue zones, i.e. regions on Earth whose inhabitants get sick less and live longer. How do they do it? And what effect does the amount of coffee they drink have on their longevity?

In 2005, American writer, Dan Buettner, published a book titled Blue Zones in Practice, which was a collection of observations from his many years of traveling to places where people live the longest.

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The author analysed their lifestyle, diet and profession and based on this he drew conclusions that shed new light on the secret of longevity.

Blue zones are geographic areas with lower rates of chronic disease and longer life expectancy than the rest of the world. Buettner included the following places:

As the data show, in these areas, people over 90 and 100 years old constitute the highest percentage of residents. The basic conclusion drawn by the researcher was that although all these regions are far from each other, their inhabitants live similarly, and their diet is mainly responsible for their longevity.

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Research shows that genetics is only responsible for about 20-30% of life expectancy. The rest is lifestyle, environmental influences and diet. The latter is of enormous importance. It turns out that the common denominator of the blue zones is that their inhabitants eat a plant-based diet. It most resembles the Mediterranean diet, rich in fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, seeds, legumes and whole grain products.

This does not mean that they are strict vegetarians. They eat meat, but only about five times a month. There is plenty of fish and seafood on their plate. The way they eat meals is also very important for their health – slowly, preferably in the company of family, friends and acquaintances. And what is worth emphasising – they never eat their fill.

The diet of, for example, the inhabitants of Okinawa is unique not only because of the consumption of large amounts of vegetables and fruit, and the avoidance of meat and stimulants. What distinguishes the local menu is the practice of the Hara Hachi Bu mantra. It requires you to eat enough to be 80% full. This principle is justified by science. As researchers have proven, the brain knows that it is full only after about 20 minutes. Therefore, it is worth finishing the meal before you stop feeling hungry.

Residents of blue zones take care of proper hydration. They mainly drink water, herbal infusions and coffee. It turns out that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day is the norm. Research shows that people who drink coffee live longer than people who do not drink it.

Scientists from the University of Southern California have found that regularly drinking the black drink is associated with lower mortality from heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease and kidney disease. It is important not to overdo it with additives such as cream or sugar.

In his book, Buettner describes in detail how residents prepare and consume coffee in particular zones. For example, in Ikaria, coffee is drunk slowly, most often with family and friends, at home or in a café. It is prepared by boiling finely ground coffee beans.

“Fine grinding provides more concentrated antioxidants, cooking instead of filtering and brewing extracts more healthy compounds from the coffee, and the resulting drink also contains less caffeine than a typical American cup of coffee. It is therefore healthy and delicious,” the author points out.

In Sardinia, on the other hand, people drink espresso more often. Interestingly, as much as 75% of inhabitants of this region declare that they drink coffee every day.