"Felt 20 Years Younger"... 7 Foods Recommended by a 78-Year-Old Doctor [Curiosity Lab]

7 Foods Recommended by US Longevity Expert
Claims Biological Age 57.6 at 78 Years Old
Olive Oil, Salmon, Trout, Dark Chocolate
Mushrooms, Avocado, Cauliflower Recommended
Korean Geriatrics Professor Also Recommends Slow Aging Diet
Korean Twist on Mediterranean Diet Including Olive Oil

Olive oil, always included in the longevity diet

Is there a commonality in diets that slow aging or make one look younger? The answer can be found in the diets recommended by doctors in Korea and the United States.

Recently, Dr. Michael Roizen claimed in the American publication Business Insider that he has reversed his age by 20 years and introduced seven foods he eats weekly. Dr. Roizen is the Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic and the author of books on longevity. Although he is currently 78 years old, he says his "biological age is 57.6 years." He explains that while genetics influence lifespan, the most important thing people need to understand is that they can decide how long and how well they live. The seven foods Dr. Roizen recommends are olive oil, salmon and trout, dark chocolate, mushrooms, avocado, and cauliflower.

Grilled Fish Dish

Dr. Roizen starts by consuming a spoonful of olive oil daily. Various studies show that people who consume more than half a spoon of olive oil per day have a 19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a 17% lower risk of death from cancer, and a 29% lower risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fats with olive oil can reduce mortality risk by up to 34%. This may be due to olive oil’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. People who consume more olive oil tend to be more physically active, less likely to smoke, and eat more fruits and vegetables.

The mushroom that Dr. Roizen eats more than five times a week is called the longevity vitamin.

Dr. Roizen also tries to eat salmon weekly. Eating fish once or twice a week is associated with a lower risk of death from any cause. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, participants who ate at least 227 grams of fish per week had a 10% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, or Alzheimer’s disease. Fish like salmon and trout are rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (important for heart health, energy supply, and cell structure) and have low levels of methylmercury, a toxic heavy metal found in fish.

The dark chocolate recommended by Dr. Roizen lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, Dr. Florence Comite, an endocrinologist and precision medicine expert, also stated that she consumes a piece of dark chocolate daily as a supplement because of its antioxidant components. Dr. Roizen also considers mushrooms a supplement and eats them at least five times a week. One of his favorite lunches is ‘MLT,’ which replaces bacon with mushrooms in the classic BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato). The ergothioneine found abundantly in mushrooms is a natural antioxidant known as the longevity vitamin. For longevity, Dr. Roizen eats avocado weekly and enjoys salads made with cauliflower and other vegetables dressed with olive oil.

A diet filled with grains that avoid refined sugars

Professor Jeong Heewon of the Geriatrics Department at Seoul Asan Medical Center advocates a so-called slow-aging diet that helps age slowly. Professor Jeong has published books such as "You Can Age Slowly Too" and "Habits for Slow Aging," and recently released a book on easy-to-practice anti-aging dietary methods for daily life (Slow Aging Diet). The diet he promotes is the "Korean-style MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet." The MIND diet combines the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on vegetables, whole grains, and fish to prevent chronic diseases, and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet developed for hypertension patients. This diet reduces red meat, processed foods, and simple sugars while emphasizing unrefined whole grains like brown rice and barley, beans, and vegetables as primary calorie and protein sources. It is designed to improve brain function decline, such as depression and decreased concentration.

The MIND diet developed in the U.S. focuses on Western diets, but Professor Jeong introduces the Korean-style MIND diet, which he has practiced and refined for over 20 years to suit Korean eating habits. The six principles are: ▲Mix lentils, oats, brown rice, and white rice in a 4:2:2:2 ratio to make rice ▲Eat side dishes of namul (seasoned vegetable dishes), vegetables, and small amounts of meat and fish as animal protein ▲Use olive oil in cooking ▲Limit cheese, red meat, butter, and margarine intake to small amounts ▲Eat plenty of vegetables and non-sweet fruits ▲Drink wine as alcohol, limited to one glass per day at most.