What (and How) to Eat For a Long Life

You are what you eat, they say. And if you want to live a longer, healthier life, being mindful of what’s on your plate matters. Though there’s no one-size-fits-all diet for longevity, there are foods and eating habits you can prioritize for long-term health.

On Your Plate

Amy von Sydow Green, a clinical dietitian at Penn Medicine, recommends working these nutrient-rich foods into your regular rotation for a host of benefits, including improving cholesterol, supporting your immune system, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases

1. Berries

Rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are small but mighty, lowering the risk of age-related conditions and heart disease while supporting brain health.

2. Fatty fish

Salmon, mackerel, and tuna are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which increase HDL, the good kind of cholesterol for your heart.

3. Olive oil

Replacing butter and margarine with extra-virgin olive oil is an easy way of including a healthy fat known to help lower bad cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and provide antioxidants associated with protecting against Alzheimer’s.

4. Nuts and seeds

Due to their healthy unsaturated fats, nuts and seeds are linked to decreased risk of heart disease. Easily sneak in omega-3-rich walnuts or immune-system-supporting seeds like sunflower or pumpkin by sprinkling them on salads or in breakfast parfaits.

5. Whole grains

Grains from oats and wild rice to quinoa, barley, farro, and even plain popcorn are associated with a longer lifespan and health span due to cholesterol-reducing minerals, vitamins, and fiber.

6. Legumes

From kidney beans to lentils, legumes are highly powerful health promoters, containing protein and a large amount of fiber to keep your gut bacteria healthy and help manage blood sugar.

7. Dark leafy greens

Salad staples like spinach, kale, and arugula are especially rich in vitamin K, which can help prevent osteoporosis.

8. Bright-colored fruits and veggies

Rich color pigments indicate a variety of health-promoting plant nutrients. Carrots, mangoes, and sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, key for immune system support; red foods like tomatoes and watermelon provide lycopene, an antioxidant; and anthocyanins — dark blue or purple pigments found in foods like blueberries and beets — may help reduce the risk of diabetes while improving brain health.

Photographs via Getty Images

---

Dieting, Debunked

Elena Leva, a registered dietetic technician and the owner of Newtown-based Vici Wellness Studio, breaks down the latest fad diets — and what’s best for health and longevity.

Science consistently points to balance and moderation as key factors for long-term well-being. To achieve them, it’s important to understand how our bodies use fuel. We rely on three macronutrients: carbohydrates (energy that’s converted to fuel), protein, and fat. When carbs are not available, the body turns to glycogen (stored glucose) in the muscles for energy. Once glycogen stores are depleted, the body initiates gluconeogenesis, a process that converts fat and protein into glucose. This matters in terms of low-carb fad diets like keto and paleo because they rely on this process to get you to a state called ketosis, where fat is broken down into ketones. While ketones can be used as fuel, excessive buildup can be toxic and disrupt the body’s acid-base balance.

One of the newest talked-about diets is carnivore/animal, which consists primarily of meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy, and eliminates fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts — making it a zero-carb diet. This restrictive approach lacks essential nutrients like fiber (crucial for gut health and cholesterol regulation), vitamin C (immune function and skin health), and plant-based antioxidants. The diet is also high in saturated fats, which may increase the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.

Your best bet for longevity? The Mediterranean diet — which is not simply a diet but a lifestyle, and is common in Blue Zones, where people are known to live long, healthy lives. It’s not designed for weight loss, but is a sustainable, holistic approach that includes a plant-based focus with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, and fish as the primary protein source (with red meat and pork consumed sparingly). The lifestyle component involves daily movement; an emphasis on stress management through mindfulness, social connections, and time spent in nature; and a strong sense of community.

---

I’ll Have The …

If you think incorporating whole, health-focused foods means always eating in, think again. These Philly restaurants are serving up fantastic fare that’s longevity-friendly.

Spice Finch

Spice Finch is rooted in Mediterranean influences — key, as the Mediterranean diet is said to be one of the best, with its emphasis on healthy fats, lean proteins, and plant-based foods. Most dishes feature those items, from the melitzanosalata (an eggplant dip with bell pepper, walnuts, pomegranate, mint, and feta) and fattoush (roasted squash, apple, and pumpkin seed vinaigrette) to entrees like salmon with an asparagus salad and chicken accompanied by muhammara, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. Rittenhouse.

Salam Cafe

Visit this eatery in the heart of Germantown for seriously good and good-for-you bites. Start with baba ghanoush — eggplant and tahini are both supportive of bone health — before digging into platters featuring nutrient-rich falafel, protein-packed lentils, or baked salmon, all of which come with injera, a traditional Ethiopian flatbread that’s great for gut health and controlling blood sugar. Plus, many of the sides are veggies, from the cabbage and carrots to the braised beets and stewed zucchini. Germantown.

Laser Wolf

Save for maybe the French fries, you really can’t go wrong at Michael Solomonov’s modern take on an Israeli shipudiya. Eat the rainbow with the salatim — spicy cucumbers, ajvar made with red peppers, Turkish celery root, and more — and from the grill, lean fish, chicken and beef kebabs, and stand-alone veggies like the shawarma-spiced cauliflower. Don’t sleep on the smoked sweet potato with grilled dates and toasted walnuts. Bonus: There are some stellar zero-proof cocktails. Kensington.

Bastia

Drawing inspiration from Corsica and Sardinia (one of the five Blue Zones), Bastia boasts veggie-forward starters and lots of fish options. We love the shaved artichokes (fiber!) with celery (antioxidants!) and sunchoke (a prebiotic!), and the crudo with rotating seasonal toppings. For mains? Get the whole orata — it’s a staple Sardinian dish. Fishtown.

P.S. & Co.

For over a decade, P.S. & Co. has been serving 100 percent organic, plant-based, gluten-free, and kosher foods. Tart açaí bowls help you get your fruit fill, while savory bowls feature a slew of whole grains, legumes, and veggies. Don’t head home without at least one chocolate chip cookie — they’re made from almond and oat flours, tahini, and other organic whole ingredients. Rittenhouse.

Yellowtail

Yellowtail’s menu has everything from immune system-supporting miso soup and a sashimi salad with raw salmon or tuna over mixed greens and a ginger vinaigrette — a solid balance between omegas, fiber, and other key nutrients — to lots of sushi (good for heart, brain, and digestive health) and Thai curry, filled with red and green peppers, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and peanuts. Washington Square West.

Talula’s Garden

Seasonal, farm-to-table freshness reigns supreme here. Brunch sees a range of brightly colored, nutrient-rich options, like avocado toast featuring shaved radish and pistachio; a sweet and tangy Thai cucumber salad; and an omelet with local mushrooms, spinach, and Alpine cheeses. At dinner, a beet salad, scallops and shrimp with a cauliflower-leek risotto, and more. Washington Square West.

>> Click here to return to How to Live Longer, at Any Age

Published as “How to Live Longer, at Any Age: Food” in the May 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

---