20+ Blue Zone Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is the blue zone diet legit? ›

A healthy diet is one of the Blue Zones' 'Power 9,' but Dr Newman told The Sydney Morning Herald that there is no proof supporting the Blue Zone diet advice. He said: 'People are being sold this illusion there are these islands where people live forever. Look at the number of people who buy into the dietary advice.

Eggs are consumed in all five Blue Zones diets, where people eat them an average of two to four times per week. Cut down your consumption of cow's milk and dairy products such as cheese, cream, and butter. Try unsweetened soy, coconut, or almond milk as a dairy alternative.

In addition to a daily cup of coffee, blue zones centenarians drink water, tea and wine. While coffee is often a hotly-debated health topic, it's shown to carry many health benefits. Most centenarians in blue zones regions drink up to two or three cups of black coffee per day!

Let's take a minute to celebrate peanut butter — if you're looking for the perfect blue zones lunch, this is where it's at. You can just do bread and peanut butter (which I like), or you can add some thinly-sliced banana, or you could add a natural, no-sugar-added jam (in place of typical highly-processed grape jelly).

Avoid dairy when possible. If cheese is a must, try ice-cube size portions of sheep (pecorino) or goat (feta) cheese to flavor foods. If you eat eggs, limit intake to three times a week.

People in Blue Zones areas eat meat about once a week and typically their servings are no larger than a deck of cards. Their diets do not include processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, and sausages. Instead, they favor free-range chicken and family-farmed pork or lamb.

For Whole Grains: You can include 100% whole grain pasta and bread in this category, but the whole grains (like the ones listed above) are preferable. For Beans: We include all pulses and legumes in this category, including chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, and green beans.

People in Blue Zones areas eat whole foods. Whole foods are not processed in factories—they're made with ingredients that are recognizable as coming from the earth, like rice, corn, soy, fruits, and vegetables, or prepared food like tofu or manna bread.

Whole, plant-based foods like leafy veggies, fruits, beans, and grains are pervasive in Blue Zones. In contrast, the regional diets tend to avoid processed foods, refined grains, sweet drinks, and added sugar, and incorporate red meat and animal fats like butter sparingly, if at all.

How much sleep do people in blue zones get? ›

For your body to fight off and prevent certain chronic diseases, optimal sleep is a must. To shed stress and lower the risk of heart disease, centenarians in blue zones regions ensure that they get seven to nine hours of rest. They also nap frequently throughout the week.

People in Sardinia's Blue Zones eat Sourdough everyday. Low in gluten it also lowers glycemic load of your entire meal by up to 25%. That means, your calories are more likely to be used for energy than belly fat.

And much of the research suggesting health or longevity benefits from certain lifestyle factors is based on observational evidence, so it's not possible to prove that these lifestyle factors are truly what cause people in these regions to live longer.

The drawbacks of the Blue Zones diet

Growing your own food and eating local produce can be impossible due to time, space, and weather constraints. For many people, eating a diet that's 95 percent plants is challenging, especially if they are starting from a place where they eat very few plant foods.

Does It Work? There is no specific research to prove that eating a certain ratio of protein, carbs, and fats is going to rev up your metabolism and increase weight loss. But it is a proven fact that eating a calorie-restricted diet, such as The Zone Diet, can help you lose weight.

Not only does eating whole foods help you lose weight, but it also helps you reach your goals in the long run. The foods in Blue Zone diets are packed with fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients that help you feel full without eating too many calories.