A Complete Blue Zones Diet Food List and 7-Day Meal Plan

If your goal is to live a long and healthy life, you might want to try the blue zones diet. It’s part of the lifestyle of the people who live in the world’s blue zones, areas known for their residents' longevity.

What Exactly Is the Blue Zones Diet?

The blue zones diet is a way of eating that emulates what people eat in the world’s blue zones:

• Okinawa, Japan
• Sardinia, Italy
• Nicoya, Costa Rica
• Ikaria, Greece
• Loma Linda, California

Gut bacteria make up your microbiome. “It’s very hard for you to offset chronic diseases unless your microbiome is healthy,” Cassetty says. “Our microbiomes are involved in our health in so many more ways than we ever imagined.”

The blue zones diet may help lower your risk of:

• Heart disease

  [5]

• Type 2 diabetes

  [6]

• Some types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer

  [7]

   and breast cancer

  [8]

Our experts didn’t point to any risks associated with the blue zones diet, but both Rajagopal and Cassetty recommend transitioning gradually to the diet if it’s a significant change from what you’re currently eating — it can be challenging to overhaul your diet all at once.

Always

1. 100 percent whole grains, such as barley, brown rice, bulgur wheat, whole cornmeal, farro, oatmeal, and quinoa (avoid pearled barley and pearled farro)
2. Nuts — aim for around 2 ounces (oz) of a variety of nuts every day
3. Beans and legumes, such as black beans, white beans, soybeans, lentils, and garbanzos — aim for 1 cup per day
4. Fruits and vegetables — aim for 5 to 10 servings per day

Never

1. Sugar-sweetened beverages — they provide little nutrition and are linked with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

   [9]

2. Salty snacks — they are high in sodium, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports they are linked with heart disease and stroke.

   [10]

3. Packaged sweets — they are linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

   [11]

4. Processed meats — the World Health Organization characterizes them as a carcinogen.

   [12]

People in the blue zones:

• Eat diets that are about 65 percent carbs, 20 percent fats, and 15 percent proteins
• Choose plant-based foods about 95 percent of the time and animal-based foods about 5 percent of the time
• Pay attention to how they feel, and eat until they are about 80 percent full

  [1]

Enjoy these proteins liberally:

• All types of beans, including black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, fava beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts
• Tofu

Enjoy these proteins occasionally:

• Fish
• Eggs

Limit these proteins to rarely or never:

• Beef
• Pork
• Poultry
• Processed meats
• Farmed fish

Enjoy these oils and fats liberally:

• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Avocado

Limit these oils and fats to rarely or never

• Trans fats (these are frequently found in packaged baked goods, margarine, and shortening)

Enjoy all fruits and vegetables liberally:

• Leafy greens like spinach, kale, beet and turnip greens, chard, and collards are tops. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, sea greens and sea vegetables such as seaweed and kelp, and mushrooms are also good choices. There are no limits on fresh, whole fruits and vegetables.
• But limit fruit juices to rarely or never

Enjoy all nuts and seeds liberally

• Try to get mix of nuts and seeds, including almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, chia seeds, and pecans

Enjoy these grains liberally:

• Whole-grain bread
• Sourdough bread
• Ground corn
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa
• Farro

Limit these grains to rarely or never

• White bread
• White pasta
• Packaged crackers
• Packaged sweet and salty snacks

Enjoy these dairy products liberally

• Soy milk (unsweetened)

Enjoy these dairy products occasionally

• Sheep’s milk or goat’s milk products
• Feta cheese
• Pecorino cheese

Limit these dairy products to rarely or never

• Cow’s milk
• Cheese made from cow’s milk
• Cream
• Butter

Enjoy these sweeteners

• Honey

Limit these sweeteners to rarely or never

• Added sugars such as those found in sweetened beverages, candy, and desserts

Enjoy these beverages liberally:

• Water

Enjoy these beverages occasionally

• Coffee
• Green tea
• Herbal teas
• Red wine

Limit these beverages to rarely or never

• Sweetened beverages
• Alcohol (other than red wine)

Enjoy fresh herbs, spices, and seasoning liberally

• This includes Mediterranean herbs, milk thistle, rosemary, turmeric, lemon, garlic, and miso

Follow this plan for a week to start eating like a centenarian. There are no recommended portion sizes or calorie counts on the blue zones diet — just be mindful and eat until you’re no longer hungry but not until you are full. Since people in the blue zones eat meat only sparingly, we’ve included vegetarian recipes here.

Day 1

Breakfast Oatmeal with berries and nuts

Lunch Sardinian-style pizza

Snack Handful of nuts

Dinner Hearty minestrone soup

Day 2

Breakfast Sweet potato hash with veggies

Lunch Black bean burger with lettuce and tomato on sourdough

Snack A handful of mixed nuts

Dinner Tofu steak with mushrooms

Day 3

Breakfast Banana nut smoothie

Lunch Grain bowl with veggies and beans

Snack Miso soup with veggies

Dinner Ratatouille

Day 4

Breakfast Granola with nuts and fruit

Lunch Black bean and potato soup

Snack Roasted chickpeas

Dinner Ceviche with hearts of palm, onion, pepper, and cilantro

Day 5

Breakfast Tropical fruit salad with nuts and coconut

Lunch Butternut squash soup

Snack Black bean dip with crudité

Dinner Vegetarian gumbo

Day 6

Breakfast Veggie hash with corn and onions

Lunch Cream of pumpkin soup with soy milk and pepitas

Snack Hummus with veggies

Dinner Lentil salad with garlic and herbs

Day 7

Breakfast Banana-berry smoothie with soy milk

Lunch Jackfruit poke

Snack Coconut chia pudding with almonds

Dinner Porcini mushroom risotto