The Best Diet for Healthy Aging (Updated)

Food for healthy aging: Swapping just 1 percent of plant protein in place of animal protein was associated with significantly less age-related deficit accumulation.

Aging is the topic of my forthcoming book, How Not to Age, out in 2023. I can’t wait to share all of what I found!

This update has changes to the reference of eggs around 0:43.

Some of my other popular videos on aging and longevity include:
• How to Counter the Inflammation of Aging ( )
• Fruits, Veggies, and Longevity: How Many Minutes Per Mouthful? ( )
• Do Flexitarians Live Longer? ( )
• Methionine Restriction as a Life-Extension Strategy ( )
• How to Slow Brain Aging by Two Years ( )
• Turning the Clock Back 14 Years ( )
• Longer Life Within Walking Distance ( )
• Telomeres: Cap It All Off with Diet ( )
• The Okinawa Diet: Living to 100 ( )
• Caloric Restriction vs. Animal-Protein Restriction ( )
• Increased Lifespan from Beans ( )
• The Benefits of Calorie Restriction for Longevity ( )
• Does Intermittent Fasting Increase Human Life Expectancy? ( )
• How to Increase Your Life Expectancy 12 to 14 Years ( )
• How to Boost FGF21 with Diet for Longevity ( )

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Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

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Leroy Johnson
 

  • Michael Mackey says:

    Great video…thanks

  • Lo Rah says:

    👍 Whole food plant based for the environment and health; vegan for the victims!

    • beepbeepnj says:

      @Chris Hayes Actually you are wrong. The Maasai eat a high carb plant diet and have very low total cholesterol levels of about 120 mg/dL and 60 LDL mg/dL and George Mann got the arteries of the Maasai in the 1970’s and they had extensive atherosclerosis like that of very old USA men. You don’t have low cholesterol levels and a BMI of 19-21 eating a high animal diet as that was a myth about the Maasai started in the 1860’s. This high carb plant diet and low cholesterol levels are a sign of malnutrition and cause heart disease, cancer and stroke. Perhaps you are thinking about the Inuit who do consume a high animal based diet since that was what was available for most of the year but now they are getting industrial foods and their health is starting to go down because of it.

    • beepbeepnj says:

      @Chris Hayes It is clear though that meat features only rarely on the Maasai menu. The main part more than 50 percent, consists of vegetarian food. The preferred meat is that of sheep and goats, whereas the meat of traditional Zebu cattle is only rarely eaten. “A cow will only be slaughtered for ritual festivities by the Maasai,” 2010 Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) analyzed the diet of a nomadic tribe in the Kajiado District.

  • Kerstin says:

    Previous wording:
    […]and egg protein was the worst, meaning egg whites. Swapping 3 percent of calories of egg whites for plant protein was associated with more than a 20 percent reduction in overall mortality[…]

    New wording:
    […]and egg protein was the worst, found mostly in the egg whites. Swapping 3 percent of calories of egg protein for plant protein was associated with more than a 20 percent reduction in overall mortality[…]

    • Jakub Chrobry says:

      What’s your point? So he corrected a simple mistake. Is this meant to be a gotcha? Also, you might want to include references of where you got the quotes. Maybe in his original wording, he was referencing a research paper. Unfortunately, I don’t know that because you failed to provide any references. That’s sloppy work.

    • Kerstin says:

      ​@Jakub Chrobry
      “What’s your point?” I obviously and clearly showed what was updated in this updated video. That you are can be confused about this is mind boggling.
      “Is this meant to be a gotcha?” No?
      “Also, you might want to include references of where you got the quotes.” The references are the previous wording and the new wording on this video we are commenting under.
      “Maybe in his original wording, he was referencing a research paper.” Obviously he was if you watched the video we are both commenting under.
      “I don’t know that because you failed to provide any references. That’s sloppy work.” I’m commenting directly on the video I’m talking about, I don’t know what more you want.

    • Jakub Chrobry says:

      @Kerstin Again, what’s your point? You did not answer. I had no idea this was an updated video and your comment did not say that (that’s why I asked for a reference). I honestly thought the “previous wording” was from one of his books. Did the research paper say egg whites or egg protein? Please provide page number and paragraph because I don’t have the time for pedantic nonsense.

    • Kerstin says:

      ​@Jakub Chrobry
      “Again, what’s your point?” I’ve already spelled it out for you.
      “You did not answer.” I’ve addressed every question you’ve asked.
      “I had no idea this was an updated video and your comment did not say that” It is in both the title and description of the video we are commenting under.
      “I honestly thought the “previous wording” was from one of his books” That is a wild assumption.
      “Did the research paper say egg whites or egg protein?” You would know if you watched the video we are commenting on.
      “Please provide page number and paragraph because I don’t have the time for pedantic nonsense.” The word ‘pedantic’ means “overly concerned with minute details”, you are asking for the exact wording because you don’t care about the exact wording? The page number is page 1, the paragraph is the results paragraph of the paper doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790. but I’m not quoting the paper I’m quoting the video as I’ve explained numerous times.

  • David Johnson says:

    My Guy Dr G!!….Got all The Books 📚 !!!

    Going for 120!!

  • David Johnson says:

    Warren Buffet is Pushing Mid 90’s and His business Partner Charlie Munger almost 99….Said if eating green vegetables extended his life 5 years He still wouldn’t eat them…..”I like to Enjoy what I eat”….

  • andrew pawley says:

    I love this channel!

  • Aui Kerngesund says:

    Noch nicht auf deutsch. Aber hoffentlich bald

  • 이태웅 says:

    적절한 신체활동과 충분한 수면이 필요

  • Wise Mind Nutrition says:

    Gotta eat them plants!

  • Healthy Living says:

    Aging is sexy. If we don’t age we’re like a plastic bag that won’t decompose 😊

    • Dxmon Dxmned says:

      Yes, aging is inevitable, but it’s not sexy losing your functionality/mobility, and it’s not inevitable; that’s the point, my friend.
      Embrace Impermanance,as well as maintaining physical health and well-being.
      A plant based diet,cardio/ resistance training & some good luck is the way.

  • Mb Kile says:

    Wishing there is a Dr. Greger for dogs. Hate the dry dog foods.

    • MariGold Energy says:

      Dr. Karen Becker is a vet who you might find interesting. She has researched nutrition for dogs and cats. However, she is not pro-vegan for your pets if that is what you are looking for.

  • aroundandround says:

    0:21 All of the blue zones eat modest amounts of meat. It is disingenuous to imply that any amount of meat is a net negative, which this channel constantly does.

    • The 8th Church says:

      Take it to the mat now, wil you? Not everyone loves meat. My home country Botswana is the biggest producer of beef but I never liked the meat and found it nasty and hard to digest. I am glad of people like the dear doctor here for their message. I never liked any type of meat and am relieved to know I don’t need it.

  • Aaron Brown says:

    Yeah, I’m trying to eat a diet that is majority plant based.

  • michael schultz says:

    It’s unbelievable that we still have to pursued (many) people to eat healthy plant based Whole Foods when almost 1/3 of the world’s population are obese and the environment is literally breaking down in front of us

    • A R says:

      Animal farming is one of the major contributers to pollution, carbon release, and deforestation. But eating plant based, we can ameliorate environmental damage. Then maybe the planet can support the surviving people, who can be in better health from a plant based diet.

  • Morella Yepez-Millon says:

    Good information. Thank you 👍🏼🙏

  • Martin Nichols says:

    Bill Pearl and Jack Lalanne were eating a lot of egg whites and they live till 96 ……..

  • J. Fabricio Elías says:

    ❤❤❤❤❤

  • Eva K says:

    I already have this book.

  • Arks Way says:

    Dr Gregor, after your banana smoothie video, I did some research and due to some lingering confusion please enumerate. The antinutrients, which include lectins, oxalates, phytates, phytoestrogens and tannins, are thought to restrict bioavailability of key nutrients, while other studies conclude they may have health promoting effects. I know cooking foods inactivates most antinutrient effects. In addition should we avoid bananas, peal apples etc when cooking isn’t possible ?

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