A new diet term that has been doing rounds on the net and has caught everyone’s attention is the Blue Zone diet. According to researchers, people living in Blue Zones seems to live a longer and happier life than people in other parts of the world as they don’t have many health complications.
But before making this new diet a part of your lifestyle, as a parent, you should be completely aware of the pros and cons of the Blue Zone diet to make a sound decision.
But first, What is Blue Zone Diet
Places such as Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica are termed as Blue Zones because the original researchers circled their locations in blue ink on maps.
People living in such zones eat a lot of plant-based foods, especially beans and legumes in their daily diet as compared to meat.
As per research, people in Blue Zone consume meat only about five times a month and also eat very less processed foods.
They also consume most of the food earlier in the day, with dinner often being the smallest meal that they consume by early evening. But one of the major rules that people of the Blue Zone diet follow is to stop eating when they feel 80% full.
Due to such a lifestyle, the Blue Zone diet is considered to have great benefits for health.
A few pros of this diet are:
1. Individuals with such a diet are more likely to live longer, feel more energetic, and maintain their weight well.
2. This diet also helps reduce heart disease since it focuses on healthy, unsaturated fats rather than saturated fats.
3. It even reduces the risk of diabetes due to its fiber-rich based diet.
4. The Blue Zone diet also helps protect cognitive function with age. It is even beneficial in improving sleep and lowering the risk of certain types of cancers, as most foods eaten in the Blue Zone diet have anti-inflammatory properties.
Cons of Blue Zone Diet
Since the Blue Zone diet is not rigid and is largely based on eating a variety of local food and nutrient-dense foods, experts believe that there are hardly any side effects of this diet, except for:
1. It may prove to be a bit expensive for some because it emphasizes eating fresh produce or foods. This diet may also not be easy to follow for individuals who love eating takeouts, fast foods, processed food, or meat.
2. Following this diet requires a lot of effort, patience, and, of course, cooking! Also, changing to a different diet altogether can be difficult for many because of its certain restrictions and its taste.
But if you want to live a healthy and long life and wish the same for your kids, switching to a Blue Zone diet may not be a bad idea. But do take advice from doctors before making a major lifestyle change.
You can also read The Next Big Things: Top 10 Food Trends for 2022
