6 foods to avoid if you want to eat like the longest living people on the planet

The Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica is one of the "Blue Zones," regions linked to health and longevity.Gerhard/ullstein bild via Getty Images

• "Blue Zones" are places in the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives.
• People in those regions tend to have similar diets, with few processed foods or added sugars.

To live a long, healthy life, it may be worth cutting back on foods like processed meat, sweets, and soda, evidence suggests.

These foods are limited in so-called Blue Zones, regions where residents tend to live longer and have fewer health problems as they age, researchers discovered.

Blue Zones vary geographically and by cuisine, spanning Greece and Italy as well as Costa Rica and Japan, but share common patterns of eating. 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.

Limiting these foods may be linked to longevity and lower risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and more.