What’s the Best Diet for a Longer, Healthier Life?

• Nutrition is believed to play an important role in longevity.
• Foods like those found in the Mediterranean diet, as well as coffee, can contribute to a longer life span.
• Red meat, sugary beverages, and ultra-processed foods can reduce life expectancy.

Looking to boost longevity in 2026? A Mediterranean diet may be the best place to start.

Numerous studies indicate the Mediterranean diet affords many health benefits, including promoting longevity.

“This diet is anti-inflammatory, it’s cardio-protective [and] protects our heart and other organs,” said Dana Hunnes, PhD, a senior clinical dietitian at UCLA Health.

“It is full of unprocessed, whole foods,” Hunnes said of the Mediterranean diet.

“It is high in fiber, which helps keep us regular and can help decrease inflammation. It has heart-healthy fats, primarily monounsaturated fats and some polyunsaturated omegas from plant sources. It’s full of water from the high amount of plant-based foods, and it’s a lifestyle, so the calorie intake is within reason to keep us maintaining our weight properly,” she noted.

The Mediterranean diet consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, tree nuts, and whole grains. It emphasizes minimally processed, plant-based foods, along with lean meats or fish, and olive oil.

Of all diets, the Mediterranean diet is one of the most extensively studied, and the science supports it as a good choice for health promotion.

Research indicates that following a Mediterranean eating pattern is associated with a 25% reduction in overall mortality rates as well as significant reductions in rates of cardiovascular disease.

The foods eaten in a Mediterranean diet pattern have omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and polyphenols, which all provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

“Reducing oxidation, inflammation, and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome promotes health and longevity,” Mir Ali, MD, board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, told Healthline.

“Foods that promote life expectancy include proteins, non-starchy vegetables, some fruits like berries, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds. These types of foods promote cardiovascular health, reduce insulin resistance, decrease inflammation, and help to maintain a healthy weight.”

Dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, are popular in countries like Greece, southern Italy, and Spain, as well as in some “Blue Zones,” which have high concentrations of centenarians or people living to 100 and beyond.

It is believed that diet can play a significant role in longevity.

“Food in general has a huge impact on health and longevity; eating foods that can promote adverse health effects like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity will decrease a person’s lifespan; whereas, foods that help someone avoid adverse health conditions, and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle will increase lifespan,” Ali said.

Research suggests that nutrition plays a crucial role in mitigating the effects of aging mechanisms on the body and enhancing longevity.

Diet can influence the level of oxidative stress in the body, age-related damage, inflammation, and cellular function.

“There are foods [and] diet patterns that keep us healthier, decrease inflammation in the body, and may decrease the rate at which our DNA [telomeres] shortens or gets damaged,” Hunnes said.

Along with the foods that form part of the Mediterranean diet, coffee may also be beneficial for improving longevity.

Around 60% of Americans drink coffee every day, and research suggests that may be a good thing.

Moderate coffee intake (about three to five cups of coffee per day) is associated with reduced overall mortality. It may also reduce the risk of major diseases like diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, cognitive decline, and some types of cancers like uterine and liver cancer.

“Coffee is rich in antioxidants and does have a positive metabolic effect as well. It also may improve glucose control and slow DNA breakdown (which can lead to early cell death),” Ali said.

Coffee can also improve lung function and increase fat oxidation. However, Hunnes warns that adding too many ingredients to a cup of coffee could reverse some of its benefits.

“It has many antioxidants in it and phytonutrients (nutrients derived from plants) that may reduce inflammation and therefore morbidity (illness), chronic disease, and mortality. Reducing inflammation in the body is associated with longevity, so, the more we can do to reduce inflammation, the better.

Coffee benefits aside, what you put into your coffee is also important. Heavy cream or excess sugar could negate some of the health benefits, Hunnes said.

Whilst coffee and the Mediterranean diet are believed to boost longevity, red meat is believed to do the opposite.

Research suggests that red meat can accelerate aging and is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes.

“Red meats are higher in saturated fats and nitrites, which has been shown to have a negative effect on cardiovascular health as well as cancer, which will decrease life expectancy,” Ali said.

However, research on saturated fats has been inconclusive so far. Research also shows that nitrites may only be problematic when they are additives, not when they are from natural sources.

Along with red meat, sugary beverages are also believed to have a negative impact on aging. Recent research suggests an inverse association between sugary beverages and healthy aging.

“Drinks high in sugar lead to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, all of which contribute to decreasing life expectancy,” Ali said.

In the standard Western diet, sugary drinks are a leading cause of added sugars.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that roughly half of adults consume a sugar-sweetened beverage every day, while more than 60% of kids do the same.

“(Sugary beverages) replace healthier foods/beverages in the diet that don’t add calories (and nothing else healthy) to the diet. They increase insulin need, inflammation, increase the risk for fatty liver, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and do not provide vitamins or minerals (naturally occurring). We don’t need empty calories in our diets,” Hunnes said.

Sugary drinks are just one of many ultra-processed foods that can have a negative impact on overall health and longevity.

In the United States, 73% of the food supply consists of ultra-processed foods. However, these foods are linked to numerous health issues.

“Ultra-processed foods are high in preservatives and unhealthy chemical additives to promote shelf life and increase taste. They are also high in sugar, low in fiber, and low in critical nutrients. All of this promotes cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, thus leading to a decreased life expectancy,” Ali said.

Making dietary swaps from ultra-processed foods to whole foods is a good starting point toward improved longevity, but experts acknowledge that, at an individual level, this is a process that takes time.

“The biggest health concern in the U.S. and most westernized countries is obesity, and implementing healthy foods, as discussed, can reduce obesity, and thereby increase longevity,” Ali said.

“This has been known for some time; however, implementing significant dietary changes and educating many people remains a challenge.”