Living a long and a healthy life is a cherished goal for many. Dan Buettner, who first discovered the blue zones, where people live the longest lives, recognised that one of the main factors of not just a long life, but a healthy one is the diet. There are documentaries too that have explored this topic. A Netflix documentary called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, which revealed the lives of Centenarians, those who live 100 years or more. Studies reveal that a shared lifestyle patterns, and dietary habits is what benefits them.

What Are The Blue Zones?

"Blue Zones" include Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica); and Loma Linda, California.

It is true that centenarians can be found worldwide, but those in Blue Zones, share a common lifestyle habit. They prioritize in staying active, fostering close community ties, and maintaining a positive attitude. The diet, is something we all can learn and include in our lifestyle too.

"Blue Zones" are geographic areas with lower rates of chronic diseases and longer life expectancy. This is possible because of their diet, fasting, exercise, along with other factors. This term was first used by author Dan Buettner, who studied the areas of the world where people lived exceptionally long lives. He called them the "Blue zones", because when Buettner and his colleagues were searching for these areas, they drew it with a blue circles around them on the map.

The Centenarian Diet:

Legumes: It includes beans, peas, lentils. These are fiber-rich foods, that helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Their plant-based protein content makes them a nutritious and versatile addition to meals.

Olive Oils: A staple in Mediterranean diets, olive oil is prized for its healthy unsaturated fats, which support cholesterol balance. Rich in antioxidants like vitamin E and plant compounds, olive oil reduces inflammation and lowers the risk of chronic illnesses.

Nuts and Seeds: These are packed with unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. The antioxidant content supports heart health and reduces inflammation. Centenarians' diets often include these nutrient-dense foods as snacks or meal components.

Tea: Its antioxidant-rich compounds boost immune, heart, and brain health. Regular tea consumption is linked to improved metabolic and digestive functions.

Seafood: Centenarians tend to eat less red meat and more seafood, particularly fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients combat inflammation and enhance brain, heart, and immune health. The proximity of many Blue Zones to oceans influences this dietary preference.

Whole Wheat: Whole grains, including sourdough bread, are common in centenarian diets. Rich in fiber, B vitamins, and minerals, whole grains lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Sourdough fermentation enhances digestibility and supports stable blood sugar levels.

Sweet Potatoes: They are loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C, which bolster immune and heart health. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes supports metabolic balance.

Turmeric: Its active compound, curcumin, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric promotes brain health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases, making it a valuable addition to meals.

Studies have found that fermented foods directly increase the diversity of the gut microbiome, improve blood sugar control, and lower systemic inflammation.

From yogurt to sauerkraut to kimchi and kefir, almost every culture on earth has fermented foods in its traditional cuisines. Fermentation originated naturally, long before human civilization, when wild yeasts and bacteria accidentally encountered sugars, spontaneously triggering chemical transformations.

Now, fermented foods are re-emerging as research is demonstrating their nutritional pros. They are preserved using an age-old process that not only boosts the food's shelf life and nutritional value, but can give your body a dose of healthy probiotics, which are live microorganisms crucial to healthy digestion, according to Dr. David S. Ludwig, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Fermented foods are packed with probiotics that serve a plethora of purposes. Other benefits include:

1. Improves immune function
2. Protects against hostile bacteria
3. Improves digestion and absorption of food and nutrients.
4. Produce essential nutrients like vitamins K and B
5. Synthesize short-chain fatty acids
6. Increase bioavailability of iron, zinc, and other minerals

Also read: AI Cannot Replace Doctors, It Can Only Complement, Says Dr Santosh Sivaranjani

What Are Fermented Foods?

Fermented foods are defined as foods or beverages produced through controlled microbial growth and the conversion of food through enzymatic action. These foods are transformed by microbes intentionally, unlike spoiled foods that are altered unintentionally by microbes.

A lot of fermented foods are produced across the globe, including dairy, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Some of the popular ones that are consumed are sourdough bread, kimchi, curd, miso, etc.

When we eat fermented foods, the bacteria survive the digestion and make their way to the small and large intestines, where they secrete beneficial compounds, inhibit intestinal pathogens, and influence the composition of the gut microbiome.

Not all fermented foods contain live microorganisms. Major examples of this are chocolate and coffee.

1. Chocolate is made by fermenting cacao beans with natural yeasts and bacteria, which are killed off when the beans are heated and roasted.
2. Coffee is considered a fermented food because beans typically undergo a fermentation process. The microbes are destroyed when coffee beans are roasted.

The flavor profiles of both chocolate and coffee are influenced by fermentation, leading to the creation of that unique and rich flavour loved by everyone.

“A big part of the reason that chocolate or coffee tastes different is because of the way that it’s fermented in that region and the microbes that are present in that region,” said Chris Damman, a microbiome and nutrition expert and gastroenterologist at the digestive health center at the University of Washington Medical Center.

How To Eat Fermented Foods

Ideally, one or two servings of fermented food should be eaten daily, and new varieties should be tried to gain the full benefits of consuming different types of polyphenols, probiotics, and their by-products.

Fermented foods like kimchi, pickles, and sauerkraut can be relatively high in sodium, so avoid them when on low-sodium diets or with hypertension. Eating too many fermented foods can create problems for those who have a compromised immune system.

For those who are well, look for ways to incorporate fermented foods in your favorite dishes. Here's how:

• While having a burger or stir fry, add a topping of kimchi;
• While eating salad, top it up with sauerkraut sauce;
• If granola or cereal is being eaten, replace milk with kefir.
• Craving a snack? Have a bowl of plain Greek yogurt topped off with fruits instead of junk items.

How to Add Fermented Foods To Your Daily Meals

1. Add kimchi to everyday meals. Kimchi can be used as a side dish in sandwiches, wraps, burgers, rice bowls, or even on a toast for that spicy probiotic boost.
2. Swap regular yogurt with Greek yogurt. There is a wide variety of yogurt available that can be enjoyed by garnishing with fruits and granola.
3. Instead of sugary soft drinks, drink Kombucha- a fermented tea that offers a tangy flavor and refreshing feel.
4. Incorporate fermented soy products like Tempeh and Miso in stir fries, soups, salads, and gain bowls.

Bonus tip: Start with small portions and gradually increase the intake to allow your digestive system to adapt.

In a bid to strengthen food hygiene and safety standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed Food Business Operators (FBOs) across the country to ensure that only food-grade, corrosion-resistant knives, blades, and cutting equipment are used in food handling and processing operations.

The directive, issued under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, also requires FBOs to maintain all cutting equipment in a sound and hygienic condition. In addition, the food regulator has asked State Food Safety Commissioners and Regional Directors to maintain strict vigilance and ensure compliance during inspections.

FSSAI Flags Use of Unsafe Cutting Equipment

"Schedule 4 of the aforesaid Regulations requires that equipment, utensils and food-contact surfaces used in food handling, preparation, processing, packaging and storage shall be made of food-grade, non-toxic, corrosion-resistant materials and shall be maintained in a hygienic condition so as to prevent contamination of food," FSSAI said in its advisory.

The regulations further require that such equipment and utensils be adequately cleaned and disinfected at appropriate intervals to prevent food contamination.

According to FSSAI, it has come to the regulator's notice that certain food businesses are using rusted, corroded, chipped, painted, damaged, or otherwise unsuitable knives, blades, and cutting equipment during food handling, preparation, processing, cutting, slicing, and packaging operations.

The food regulator noted that the use of rusted, corroded, chipped, painted, damaged, inadequately cleaned, or non-food-grade cutting tools can result in physical, chemical, and microbiological contamination of food.

Also read: FSSAI Introduces Stricter Quality Checks For Besan, Seafood, And Edible Oils: What You Should Know

What Did The FSSAI Advisory Recommend?

FSSAI has directed all Food Business Operators to ensure strict compliance with the following measures:

• Only food-grade, corrosion-resistant knives, blades, and cutting equipment should be used in food handling and processing operations.
• Knives, blades, and cutting equipment must be maintained in a sound and hygienic condition and be free from rust, corrosion, chipping, paint, cracks, breakage, or any other defect that may contaminate food.
• Rusted, corroded, chipped, damaged, or otherwise unsuitable cutting equipment must be immediately removed from use and replaced.
• Adequate cleaning, sanitization, and sterilization procedures, wherever applicable, must be followed at prescribed intervals.

FSSAI warned that any non-compliance observed will attract action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder.

Unsafe Food A Major Public Health Concern

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Unsafe food continues to pose a significant global health challenge. According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report, unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths worldwide every year.

Children under five years of age bear a disproportionate burden, accounting for 29 per cent of the health impact linked to unsafe food. In 2021 alone, unsafe food was associated with an estimated 143,000 deaths among children in this age group.

The WHO also warned that exposure to chemical hazards in food, including methylmercury and lead, can damage the developing brain and result in lifelong neurological and developmental problems in children.

Eggs are a great source of protein. At the same time, they are one of the most common foods that cause allergies in children.

A new study conducted in Australia showed that introducing eggs to children before the age of one may reduce the risk of allergy by 17 per cent. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Jennifer Koplin, Associate Professor at the Child Health Research Centre at The University of Queensland, said: “Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy in the world, with one in 10 infants allergic to one or more foods".

To curb the allergy rates, the Australian infant feeding guidelines, issued by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy in 2016, revolutionized allergy prevention by advising parents to introduce well-cooked egg and smooth peanut butter soon after starting solid foods, generally around six months of age.

The research, led by a team from UQ and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, examined 7,200 children in two Australian population-based studies to assess whether egg allergy rates had declined since the introduction of the guidelines. The risk of allergy decreased by 17 per cent among babies who started eating eggs early.

“Most parents followed the guidelines, and these results provide reassurance that this advice will help reduce the chance of their child developing an egg allergy,” Dr Koplin said.

Also read: I Ate Eggs And Toast For Breakfast Every Day—Here’s How My Body Reacted

Lesser Allergy In Infants With Eczema

According to Associate Professor Rachel Peters of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the reduction in egg allergy was more pronounced in babies with eczema, a known risk factor for food allergies. Among these children, egg allergy rates were reduced from 35 per cent to 22 per cent.

“The introduction of the 2016 guidelines was a major change from most advice given in the 1990s and early 2000s, which recommended parents delay giving eggs and other allergenic foods until 1–3 years of age if there was a strong family history of allergy,” Dr Peters said.

Allergenic Foods Before Age One

Other common allergy-causing foods, such as cow's milk, fish, sesame, wheat, and tree nuts, are also recommended to be included in a child's diet before one year of age. Dr Koplin, however, urged for more research into food allergies.

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Common Symptoms of Egg Allergy

According to the Mayo Clinic, egg allergy symptoms usually start a few minutes to a few hours after eating eggs or foods containing eggs. While egg allergies can occur as early as infancy, most children outgrow their egg allergy by age 16.

Egg allergy symptoms can include:

• Skin swelling or itchy bumps called hives — the most common egg allergy reaction.
• Stuffy or runny nose and sneezing, also known as allergic rhinitis.
• Digestive symptoms such as cramps, upset stomach and vomiting.
• Asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath.