Although carbohydrates have long been vilified for their association with unwanted weight gain and blood sugar spikes, an expert has warned that no longevity diet would be complete without them.
The difference lies in their structure. While one type is responsible for that mid-afternoon energy crash, the other provides the body with a steady stream of energy to last the day.
The widely recognised longevity expert Dan Buettner recently broke down why complex carbohydrates are one of the most important components of a longevity diet.
He shared: “There are a lot of lies on Instagram and the internet, and one of them is that carbs are bad for you.
Complex carbs like sweet potatoes could promote longevity
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“Carbs are arguably one of the healthiest things in any longevity diet, but there is a distinction. The most unhealthy in our diet are simple carbohydrates - the refined grains, the sugars, and the high-fructose corn syrup.
“But on the other side of the carbohydrate bracket, you have complex carbohydrates like beans, whole grains, and tubers. Those are the healthiest ingredients in a longevity diet.
“Why do I know this? Because I know exactly what 100-year-olds have eaten their entire lives, and it’s mostly complex carbohydrates.”
This claim was supported by a study from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, published in 2023.
Researchers observed that men who consumed too few carbohydrates significantly increased their risk of all-cause mortality.
It was also noted that women who ate too little fat had a marginally higher risk of all-cause and cancer-related mortality.
Complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, are slowly broken down by the body, providing steady energy.
Unlike their simple carbohydrate counterparts, whole food carbohydrates are nutrient-dense and don’t cause blood sugar spikes.
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Longevity experts recommend complex carbs for healthy ageing
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They also provide a wealth of essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, necessary for cellular repair and disease prevention.
Dan Buettner, who coined the term Blue Zones, regions of the world where people commonly live to an exceptional age, emphasises the importance of these foods.
These areas, including Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, and Sardinia in Italy, feature carbohydrates prominently in their diets.
Some popular choices among these populations include whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice, as well as starchy vegetables and sweet potatoes.
