World's oldest people all swear by simple cocktail of three foods to live past 90

If you want to beat the life expectancy odds and make it past the grand old age of 90, taking a leaf out of our elders' book is a good place to start.

But rather than rushing to your nearest bingo hall and grilling every pensioner you see on their lifestyle choices, you're better off brushing up on how the world's oldest people have made it so far instead.

So, where can you find these lot hanging about?

Well, according to longevity expert Dan Buettner, you need to head to one of the world's 'Blue Zones' and find someone willing to share their secrets.

He came up with the term in 2005 to describe five different areas across the globe where he realised that people were living the longest, healthiest lives.

Following this, Buettner teamed up with National Geographic to dig deeper into how the pensioners were persevering so well in the likes of Ikaria in Greece, Loma Linda in California, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Okinawa in Japan and Sardinia in Italy in comparison to other parts of the world.

The researcher, 64, set out to find 'evidence-based common denominators' that these destinations shared which made locals ten times more likely to make it 100 than anyone else.

In the end, Buettner and a team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists discovered nine interesting principles and practices which they realised could be applied to increase the duration of our lives, known as 'Power Nine' rules.

Ultimately, it all comes down to our diet and lifestyle, as people in Blue Zones 'live in environments that nudged them into daily movement, encouraged social connectedness and plant-based eating'.

That's why Buettner, from Minnesota, is so passionate about encouraging people to fuel their bodies with the right things, as poor food choices could knock years off of your life.

But according to the author, incorporating this simple cocktail of goodness into your life could help you live past 90 years old.

During a talk at the ILTM Global Forum in 2018, Buettner urged people to incorporate a trio of items into their diets which those in Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula swear by.

"This place has the lowest rate of middle age mortality in the world," he said. "That means people here have the best chance of reaching a healthy age of 92.

"That's about a two-and-a-half times better chance of reaching 92 than people living in the United States or Europe.

"Their diet is composed of three foods that I would argue are the best diet that human beings have ever invented."

Big words and quite the bold claim - so, what is this holy trinity of grub which can really boost your life expectancy?

Corn

According to Buettner, that kid who sang about that plant that is a 'big lump with knobs that has the juice' wasn't getting all excited for nothing.

That's because corn is apparently the key to sticking around on Earth for as long as possible, as it's rich in fibre, B vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.

Blue Zone inhabitants are said to really benefit from it having complex carbohydrates, protein and antioxidants too.

The expert explained that to 'boost the nutritional value' even further, locals in Nicoya traditionally process the yellow stuff by soaking its kernels in wood ash.

And as well as this, Buettner said the added bonus is that you can also make 'delicious whole grain tortillas' out of it.

Squash

Next up is squash, with the longevity guru explaining the veg is a powerhouse of goodness.

It's brimming with vitamins A, B, C and E - which are essential to keep your bones, blood and heart in good condition - as well as the likes of minerals including magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium.

With antioxidants, iron, and fibre, Buettner believes that squash is a delicious and nutritious ingredient to incorporate into your diet.

And if it's good enough for those in Nicoya...

Beans

Buttner's third and final suggestion is adding beans into your meals, explaining that the world's oldest people typically work five different types into their diet.

Black beans are particularly popular in Nicoya, as locals like to mix them into a dish called gallo pinto, but there are plenty of other recipes to use them in too.

Beans, which are considered a superfood, are a brilliant source of plant-based protein, fibre, amino acids, antioxidants and minerals.

You can chow down on which ones you like, but popular choices include kidney, garbanzo, pinto, cannellini, lima, mung, and navy.

Buettner said this trio of goodness are known as the 'three sisters' by Indigenous cultures in the Nicoya Peninsula.

"Those three foods together you can live your entire life," he added.

"You need a little vitamin B12, but it has all the complex carbohydrates and protein necessary for human sustenance."

A plate of corn, squash and beans for me, please.