Eating a cup of beans per day can add an extra four years to your life. That is according to Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author, who has spent over a decade studying the places around the globe. Buettner discovered the five places in the world—dubbed “Blue Zones”—where people live the longest, healthiest lives. His articles about these places in the New York Times Magazine and National Geographic are two of the most popular for both publications.
Buettner now works in partnership with municipal governments, large employers, and health insurance companies to implement Blue Zones Projects in communities, workplaces, and universities. Blue Zones Projects are well-being initiatives that apply lessons from the Blue Zones to entire communities by focusing on changes to the local environment, public policy, and social networks. The program has dramatically improved the health of more than 5 million Americans to date.
His books, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way, The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People, and The Blue Zones of Happiness were all national bestsellers.
Buettner has appeared on The Today Show, Oprah, NBC Nightly News, and Good Morning America, and has keynoted speeches at TEDMED, Bill Clinton’s Health Matters Initiative, Jay Shetty Interviews and Google Zeitgeist.
Video: Jay Shetty and Expert Guests explore healthy practices in Blue Zones and insights on happiness.
There is a Whole Organization Promoting Beans
Beans are part of the pulse family that also includes peas, lentils and chickpeas, all of which are prevalent in the blue zones areas. USA Pulses aims to promote and educate about the benefits of consuming pulses. This year they are celebrating the International Year of Pulses with the Pulse Pledge.
McGreevy said, “If you want a simple, quick and easy guide on how to prepare these crops, whether it’s in their dry form, from a can or from the frozen section, I encourage you to take the Pulse Pledge – it provides simple recipes I think people will really enjoy.”
HOW CAN YOU GET MORE BEANS IN YOUR LIFE
~ Beanalicious Recipes: Buettner‘s website provides delicious recipes.
~ 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Beans: The World’s #1 Longevity Food
~ The Finer Points of Buettner’s findings: Checkout this fabulous Medium article that sums up to realistically get more beans in your life, to make it longer and healthier!
Photo Credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Plants Power Purpose 