5 Recipes & Secrets to Living a Longer Life

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Okinawa, Japan

The native peoples living on Okinawa Island enjoy one of the longest life expectancies and highest prevalence rates of centenarians in the world, of which more than 85% are female. According to a study of centenarians in Japan, "for every 100,000 inhabitants, Okinawa has 68 centenarians – more than three times the numbers found in US populations of the same size." In addition to their strong social ties, purposeful mentality and regular physical activity, long-living Okinawans have consumed a plant-based diet for the majority of their lives. Sweet potatoes make up a large proportion of their food intake, in addition to rice, tofu and goya, an antioxidant-rich bitter melon that's heavily used in the local cuisine.