'Blue Zone' diets see people 'cheat death' and live longer than anywhere else in the world

If you want to live a long and happy life then you'll either have to eat healthily or be one of those people who inexplicably makes it to 112 years old after having nothing but whiskey, steak and cigarettes.

There are all sorts of diets which say they're the key to good health but the people who on average live longest in the world eat the 'Blue Zone' diet.

First things first, you're probably wondering what this Blue Zone is and it's five places in the world where people who live there reach incredibly old ages.

The five Blue Zones in the world are the Japanese island of Okinawa, Italy's Nuoro Province, Icaria in Greece, Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula and Loma Linda in California.

If you live in one of these places the chances of you having 'a good innings' as they say is pretty high.

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In these parts of the world people often live to be over 100 years old and have lower levels of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

One of the things these places have in common were largely plant-based diets of leafy greens, while people living there also lived more active lifestyles.

We're not talking about everyone there being a gym-nut, instead it's more that people living in those parts of the world have to remain physically active to a decent extent.

The family unit also tends to be close-knit in these places and people have a positive outlook on life, which can add years to the lifespan.

As for what the Blue Zone diet consists of it's mostly wholegrains, a daily portion of beans, fruits, vegetables and a couple of handfuls of nuts per day.

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According to BBC Good Food, if you want to try this diet then you'd best develop a taste for leafy greens, root vegetables and fresh fruit.

If you're going for meat then it should be no more than twice a week, and shouldn't be more than 90g per piece to keep portion sizes small.

Seafood can be eaten more than meat, but you should aim for oily fish such as sardines and anchovies to bolster your meals.

Dairy products should be sheep and goat's milk instead of from cows, and you'll need to dodge products with added sugar.

As for drinks, a glass or two of wine per day with friends is recommended while hot drinks like coffee and tea are also a good shout.

What you'll really need to avoid is processed foods, loads of red meat and vast quantities of sugar if you want to give yourself the best chance at living a long life.