8 A-maizing Corn Facts

An American staple, corn (called maize in other countries) was first cultivated in Southern Mexico and Central America six to ten thousand years ago. Native Americans taught the European settlers how to grow and prepare corn, including popcorn, which they ate as a breakfast cereal with milk and maple syrup. Here, discover other fun and healthy facts about corn products.

1- Veggie or Grain?

Corn is technically a grain and not a vegetable-the seed of a type of grass, like wheat. It therefore counts toward the recommended three daily servings of whole grains. The corn we eat is "sweet corn" (white, yellow or bi-colored), which has become even sweeter since scientists began breeding varieties with more sugar. Some "supersweet" corn also stays sweet longer. Baby corn (available canned) is sweet corn that's been harvested early, and can be eaten cob and all.

2- Corn Health Benefits

Corn is a high-carbohydrate food with lots of fiber, some protein, B vitamins (e.g., thiamin and folate), a little vitamin C and a handful of minerals. Treating corn with lime (as in tortillas) makes certain amino acids and niacin more available to the body. Yellow corn contains some beta carotene and is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin-which may help keep eyes healthy and possibly protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Corn contains more calories than most veggies: 175 in a cup.

3- Buying Tips

For the best fresh corn, purchase in season (usually mid-to-late summer). Check that the corn has been kept cool. The sugar in corn gets converted to starch more quickly at warm temperatures. Feel through the husk to see if the kernels are tightly packed and plump. Refrigerate corn when you get home, and cook it as soon as possible. Unless it's a supersweet variety, there may be a noticeable decline in sweetness in just a day or two.

4- Cooking Corn

Boil, grill or microwave corn. Do not add salt to the boiling water, because salt toughens the kernels. As an alternative to butter, rub with wedges of lemon or lime. Instead of salt, sprinkle with cayenne, dill or other spices and herbs. You can also add corn kernels to rice and bean dishes, soups, salads, even pancakes. Frozen and canned are just as nutritious as fresh-just watch out for extra sodium and high-fat sauces.

5- Consider Cornmeal

Some corn is stone-ground (as opposed to steel-ground) into cornmeal, a process that retains more of the corn is hull and germ and thus more nutrients. Cornmeal can be used for bread, muffins, polenta, grits and tortillas.

6- Popcorn Facts

Popcorn is a special variety of "field corn" that contains a small amount of water inside a thick-walled casing; when heated, steam builds up until the kernel explodes. Its a healthy high-fiber snack when air-popped with no added butter. Look for packaged microwave popcorn that is low in sodium and contains no trans fats. Be aware: movie-theater popcorn often contains these unhealthy fats.

7- Corn Oil Characteristics

Field corn is also processed into corn syrup, cornstarch and corn oil (as well as ethanol fuel, plastics and other non food products). Corn oil is rich in unsaturated fats and sterols, both of which can help lower blood cholesterol.

8- Corn Sweeteners

Corn sweeteners, widely found in soft drinks and other processed foods, are just another source of sugar. High-fructose corn syrup, in particular, may raise triglycerides and have other negative health effects.

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6 Psychiatric Medications That May Make You Gain Weight

I had been on the drug Zyprexa (olanzapine) for four weeks and had already gained 15 pounds which, you know, did not help my depression. After going to a wedding and catching a side view of myself, I called my doctor and told him that my name was now Violet Beauregarde, the gum chewer in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" who floats to the ceiling as blueberry balloon. Except that when I rose to the top of the room I was crying.

"The two most common questions that patients ask me are, 'Will I become dependent on the medications?' And 'Will I gain weight?'" Says Everyday Health contributor Sanjay Gupta, M.D in a Johns Hopkins Depression and Anxiety Bulletin. It's a serious concern for people considering taking any kind of psychiatric medicine, and a sensitive subject among patients who are currently on meds. "A rapidly expanding waistline is one of the major reasons why patients prematurely discontinue an otherwise effective treatment, fall back into depression, and experience a poor outcomes," says Gupta.

He ranks various drugs for weight-gain potential and comes up with these six (in order of waist busters):

1- Clozaril (clozapine)

2- Zyprexa (olanzapine)

3- Remeron (mirtazapine)

4- Seroquel (quetiapine)

5- Depakote (divalproex)

6- Paxil (paroxetine)

A few important points:

   - Clazaril, Seroquel, and Zyprexa are antipsychotic medications that increase insulin resistance, and therefore lead to weight gain.

   - Remeron is an alpha-2 receptor blocker, an antidepressant that is sometimes administered to people-emaciated folks-who need to gain weight. One set of studies indicated that most patients gain weight on Remeron after the first four weeks of treatment.

   - Depakote is an acidic chemical compound used as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug to treat bipolar disorder.

   - Paxil is an SSRI more likely than any other SSRI to put on pounds, especially when used for a year or longer. One study indicated that 25 percent of Paxil users gained some serious weight compared with 7 percent of Prozac users and 4 percent of Zoloft users.

   - Among the older antidepressants, the tricyclics such as Sinequan (doxepin), Tofranil (imipramine), and Pemelor (nortriptyline) can cause short- and long-term weight.

   - Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as Nardil (phenelzine), Parnate (tranylcypromine), and Marplan (isocarboxazid) may also necessitate a new wardrobe.

That's the bad news. And boy is it bad news. Have a weight loss or weight maintenance plan ready to go.

The good news is these drugs are peculiar. A compound that makes my sister's pants split does not do anything to me. And what makes me shriek at a side view in the mirror is easy on her metabolism. Even though we're twins. So it's just a painful trial and error - like everything in recovery - until you find the right drug that will help you function through the day AND allow you to pull on your jeans up without help.

Join Therese Borchard at one of three free private screenings of "Happy," a film that explores what makes us happy, plus a discussion on depression and happiness, and a book signing. The events, which are produced in partnership with Everyday Health and funded by an advertising sponsor, are in Washington, D.C. (May 21), New York City (May 22), and Chicago (May 30).

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Weight-Loss Surgery With No Knife And No Scars

The 'POSE' procedure allows a surgeon to decrease the size of the stomach by folding up the stomach wall like an accordion. It is performed with a scope through the mouth.

Cherie Settle of New Orleans, La., Has a new body this Christmas. Her appetite is half what it used to be. Now 50 pounds lighter, she says "the weight was basically melting off."

Settle's surgeon, Thomas Lavin, MD, at Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, reduced the capacity of her stomach by making folds in the lining of her stomach wall, then tying them off with a suture. Watching him demonstrate on a towel, it looks exactly like a seamstress making pleats. After 15 or so of these folds, the stomach is made permanently smaller.

This technique, called POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal) is not for the morbidly obese, who may need to lose 200 pounds or more. For those patients, Dr. Lavin uses traditional bariatric surgeries such as the lap-band, gastric bypass, or gastric sleeve.

Lavin says his POSE patients generally need to lose between 30 and 75 pounds. The advantage of this method is that it is performed with a scope that enters the stomach through the mouth. Apart from a sore throat, he says patients generally experience little discomfort in recovery and are back to their normal routine in a day or two.

At the end of the scope is a camera, so the surgeon can see what he or she is doing. There is also a clamp that can grab the stomach wall and insert a suture.

The scope used in the POSE method has been approved by the FDA for other procedures, but it is not yet approved for weight loss. That means these patients must pay cash, generally around $ 13,000. Lavin hopes after a few more years of using the POSE method there will be enough data available for the FDA to approve its use in weight loss.

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A Healthy Diet Could Leave You 'Fit and Fat'

A healthy diet could protect you from the negative effects of obesity, even if you're already overweight.

TUESDAY, August 27, 2013 --- A lack of inflammation may explain why some obese people appear to be "fit and fat," according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Some people are able to avoid the negative health effects of being obese, and researchers from the University College Cork in Ireland found that this may be because they do not experience the same inflammation as other obese people. Experts say it's likely a result of what you eat.

Inflammation in the body, which is typically worsened by obesity, is thought to be one of the leading contributors to conditions such as diabetes and coronary heart disease, according to the study. The researchers looked at 2,040 people, half of whom were obese, and administered blood tests to measure their inflammatory markers, and found that regardless of weight, people with lower levels of inflammatory markers were less likely to have underlying health issues.

"In our study, metabolically healthy people - both obese and non-obese - had lower levels of a range of inflammatory markers," study author Catherine Phillips, PhD, a researcher with University College Cork, said in a statement.

And while it is unclear why exactly some people can be fit and fat, Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietician with the Cleveland Clinic, said much of it can be attributed to diet.

"It could be genetics, but I would say that diet plays a larger role," Kirkpatrick said. "What you eat can cause inflammation. If your diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods, you're going to have less inflammation than if you ate a lot of sugar. "

The findings show that there is more to being unhealthy than just your weight, she added.

"A patient with a normal BMI and an atrocious diet may not be as healthy as someone who is overweight but is trying to eat healthy," Kirkpatrick said. "We do not want to give people in excuse to be fat, but there's more to your health than just weight."

However, she stressed that people trying be healthy should not disregard their weight completely.

"We know that if you are obese and you lose just 10 percent of your body weight, your risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes goes down significantly," Kirkpatrick said.

But eating a healthy diet, especially one low in sugar, will do double duty, Kirkpatrick said, as it will help you lose weight and reduce inflammation.

"An excessive amount of sugar can damage and inflame arteries," she said. "This inflammation can be dangerous. It can raise your risk of stroke or heart disease. "

While being obese does not necessarily mean that you will develop diabetes or heart disease, the researchers said, being thin is still preferable, and the findings from this study could help pinpoint who exactly needs the most help losing weight.

"From a public health standpoint, we need better methods for identifying which obese people face the greatest risk of diabetes and heart disease," Dr. Phillips said in a statement. "Inflammatory markers offer a potential strategy for pinpointing people who could benefit most from medical interventions."

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Acupuncture for Weight Loss? We're All Ears

When it comes to losing weight, ear acupuncture may be the best way to jump-start your metabolism, according to a new study.

MONDAY, Dec. 16, 2013 --- The key to shedding those holiday pounds may be in your ear, according to a small new study published in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine. Researchers from Kyung Hee University in South Korea found that acupuncture performed on five specific points on the outer ear was effective at helping patients lower their BMI, more so than acupuncture done on a single point or at random.

The researchers performed either five point acupuncture, single point acupuncture or sham acupuncture, which is when needles are placed at random, on the ears of 91 overweight adults with a BMI of 23 or more, and asked all of the patients to adhere to a restrictive diet. The patients given the five point acupuncture saw a 6.1 percent BMI reduction over eight weeks, compared to 5.7 percent of the single point group. The sham group did not see any BMI reduction.

"Auricular acupuncture therapy is based on the understanding that the external ear represents all parts of the human body, including the internal organs, and provides acupuncture points corresponding to these parts," the researchers, led by Sujung Yeo, MD, a researcher at Kyung Hee University, wrote in the study. "Auricular acupuncture therapy for obesity has been reported to be relatively safe, economical, effective and to reduce body weight by decreasing the desire to eat."

The difference between five point and single point acupuncture was thought to be mild, researchers said, and this study shows that while five point is more successful, it is not markedly so. However, 24 of the study participants dropped out before the end of the study, 15 of which belonged to the sham acupuncture group, which may have skewed the results.

Previous studies have shown ear acupuncture to be very effective for weight loss, said Houman Danesh, MD, director of integrative pain management at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, though how it works is still unclear.

"Mainly the way it works is through appetite suppression," Dr. Danesh said. "But how it does that is the million dollar question. From an Eastern medicine point of view, your body is out of balance. Acupuncture corrects that imbalance, you stop overeating. "

"From a western medicine point of view," he added, "acupuncture is thought to affect your brain. It releases endorphins, which is probably part of the mechanism. "

Acupuncture can also affect your nerves, which can further reduce your appetite, said Jamie Starkey, lead acupuncturist with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative Medicine.

"A lot of the nerves in the ears can stimulate other nerves," she said. "Acupuncture works by stimulating your ear nerves, which affect your vagus nerve and, in turn, affects your gut and suppresses your appetite."

Patients can expect to lose up to 5 pounds over the course of a two-month treatment, Danesh said, but while it is effective, it's not for everyone.

 "If you're looking to lose 50 to 100 pounds, this is definitely not the way to go," he said.

And while acupuncture is effective, it's not a panacea for obesity, Starkey said.

"These improvements are temporary," she said. "While they are using the technique, they are seeing improvement. But once the treatment ends, they often regain the weight. It's important to realize that acupuncture does help, but you can not ignore diet or exercise. "

"The goal of acupuncture is wellness," Starkey added. "You have to utilize every tool you have available to kick start your metabolism and weight loss, and acupuncture does just that. But it's not a magic bullet. "

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7 Smart Stretching Tips

Stretching, a key element of fitness, improves flexibility and allows you to move your joints through their full range of motion. It can enhance physical performance and relieve muscle tension and stiffness. But will it prevent injuries? Some experts say yes, others say no. And is there a right and wrong way to stretch? Different methods have their advocates. Here's how to get the most out of your stretches.

1- Stretch Safely :

Stretching too vigorously, holding a stretch too long or stretching until it hurts is not recommended. Stretching should feel good. Static stretching, in which you stretch through a muscle's full range of movement until you feel resistance but not pain, is probably the safest type. Stretch to the point of mild discomfort, at most, and then ease up. If you feel any pain, stop.

2- Do It Regularly :

Stretch at least three times a week to maintain flexibility. A session should last 10 to 20 minutes, with each static stretch held for at least 10 seconds (working up to 20 to 30 seconds) and usually repeated about four times. Some trainers believe that stretches should be held for one to two minutes, but this is controversial.

3- Warm Up First :

Before stretching, always do a brief (5- to 10-minute) warm up, such as jogging in place, brisk walking, riding a stationary bike or doing less-vigorous rehearsals of the sport or exercise you're about to perform. Warming up gradually increases your heart rate and blood flow and raises the temperature of muscles, ligaments and tendons. Stretching cold muscles may injure them, and sudden exertion without a warmup can lead to abnormal heart rate and blood flow and changes in blood pressure. You can also stretch when cooling down after a workout.

4- Do not Bounce When You Stretch :

For most people, we advise against ballistic stretching-where you do bouncing, repetitive movements while stretching (such as bending forcefully to touch your toes with your knees straight and bouncing). Ballistic stretching may do more harm than good because muscles may shorten reflexively, and, generally, stretching should be gradual and relaxed. However, some professional athletes believe controlled ballistic stretching can better prepare a muscle for sustained activity, especially one requiring a burst of speed.

5- Stretch Opposing Muscles :

To stretch opposing muscles in your arms and legs, use static stretches along with the approaches known as active-isolated stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). In active-isolated stretching, you isolate one muscle at a time and stretch it by contracting the opposite muscle. In PNF, which can be done with or without a trainer or partner, you contract a muscle against resistance (usually provided by another person). You relax, then stretch, while your partner pushes the muscle into a static stretch.

6- Enjoy Some Surprising Benefits :

Stretching may benefit your mind as well as your body. When done in a slow and focused manner, an extended stretching routine is an excellent relaxation method and stress reducer (just as yoga and tai chi are). Stretching can help reduce anxiety and muscle tension, as well as lower blood pressure and breathing rate. Note: Do not hold your breath during a stretch.

7- Finish Workouts With a Stretch :

Giving yourself time to stretch after you've finished your workout can help keep your muscles from tightening up quickly. It will not, however, head off delayed-onset muscle soreness-the kind that generally occurs the day after unaccustomed strenuous exercise. (In fact, there's no hard evidence that stretching before or after a workout session will prevent injury.) But stretching certainly does promote flexibility and it feels good.

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9 Safe Exercise Strategies

Many studies have shown the overwhelming health benefits of exercise. There's always the risk of injury, however, whether you're a weekend warrior or a master athlete. But if you take precautions, you can greatly reduce the risk. These nine guidelines will help protect you.

1- Set Realistic Goals :

Set goals that you not only know you can achieve, but that are very specific, not vague. So, for example, opt for a goal such as "I'll plan to cycle 20 miles this week." Do not set clear goals such as "I really should try to get more exercise this week."

2- Do not Overdo It :

The most common cause of injury is exercising too aggressively-the "too much, too soon" syndrome. Start any new exercise at a relatively low intensity and gradually increase your level of exertion over a number of weeks. Use the 10 percent rule: In general, do not increase your training load-the length or frequency of workouts, the intensity or the distance-by more than 10 percent a week.

3- Pay Attention to Any Pain :

"No pain, no gain" is a myth. If you have continuing pain during an exercise, stop and do not continue unless you can do so painlessly. (If the pain occurs in the chest or neck area, contact your doctor immediately.) General muscle soreness after exercise is another matter: It usually indicates that you are not warming up sufficiently or are exercising too long or strenuously.

4- Control Your Movements :

Try to stay in control of your movements-if you can not, slow down and exercise at a more moderate pace. Rapid, jerky movements can set the stage for injury. Also, as you move your limbs, keep your muscles contract and move them as if you are pushing against some resistance.

5- Watch Your Form :

Poor form and posture during exercise can result in injury. Keep your back aligned (with your abdominal muscles contracted, your buttocks tucked in and your knees aligned over your feet). This is particularly important in any activity where you are jumping or reaching overhead.

6- Do not Bounce While Stretching :

"Ballistic" stretching-where you bounce in and out of a stretching position-can increase the chance of muscle tears and muscle soreness. Instead, perform static stretches, in which you gradually stretch through a muscle's full range of movement until you feel resistance. this helps to loosen muscles without straining them.

7- Use Good Footwear :

Wearing improper footwear or worn-out shoes can place added stress on your hips, knees, ankles and feet-the body parts where up to 90 percent of all sports injuries occur. Choose shoes suited to your activity and replace them before they wear out.

8- Go Low-Impact :

Avoid high-impact aerobics. Most aerobics instructors and many aerobics students suffer injuries to their shins, calves, lower back, ankles and knees as a result of the repetitive, jerking movements of some of the aerobics routines they perform. You may want to stick to the marching or gliding movements of low-impact aerobics instead of the jolting, up-and-down motion of typical aerobics.

9- Drink Up :

Keep yourself well hydrated: replace fluids lost through sweating. This is particularly important in hot weather, when you can easily lose more than a quart of water in an hour through sweating. Neglecting to compensate for fluid loss can cause lethargy and nausea, interfering with your performance. Even if you do not feel thirsty, it's important to drink at regular intervals when exercising. Your thirst may be satisfied long before you have replenish lost fluids.

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31 Superfood Secrets for a Long and Healthy Life

Some things about life-and how long we get to enjoy it-are out of our control. But emerging nutrition science research, as well as data collected from people in their 90s and beyond, shows what, when, and how we eat has a profound influence on how long we live. Want to eat for a long and healthy life?

We're compiled the most compelling and surprising tips here!

1- Broccoli, grapes, and salad 

2- Berries

3- Garlic

4- Olive oil

5- Bok choy

6- Avocado

7- Tomatoes

8- Beans

9- Grains and seeds

10- Booze, in moderation

11- No booze

12- Ok, a spot of whiskey

13- Pureh tea

14- Coffee

15- Chocolate

16- Less red meat

17- More white meat

18- More nuts

19- Corn, beans, and pork

20- Red produce

21- Bananas

22- Fish

23- Organic Food

24- All but the last bite

25- Two meals a day

26- ... Or even less than two meals

27- Japanese diet

28- Mediterranean diet

29- Nordic diet

30- Home cooking

31- Pepperoni pizza

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Pepperoni pizza

Just because your favorite food's not on this list does not mean you're doomed to a shorter life, however. Take Sister Cecilia Adorni of Hamden, Connecticut, who passed away in 2011 at age 103: At her birthday party that year, coworkers (yes, she was still working) told CBS 2 New York that Adorni liked to eat an occasional steak. "And when it comes to pepperoni pizza, they said, she can eat anyone under the table."

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Home cooking

If all else fails, good old home cooking may just be your ticket to longer life. A 2012 study from Cambridge University found that people who cook up to five times a week had a 47% greater chance of staying alive over a 10-year period. Taking the bus to the supermarket to buy your ingredients might help, too: Grocery shopping and taking public transportation were also associated with a lower risk of dying.

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Nordic diet

Also known as the Viking Diet or the Scandinavian Diet, this meal plan focuses on the staples of Nordic cuisine: cabbage, rye bread, root vegetables, oatmeal, and fish. One 12-year study found that the closer participants adhere to traditional Nordic diet guidelines, their risk of death dropped by 4 to 6 percent.

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Mediterranean diet

Healthy fats from fish, olive oil, and nuts meets lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and moderate amounts of wine in the Mediterranean diet popular in Greece and Italy. This combination has been linked again and again in studies to longer life, healthier hearts, and lower rates of cancer, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. Mediterranean cultures also tend to treat mealtime as an important social event, sitting down at the table with the whole family.

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Japanese diet

Fish, tofu, edamame, and vegetables are staples of the traditional Japanese diet, and Japanese people have been credited with having some of the world's longest lifespans. (Residents of Okinawa, a long-life blue zone, eat 60 to 120 grams of soy a day compared to practically zero grams for the average American.) Many experts believe that following the Japanese style of eating has weight-control as well as longevity benefits: As the book title says, "Japanese Women Do not Get Old or Fat."

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... Or even less than two meals

Some people are willing to go even farther on their quest for eternal youth: Studies have shown that animals live longer if they eat only every other day, and a few diet programs have embraced this idea. (These types of diets are likely very difficult to follow, however, and not safe for people with any chronic health conditions.) Research from Washington University has also found that people who restrict their calorie intake have lower core temperatures-an indication that their bodies can operate as efficiently as possible.

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Two meals a day

Walter Breuning of Great Falls, Montana was the world's oldest man when he died in 2011 at age 114. He attributed his longevity to eating only two meals a day, reported the Daily Mail, because "that's all you need."

"I think you should push back from the table when you're still hungry," Breuning told USA Today in 2009. Breuning said he ate a big breakfast and lunch every day, skipped supper, drank lots of water, and ate plenty of fruit

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All but the last bite

Leave a little on your plate after every meal if you want to live to 100, suggests author Dan Buettner, who studies so-called Blue Zones: areas around the world where people tend to live longer and healthier. In Japanese culture, he says, people stop eating when they feel only 80% full-a practice that has helped the country earn a top spot on the world's-oldest-people list.

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Organic Food

While many experts say that organic foods are nutritionally the same as their conventionally grown counterparts, a few studies have shown that they may actually have more vitamins and minerals, after all. And a 2011 study from Newcastle University in the U.K. suggested that because of these added nutrients, switching to organic food can extend the average lifespan-by about 25 days for men and 17 days for women. Foods grown without pesticides have higher levels of vitamin C and other immunity-boosting antioxidants.

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Fish

Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish can help patients with heart disease live longer, studies have shown, because their omega-3 fatty acids help fight dangerous inflammation that can damage our DNA. The same may be true for the rest of us, as well: A 2009 study from the University of Hawaii found that men who ate the most baked or boiled fish-as opposed to fried, dried, or salted-reduced their risk of heart- disease related death by 23% compared to those who ate the least. (The study also found that women who ate low-sodium soy sauce or tofu also saw heart-health benefits.)

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Bananas

The world's oldest triathlete is still going strong at age 91, recently completing his 41st race in June. Arthur Gilbert, of Somerset, England, says he follows a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables-and he especially loves bananas.

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Red produce

Red meat may be a no-no when it comes to longevity, buy plant-based foods of the same hue are a definite yes. Eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of bold, bright colors is a good way to make sure you're getting a good mix of nutrients, and experts say that red ones, specifically, can help you stay young. Among your best bets: red cabbage to guard against cancer and boost brain health, beet juice to lower blood pressure, and tomatoes to lower cholesterol.

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Corn, beans, and pork

Eat like a Costa Rican and you might boost your chances of living a long, healthy life. A 60-year-old man in Costa Rica is about twice as likely to reach age 90 as compared with men in the United States, France, or even Japan, according to author Dan Buettner and his research on blue zones around the world. Costa Ricans have a very active life and a strong work ethic, he says, as well as a diet that largely consists of corn, beans, pork, garden vegetables, and fruit they've grown themselves.

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More nuts

Another more recent study, this one out of Harvard in March, also found that red meat consumption is linked with a greater risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and all causes. This one, however, also looked at the benefit of substituting healthy protein sources, such as fish, poultry, nuts, and legumes. Of all the swaps studied, the researchers found that trading a serving of beef or pork for one of nuts could reduce a person's risk of death during middle age by 19%.

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More white meat

In the same study, however, people who ate the most white meat-chicken, turkey, and fish-seemed to have a slightly lower risk of death during the study than those who ate the least.

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Less red meat

Going vegetarian a few times a week may lengthen your life. People who eat red meat every day have a higher risk of dying over a 10-year period than those who eat it less, according to a 2009 study from the University of North Carolina. (Most deaths in the study were from heart disease and cancer.) Burgers, steak, and pork were partially to blame, but processed meats-like bacon, ham, and hot dogs-also seemed responsible for shorter lifespans.

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Chocolate

Eat chocolate, add a year to your life. Men who ate modest amounts of chocolate up to three times a month lived almost a year longer than those who did not in a 1999 Harvard study of more than 8,000 people. And in a 2009 study from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, patients who had survived a heart attack were 44% less likely to die over the next eight years if they ate chocolate up to once a week, versus none at all. Other types of candy did not seem to have any effect on longevity. Preliminary studies have identified the most beneficial part of chocolate: flavonoids, the antioxidant found in cocoa beans. To get the most flavonols, say researchers, stick with dark chocolate.

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Coffee

In April, 106-year-old Ethel Engstrom told the Pasadena Star News that she stays healthy by eating well and drinking about 12 cups of black coffee a day. You may not need that many to cheat death, however: A 2008 study from researchers at Harvard University found that, compared with non-coffee drinkers, women had an 18% lower risk of dying if they drank two to three cups a day, and 26% lower if they drank four to five cups a day. Those who drank six or more a day decreased their risk by 17%.

A 2012 study by the National Institutes of Health and AARP supports this theory. When researchers controlled for factors like smoking, drinking, and eating red meat, they found that coffee drinkers-both men and women-tended to live longer.

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Pureh tea

A strong immune system is an important part of living to a ripe old age, and for that you need lots of disease-fighting antioxidants. Health nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, swears by pu erh tea -an earthy, rich variety that contains even more antioxidants than its better-known green counterpart. Steep a pu erh tea bag for three to five minutes and serve with lemon and honey.

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Ok, a spot of whiskey

Raymonde and Lucienne Wattelade, who were certified as the world's oldest twins in 2010 at age 98 (then later dethroned when an older pair emerged), say their drinks of choice keep them feeling young: Whiskey for Raymonde, and pastis, an anise-flavored liqueur, for Lucienne. The sisters, who were on the French gymnastics team in the 1930, also credit their good health to regular exercise, like dancing.

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No booze

If you want first-hand advice on longevity, listen to Tomoji Tanabe. The world's oldest man from 2007 until his death at 113 in 2009 often told interviewers that his lifelong abstinence from alcohol was the key to his longevity. Tanabe's favorite foods were miso soup with clams and fried shrimp. Surprise: he also drank milk every day.

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Booze, in moderation

Several studies have suggested that small amounts of alcohol-no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women-can have heart-health benefits, and that moderate drinkers tend to live longer than heavier imbibers or teetotalers. A 2012 Harvard Medical School study also found that moderate drinking may also reduce men's risk of death in the two decades following a heart attack.

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Grains and seeds

Getting more fiber-specifically by switching from refined bread and pasta to whole grains-can reduce your risk of death from any cause by 22%, according to a 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Experts say that fiber can protect against diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and obesity, and can reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

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Beans

Beans, beans, are good for your ... life? In a 2004 study conducted on elderly people in Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Greece, researchers found that participants had a 7% to 8% reduction in death for every 20 grams of legumes they consumed daily. A diet rich in beans and legumes increases levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which can protect against cancer growth, according to a study from Michigan State University.

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Tomatoes

Lycopene is also an important nutrient in the fight against cancer

-the second leading cause of death in the United States. And there's no better source than rosy red tomatoes. Eating them cooked, in pasta sauce, tomato soup, or chutney, actually increases the amount of carcinogen-fighting carotenoids your body is able to absorb.

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Avocado

How to prevent heart disease, the largest killer in the United States, according to the latest report from the National Center of Health Statistics? Eat more foods that help keep your heart healthy, like avocados and others already on this list, and improve your odds of a long life. Avocados can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol while raising your HDL "good" levels, and they help your body absorb heart-healthy vitamins like beta-carotene and lycopene.

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