Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet

Whole-food plant-based eating differs from highly processed plant-based products because intact traditional foods are emphasized. Traditional Blue Zones diets are mostly whole-food plant-based and rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, legumes, grains, greens, tubers, and nuts. Meat was historically present in most Blue Zones diets but eaten only about five times per month on average. Historical surveys describe the traditional Blue Zones diet as roughly 65 percent complex carbohydrates. The article treats rising meat intake alongside chronic disease as a confounded correlation rather than proof that meat alone causes disease. The five recurring pillars of Blue Zones diets are whole grains, greens, tubers, nuts, and beans.