Telomeres are the structures that protect the ends of chromosomes. Their length appears as a basic indicator of general health.

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Diet can be a powerful tool to prevent or delay a variety of chronic diseases related to age, inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis (programmed cell death). All of them are processes related to telomere length.

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Individual differences in telomere length – which can easily be inherited – suggest that telomere shortening is a modifiable process. Therefore, the identification of factors that interfere with telomere length, such as diet and other habits, can have an impact on health and longevity.

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Some agents associated with specific lifestyles (tobacco, adiposity, stress, exposure to pollution, diets low in necessary nutrients and foods with excess fats, toxic and calories, sedentary lifestyle…) can accelerate the shortening of telomeres, induce damage in telomeric DNA and affect the health or life expectancy of the person.

The 10 dieting keys to a longer life

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Studies suggest that those nutrients, foods and dietary patterns that have been proven beneficial or detrimental to cardiovascular health and the risk of other chronic age-related diseases, oxidative stress and inflammation could have the same effects on the length of the telomeres. Here are dieting tips to make you live longer.

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Whole grains

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Consuming whole grains and some plant foods may decrease inflammation. There may be an especially direct association between telomeric length and the consumption of seeds such as legumes, nuts, coffee and their derived products. This is probably explained by the richness of antioxidant compounds found in the outer layer of the grains.

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Vegetables and seaweed

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Consumption of vegetables – in general and especially those rich in antioxidants – or seaweed could also have a positive effect on telomeric length. This impact on telomeric length is also associated with the consumption of fruits, due to the antioxidant components of these foods.

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Micronutrient deficiency

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Some studies also link micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin D, folic acid and vitamin B12 with a number of age-related diseases. Their respective deficiencies accelerate the shortening of telomeres and lead to genomic instability.

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Food with its matrix

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Scientific evidence suggests that the benefits of food are attributed to the whole food, that is, to the synergy between bioactive compounds in their complex matrices, rather than vitamins, minerals or other isolated elements.

Choose a good diet!

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Quality diet

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The Mediterranean diet is a pattern of high nutritional quality, beneficial for telomere length. The main characteristics of this diet are the usual use of olive oil and the abundance of plant-derived foods, which include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, and thus ensure a wide supply of fiber and antioxidants, all they telomere protective agents.

The importance of diet in the maintenance of health is amply corroborated in the studies. These show that a higher quality of the diet corresponds to a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disorders and cancer.

Following a quality diet is associated with a risk of death due to the aforementioned causes 11-28% lower.

Harmful foods

Avoid these at all costs!

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Processed meats

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Just as there are foods that protect telomeres, others seem to damage them. This is the case of processed meats, which induce inflammatory mediators associated with diseases such as type 2 diabetes and could have a direct effect on the length of telomeres.

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Red meat

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And the same goes for red meat, traditionally associated with cardiovascular diseases and certain types of tumors. They could adversely affect telomeric length, although more studies are required to confirm these results.

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Alcohol

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Alcohol consumption, still recommended by some for cardiovascular prevention, has, however, long been associated with the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, liver disease, pancreatitis and diabetes.

Therefore, it can affect the length of telomeres, although the ideal consumption, if any, and the impact of different levels of consumption should still be calculated.

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Sugar

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The intake of sugary drinks leads to a high glycemic load, which increases insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, and could also have to do with the length of telomeres.

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Quantity matters

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What we eat affects telomeres. So too do the amount of calories we eat at each meal. Eating less can have a very positive impact on health and longevity as long as there is no malnutrition, as animal studies have proven, since oxidative stress and DNA damage.

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In addition, it is known that caloric restriction causes a reduction in body temperature and can cause positive changes in hormonal regulation, gene expression and inflammation reduction.

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Research on the length of telomeres allows us to conclude that it is a good indicator of a person’s overall state of health and that it can serve as a biological clock that measures life expectancy. Everything we do, then, to delay or prevent its shortening, we will notice in our health and longevity. And what we decide to include in each meal can make a difference.