Jamie Oliver says these 14 foods will help you live to 100

You may have noticed that Jamie Oliver is less of the man he used to be these days, having lost 12 kilograms following a four-month health kick. The once slightly porky chef is on a crusade to help others get control of their wellbeing and, naturally, there’s an accompanying TV series to show us how to do so.

Jamie travelled around the world to places where people regularly live past 100 and gleaned dietary tips from Costa Rica, Okinawa in Japan and the Greek island of Ikaria, all of which are famous for their centenarians and healthy diets.

In the show he reveals that there are 14 “hero” foods that everyone should eat to extend their life span. “It’s not about goji berries and green drinks. It’s about cooking smart with simple foods … They’re all using humble ingredients to make some of the simplest and tastiest dishes I’ve ever tasted,” says Jamie.

These 14 hero foods are:

1. Eggs
2. Goats’ cheese
3. Fish, especially oily fish
4. Sweet potato
5. Leafy greens and herbs
6. Tofu
7. Walnuts
8. Black beans
9. Fresh fruit
10. Seaweed
11. Wild rice
12. Garlic
13. Prawns
14. Chillies

The chef also discovered that many of the healthy cultures shared dietary behaviours including limiting meat intake, moderate to low alcohol consumption and eating more earlier in the day than later

What do you think of Jamie Oliver’s “hero” foods? How many do you eat regularly?