A Recipe For Longevity: 33 Of The Healthiest Foods On Earth

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Is it possible to live to 125 or maybe 150? It's certainly a possibility, as discussed on Oprah Winfrey's recent show on longevity. She visited me at my farm to learn how, at 86, I am enjoying the robust health, energy, and mental creativity of someone many decades younger. My secret: large quantities of fruit and vegetables, plus an hour of daily exercise.

No pills, not even aspirin, and certainly no supplements ever enter my mouth -- everything I need comes from my fish-vegetarian diet, which incorporates 30-40 different kinds of fruit and vegetables every week. Even though I am Chairman and Owner of Dole Food Company, I do most of my own grocery shopping, and even took Oprah on an impromptu trip to Costco, in a day that included bike riding, exercise in the gym, and juicing vegetables in the kitchen. Oprah marveled at how much I eat, and yet never gain a pound. In fact, I expend a lot of energy in my 50-60 minutes of cardio and strength training every day. Plus there's the fact that fruit and vegetables tend to be lower in calories, but higher in filling fiber and other nutrients that help you feel satisfied.

By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity. Obesity accelerates aging even faster than smoking, according to scientific research.

We created the North Carolina Research Campus to study the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. It is the only campus in the world encompassing eight universities all working together for the benefit of health and longevity. These include Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina Central University, NC A&T State University, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State University. We've gathered a comprehensive array of famous scientists and scientific equipment under one roof, including a two-story, 950 megahertz, 8-ton superconducting magnet. It is the largest and most powerful magnet in the world and will help us look at both plant and human cells at the most minute level. We are constantly doing research on all fruit and vegetables, including the ones listed below, which are the mainstay of my diet.

The Healthiest Foods on Earth

PineappleSpeeds post-surgery Promotes joint healthReduces asthma inflammation
BlueberriesRestore antioxidant levels Reverse age-related brain decline Prevent urinary tract infection
SpinachHelps maintain mental sharpness Reduces the risk of cancers of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate Top nutrient density
Red Bell PepperReduces risk of lung, prostate, ovarian and cervical cancerProtects against sunburnPromotes heart health
BroccoliReduces diabetic damage Lowers risk of prostate, bladder, colon, pancreatic, gastric and breast cancer Protects the brain in event of injury
TomatoReduces inflammation Lowers risk of developing esophageal, stomach, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancerReduces cardiovascular disease risk
AppleSupports immunityFights lung and prostate cancerLowers Alzheimer’s risk
ArtichokeHelps blood clotting Antioxidant Superfood Lowers “bad” cholesterol
ArugulaLowers birth defect riskReduces fracture risk Protects eye health
AsparagusNourishes good gut bacteriaProtects against birth defects Promotes heart health
AvocadoLimits liver damage Reduces oral cancer risk Lowers cholesterol levels
BlackberriesBuild bone density Suppress appetiteEnhance fat burning
Butternut SquashSupports night vision Combats wrinkles Promotes heart health
CantaloupeBolsters immunity Protects skin against sunburnReduces inflammation
CarrotAntioxidants defend DNA Fights cataracts Protects against some cancers
CauliflowerStimulates detoxification Suppresses breast cancer cell growthDefends against prostate cancer
CherriesAlleviate arthritic pain and gout Lower “bad” cholesterolReduce inflammation
CranberriesAlleviate prostate pain Fight lung, colon and leukemia cancer cells Prevent urinary tract infection
Green CabbagePromotes healthy blood clotting Reduces risk of prostate, colon, breast and ovarian cancers Activates the body’s natural detoxification systems
KaleCounters harmful estrogens that can feed cancer Protects eyes against sun damage and cataracts Increases bone density
KiwiCombats wrinkles Lowers blood clot risk and reduces blood lipids Counters constipation
MangoSupports immunity Lowers “bad” cholesterol Regulates homocysteine to protect arteries
MushroomsPromote natural detoxification Reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer Lower blood pressure
OrangeReduces levels of “bad” cholesterol Lowers risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, breast and stomach, and childhood leukemia Pectin suppresses appetite
PapayaEnzymes aid digestion Reduces risk of lung cancerEnhances fat burning
Plums & PrunesCounter constipation Antioxidants defend against DNA damage Protects against post-menopausal bone loss
PomegranateEnhances sunscreen protectionLowers “bad” cholesterol Fights prostate cancer
PumpkinProtects joints against polyarthritis Lowers lung and prostate cancer riskReduces inflammation
RaspberriesInhibit growth of oral, breast, colon and prostate cancers Antioxidant DNA defense Lower “bad” cholesterol levels
StrawberriesProtect against Alzheimer’s Reduce “bad” cholesterol Suppress growth of colon, prostate and oral cancer
Sweet PotatoReduces stroke risk Lowers cancer riskProtect against blindness
WatermelonSupports male fertility Reduces risk of several cancers: prostate, ovarian, cervical, oral and pharyngeal Protects skin against sunburn
BananaIncreases Fat BurningLowers risk of colorectal and kidney cancer, leukemiaReduces asthmas symptoms in children

One of my missions in life is to share this kind of knowledge with others, so they can live more vital, active, satisfying lives. Since acquiring major interests in Dole 26 years ago, educating the public on proper diet has constituted the agenda of my Dole Nutrition Institute. We publish the Dole Nutrition News -- enjoyed by 2.5 million subscribers (sign up at www.dolenutrition.com). We create cooking and nutrition videos, cookbooks, brochures, and other educational collateral, like the chart above. We also provide educational support to teachers, parents and kids through www.dolesuperkids.com.

While Arianna and I do not agree on all issues, we both believe in the importance of proper nutrition. I've known Arianna since she arrived in this country, many decades ago, and am godfather to one of her daughters. I've enjoyed many Mediterranean-style healthy meals at her home, and am helping her increase access to nutrition information, which is why I wanted to share some "food for thought" with her intellectually ravenous.

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Want the latest in nutrition information, articles, recipes and more? Sign up for the FREE Dole Nutrition News to have it all delivered right to your inbox! Click here to receive this online newsletter, free every month!

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David H. Murdock is Chairman and owner of Dole Food Company, Inc., the world's largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, packaged and frozen foods. He is also Chairman, CEO and owner of Castle & Cooke, Inc., a leader in real estate development.

Mr. Murdock advocates healthy eating to promote longevity. His Dole Nutrition Institute is dedicated to nutrition education through an award-winning monthly newsletter, health brochures, cookbooks, videos and the Dole Nutrition website. He recently dedicated the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building, the UNC Nutrition Research Building and the NC State Fruit and Vegetable Science Institute Building at the newly opened North Carolina Research Campus, representing a historic partnership with leading universities to advance knowledge about nutrition and disease prevention.

Is it possible to live to 125 or maybe 150? It's certainly a possibility, as discussed on Oprah Winfrey's recent show on longevity. She visited me at my farm to learn how, at 86, I am enjoying the ro...
Is it possible to live to 125 or maybe 150? It's certainly a possibility, as discussed on Oprah Winfrey's recent show on longevity. She visited me at my farm to learn how, at 86, I am enjoying the ro...
 
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- kstuff I'm a Fan of kstuff 5 fans permalink

Guess I'll become a fruititarian

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:18 AM on 06/05/2009


Part 2

Now compare that to buying a locally grown fruit at your neighborhood farmer's market, or better yet, in your yard.

Do you REALLY want to be green?

Think about your food choices in these terms.

In all fairness to Dole, I checked the fresh pineapples and Dole's were from Hawaii and the competitors were from another country - sorry I don't remember now.

Mr. Murdock, you must read the comments to your blog, I challenge you to address the use of fossil fuels in the food industry.

Micheal Pollen - are you reading? Your book is what first opened my eyes.

Now I have my own blog, social networking site and, hopefully, a book coming out if I can get one of the publishers to bite.

And I have what I think are two really good ideas to "Green" up the food industry but I need much more notoriety before I say what they are because i want them to be heard.

www.culinaryhatchet.com
http://culinaryhatchet.ning.com
http://twitter.com/CulinaryHatchet
http://culinaryhatchet.yelp.com

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:21 PM on 05/28/2009


Part 1

So, I was in the store yesterday and I compared a can of Dole pineapple slices in 100% pineapple juice to the "Western Family" brand. Fortunately, the serving size was the same for both, 114g, or 2 slices. Dole's was 60 calories and Western Family's was 70 calories. How can that be? The only thing that I can figure out with the high number of calories in these products compared to fresh raw pineapple is that they are playing games with the pineapple juice, perhaps concentrating it?

There was something else that I noticed, the Dole brand came from the Philippines whilst the Western Family brand came from Thailand. Why do I think that this is bad?

I think that it would shock most people to know that your food choices have more to do with how much fossil fuel that you use than the kind of car you drive.

Let me take a stab at listing the use of fossil fuels used in the production of a can of pineapple slices without doing detailed research:

Fertilizer production & transport
Motorized farm equipment
Vehicles used by farm workers
Juicing, slicing & canning factory
Production of the can
Production of the label
Production of the shipping boxes
Production of the shipping crate
Loading and offloading crates & boxes
Transportation to the US
Transportation to the store
Garbage truck used to take away the can
Electric can opener if you use one
Recycling or land filling the can

You get

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:21 PM on 05/28/2009

Hi! Just sharing a couple mango recipes, each intended to be healthful preparations and including ingredients not on this list:

http://miocibo.com/2009/04/27/black-bean-mango-and-lentil-salad/
http://miocibo.com/2009/05/13/mango-an-quinoa-salad/

P.S. - No quinoa (or other whole grains), flax seeds (or other seeds), nuts, ...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:25 AM on 05/27/2009
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Yes, we like quinoa! We at the DNI enjoy a quinoa dish with dried cranberries, apricots and pecans. You can find the recipe at http://www.dolenutrition.com/recipedetail.aspx?RecId=88 .
We enjoy other whole grains as well, for example oats. Oats are a mineral marvel, supplying manganese (supports bone development and wound healing), phosphorus (works with calcium to promote strong bones and teeth) iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium as well as potassium. http://www.dolenutrition.com/articleDetails.aspx?RecId=212.
You mentioned flaxseed oil, which contains the highest amounts of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Read more at http://www.dolenutrition.com/articleDetails.aspx?RecId=1358.
And of course, you are right to note nuts. Nuts can do your body good when consumed in moderation and without the added salt or oils. http://www.dolenutrition.com/articleDetails.aspx?RecId=1442

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:47 PM on 06/16/2009

Also, there is the shameless plug for Oprah.

Oprah - I challenge you to follow Mr. Murdock's regiment and lose that weight!

Mr. Murdock, please pass that challenge along to your friend.

Culinary Hatchet

www.culinaryhatchet.com

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:41 PM on 05/26/2009
- neurolux I'm a Fan of neurolux 3 fans permalink

I've found that chili cheese fries reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being....at least short term.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:10 PM on 05/25/2009
- gatogato I'm a Fan of gatogato 59 fans permalink
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Proof a good dealer doesn't do his own stuff.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:09 PM on 05/24/2009
- gatogato I'm a Fan of gatogato 59 fans permalink
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I am a vegetarian and have been for 30 years. I don't eat soy, wheat or corn.
I know those are saying forget this guy owns Dole...but c'mon now. Dole sells fruits in some of the most unhealthy versions available on the market. Syruped and sugared to the hilt. I have more respect for someone who sells candy than some one who sells fruit that is no different. If he cares so much - how about eliminating the bad ingredients from what he sells?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:08 PM on 05/24/2009
- bmonaghan I'm a Fan of bmonaghan 5 fans permalink
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I think more is to be learned not by single individuals who live a long, healthy life, but by communities where they average long lives. An individual could be a statistical aberration. But where we see a much higher average of people living to be old - we can - I think - learn much more. The link below goes to such a study.

http://www.prlog.org/10235925-nbc-reports-drinking-herbal-tea-leads-to-longer-healthier-life.html

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:45 AM on 05/23/2009
- rini I'm a Fan of rini 33 fans permalink
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I don't think that there are any magic bullets out there.

One of the major problems with our lifestyle is that we ingest too much of the most important nutrient..­..calories­. Without them, we'd be dead. With too many calories we are bigger and stronger, but we also have cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and many other ills.

These vegetables may provide some important nutrients. I think their main benefit, though, is that they fill you up with fewer calories so that you eat less refined processed high calorie junk.

Oh, and they taste great.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:19 AM on 05/23/2009
- futate01 I'm a Fan of futate01 30 fans permalink
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Calories are not a nutrient darling, it is a measurement. It's like saying pounds or feet. It measures the energy required in a chemical reaction to create new compounds. Our bodies run on an average of 2000 calories a day the way your car runs on an average of 20 miles to the gallon.

Some foods require much more caloric stress to cause the chemical reaction to brake them down but they lack nutrients. Potato chips, french fires, ice cream, etc.

Anyway I can't educate you on here but please do you research and learn.

Here's a good place to start; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_energy

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:20 PM on 05/23/2009
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Black eyed peas and beet root are two of the most overlooked, highly nutritional foods.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:01 AM on 05/23/2009

I'll add almonds, walnuts, olive oil, tea, and dark chocolate.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:31 PM on 05/22/2009
- rini I'm a Fan of rini 33 fans permalink
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Yum

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:23 AM on 05/23/2009
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I just find it self serving that Pineapples are listed in the first spot in a list comprised by David H. Murdock is Chairman and owner of Dole Food Company, Inc., Yes, Pineapples contains the enzyme bromelain, but that is found mostly in the core which is not used by most- and not canned by Dole.
As fruit goes Pinapples, melon, oranges & mangos are on the list to eat less often than blueberries, blackberries, apples and grapefruit. Also, Gary Taubes has taught us that beef is one of the best food choices. At least no KILLER grains were listed. Fear the bread- not the butter

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:03 PM on 05/22/2009
- rini I'm a Fan of rini 33 fans permalink
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IMHO, there are many reasons not to eat red meat regularly. There was a recent study showing earlier death in people who ate it.

Also, there are environmental, worker's rights and humane concerns with beef. Never mind the fact that we still haven't taken measures to ensure that mad cow will not occur in this country.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:25 AM on 05/23/2009
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For years, the USDA has regarded Chenopodium sp. far superior to spinach in available vitamin content.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:00 PM on 05/22/2009
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How in the world do you make a list of the world's healthiest foods without including hempseed, nature's greatest source of Omega-3s and Omega-6s and most digestible protein?

Maybe because Dole doesn't sell hempseed?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:29 PM on 05/22/2009
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Excellent point. Brazil nuts, flax seeds, and hemp seeds are whole foods I don't want to do without.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:55 PM on 05/22/2009

I thought omega-6s are actually harmful. ??? I am a huge advocate for hemp and flax seed (and quinoa, other grains, etc.)

Here is a great recipe for flax seed pesto: http://miocibo.com/2009/05/21/flax-seed-basil-pesto/

Super tasty, though with the cheese involved it is certainly not an everyday dish ...

;D

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:28 AM on 05/27/2009
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