Story: The best anti-aging foods

The cucumber with the pimpled skin is part of the gourd family. It is valued for its healing properties not only on Okinawa, but also in traditional Chinese medicine. Its fruit is rich in carotenoids, vitamins, calcium and charantin, which is similar in structure to insulin. Together with protein, charantin lowers blood sugar levels and is therefore ideal for diabetics. Bitter gourds can only be eaten cooked, just like the cucumber stewed at home, deliciously stuffed with mince, for example. They are inedible when raw.

Cabbage varieties in general and kale in particular are rich in iron, vitamin C and vitamin A. The vegetable also contains high levels of glucosinolates. These secondary plant nutrients are among the important triggers that help the gut’s immune cells to function and can thus boost the body’s defences. In addition, kale provides higher amounts of kaempferol and quercetin. These two flavonoids have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Whether raw, roasted, steamed or deep-fried, the Japanese love fish and eat five times as much as the Germans, for example. It is a good idea, because high-fat saltwater fish in particular are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These reduce the risk of heart attacks and arteriosclerosis, protect the brain function and prevent depression.

Just like many of the elderly people with whom she meets up in the culture centre every Thursday for ladies’ day, Miyagi-san is also not familiar with the word ‘retirement’. It does not exist in the vocabulary of Okinawa’s old languages. The people here remain active into old age. That is why Miyagi-san’s day begins at seven o’clock each morning. After waking up, she switches on her grandmother’s radio, listens to some music and drinks tea.

This citrus fruit contains lots of vitamin C, pectin, potassium and secondary plant nutrients. The mix protects the cells from free radicals. Folic acid reduces homocysteine, which damages the heart. People who eat plenty of oranges get fewer colds and have nicer skin. The inhabitants of Okinawa do it right by also eating the white bits.

Sun-ripened tomatoes are extremely rich in vitamins and minerals, including lycopene, which is considered a good radical scavenger. Such cell protection is pure and versatile: the red superfruit tastes delicious when eaten in a salad, drunk in juice form or seasoned with herbs in a soup.

One last question before it is time to eat, during which the Japanese often remain silent: ‘Miyagi-san, thank you for the invitation. How are you today?’ The woman with the strength of three hearts replies with not just one ‘Happy’. She is ‘Happy, happy, happy.’ And you get a sense of how just how much she regards her life as a gift.

Fine slices of this root spice brewed to make tea and rounded off with honey and lemon provide the ideal protection against sore throats, for example. The effect of this home remedy was recently proven by a team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology. The so-called gingerol in the ginger is responsible for this. The essential oils activate the defences in the saliva and inhibit the formation of inflammatory messengers.

Green, black and white tea contain anticancer flavonoids. Fluorides strengthen the teeth and help to prevent tooth decay. People who drink green or black tea before doing any kind of sports activity will have a plentiful supply of antioxidants for the final spurt.

Fermented dairy products were used in ancient Rome to treat stomach and gut complaints. Yoghurt with live cultures boosts the immune system. It is also a very good source of calcium.