September 29, 2026
People who reach 100 tend to share a few simple habits.
They eat mostly plants with daily beans, stop eating before they are full, move throughout the day, stay socially connected and avoid smoking.
What they take is the least studied part: centenarian research tracks diet and lifestyle far more than supplements, and there's no evidence that supplements explain their longevity.
Key facts
- The best-known long-lived communities, often called Blue Zones, include Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Ikaria (Greece) and Loma Linda (California).
- Common diet patterns: mostly plant based, legumes most days, whole grains, little processed food and moderate portions.
- Genes matter more the older you get. For reaching the late 90s, lifestyle plays a bigger role. For reaching 105 and beyond, genetics becomes increasingly important.
- Some researchers have questioned the accuracy of birth records in several famous longevity hotspots.
What do centenarians eat?
The diets of long-lived populations differ in details but share a pattern.
Beans every day. Legumes are the most consistent food across Blue Zones: black beans in Nicoya, fava beans and chickpeas in Sardinia and Ikaria, soy in Okinawa, and lentils and beans in Loma Linda.
Mostly plants. Traditional Okinawan diets were built on sweet potatoes, vegetables, seaweed and soy. Sardinian and Ikarian diets rely on vegetables, whole grains, olive oil and wild greens. Meat is typically eaten a few times a month, not daily.
Nuts and seeds. Regular nut consumption is common, especially among the Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda, whose health has been tracked for decades in the Adventist Health Studies.
Fish in moderation. Coastal groups like Okinawans and Ikarians eat fish regularly but in modest portions.
Smaller portions. Okinawans traditionally practice hara hachi bu, stopping eating when about 80% full. Calorie moderation without malnutrition is one of the most consistent themes in aging research.
What about alcohol? Sardinians and Ikarians traditionally drink modest amounts of local wine with meals. But recent research has increasingly questioned whether any level of drinking benefits health, so this isn't a habit to start for longevity.
What do centenarians take?
This is where the evidence thins out.
Centenarian research, such as the New England Centenarian Study led by Thomas Perls at Boston University, focuses on genes, diet, lifestyle and disease history.
It doesn't show that supplements explain why these people live so long.
Most of today's oldest people grew up before modern longevity supplements existed.
What their diets do show is regular intake of compounds now studied as supplements:
- Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and greens, provide glucoraphanin, the precursor to sulforaphane.
- Walnuts, berries and pomegranate contain ellagitannins, the compounds gut bacteria convert into urolithin A.
- Fish and seafood are major dietary sources of taurine.
- Protein-rich legumes supply cysteine and glycine, the building blocks of glutathione.
- Soy foods, other legumes and mushrooms are among the richest food sources of spermidine, a compound studied mainly in lab organisms; see what spermidine research has and has not shown.
The lesson isn't that supplements replace a centenarian diet. Food comes first. Supplements can fill gaps, deliver doses difficult to get from food, or target specific pathways with research behind them. For an honest ranking of which have human evidence, read Longevity Supplements That Actually Have Human Data.
What do centenarians avoid?
Smoking. Most centenarians never smoked or quit long ago. There are famous exceptions, including Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122, but they are outliers.
Constant eating and processed food. Traditional long-lived diets were low in sugar and ultra-processed food because those foods simply weren't available.
Sitting all day. Few centenarians worked out in the modern sense. Instead, they walked, gardened, farmed and climbed hills daily. Sardinian shepherds walked miles over rough terrain.
Isolation. Long lived communities tend to have strong family ties, close friendships and clear roles for older people. Okinawans call a sense of purpose ikigai. In Nicoya it's plan de vida.
Do centenarians just have good genes?
Partly. Research from the New England Centenarian Study shows that the siblings and children of centenarians are more likely to live long lives themselves, and that the genetic contribution grows at the most extreme ages.
Many centenarians also delay major disease until their 90s or later, compressing illness into a shorter period at the end of life.
For most people, though, reaching the late 80s or 90s in good health depends more on habits than genes.
A note on data quality
Some researchers, notably Saul Newman, have argued that extreme age records in several longevity hotspots are affected by poor record-keeping, missing birth certificates and even pension fraud.
In 2010, Japan discovered that many people listed as centenarians had in fact died long before. These critiques don't overturn the core lessons, like eating plants, moving and staying connected, which are supported by broader research.
But they're a reason to treat specific claims about particular villages with some caution.
The bottom line
Centenarians don't share a secret supplement. They share a pattern: plant-heavy diets with daily legumes, moderate portions, natural daily movement, strong social ties and no smoking. Start there. Then, if you want to go further, choose supplements based on human evidence. For why the oldest people eventually die, and what that teaches us, read Why We Die. For how I built my own routine, read My Longevity Stack.
FAQ
What is the most common food among centenarians? Beans and other legumes. They appear in the daily diets of all five Blue Zones.
Do centenarians take supplements? There's little research on it. Centenarian studies focus on diet, lifestyle and genes, and don't show supplements as a reason for their longevity.
What are the Blue Zones? They are five regions with unusually high numbers of long-lived people: Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya, Ikaria and Loma Linda.
Is living to 100 mostly genetic? Genes matter more the older you get, especially past 105. For reaching your late 80s or 90s in good health, lifestyle plays a larger role.
Do centenarians eat meat? Usually, but sparingly, often a few times a month. Their diets are built mainly on plants, legumes and whole grains.
Published by the SciRouter Editorial Team for general educational purposes. Last updated September 2026.
Educational disclaimer. This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It summarizes published scientific research and does not endorse any specific product, supplement, drug, or treatment. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed physician before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.
