3 Nutrition Practices You'll Find In Costa Rica's Blue Zone

Although a diet specific to Costa Rican centenarians varies from other Blue Zones areas across the globe, these well-aged dwellers share some lifestyle and food commonalities that revolve around savoring the simple joys of life. Here's a closer look at what Nicoya Peninsula residents eat to lead a long, healthy life:

Mix them with sweet peppers, onions, cilantro, and white rice, and you'll get Gallo Pinto—by far the most popular Costa Rican breakfast item across the country.

Freshly made tortillas (also called tortillas palmeadas because they're usually formed by hand) are made using a unique process that combines lime and water to maintain their nutritional value even after corn is grounded into flour.

Eating a mostly plant-based diet is a common denominator among Blue Zone areas. And for Costa Rican elders, it comes in the form of Mesoamerican-inspired agriculture: bananas, pejibayes, papayas, squash, breadfruit, and beach palms, to name a few. Focusing on fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables is a core tenet of their healthful lifestyle. What's more, people opt for raw, fermented, or minimally processed produce in the tropical longevity hot spot.

Costa Rican centenarians offer a glimpse into lifestyle practices that may help reduce chronic disease and cultivate well-being. Focusing on wholesome, real foods is one of the many threads that weaves a well-lived life. Other aspects include valuing the significance of community and friendship, building resilience and a sense of purpose, and keeping the body active to improve overall health and joy.