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Eating More Of This May Lower Risk Of Death By 10%, Study Suggests

Author:

Eliza Sullivan

September 13, 2024

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

By Eliza Sullivan

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

Eliza Sullivan is a food writer and SEO editor at mindbodygreen. She writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She studied journalism at Boston University.

Image by Melanie Riccardi / Stocksy

September 13, 2024

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It seems there is always new data on the way our diet affects our health, and occasionally, a study goes as far as to say that eating certain foods may actually improve life expectancy—which is really quite amazing when you think of it.

Research published in the BMJ, a peer-reviewed journal, concluded that nuts, seeds, and plant oils were linked with a lower risk of death 1.

Why these foods may help you live longer, according to the research

The research considered data from 41 studies, conducted between the years of 1991 and 2021—all of which observed a link between alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and risk of death. In total, the combination of studies meant this research involved around 120,000 participants between 18 and 98 years old.

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ALA is a type of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in plants like soybeans, nuts, and flaxseed—and it's believed to be the very reason these types of foods may contribute to longevity.

After considering bias and other factors in the collection of the data, they found that eating plenty of foods with ALA—a type of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid—may contribute to a 10% lower risk of mortality due to all causes—specifically, an 8% lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease and an 11% lower risk of death due to coronary heart disease.

Before you go running out to buy tons of nuts and seeds:

Though risk of death was lower, especially due to those two defined causes, the researchers did note that higher ALA intake was also associated with a slightly higher risk of cancer. Specifically, they found that there were 63 extra cancer deaths in the groups with the highest compared to the lower levels of ALA intake.

They also point out that, though many studies were considered, they were observational studies, which means it's not possible to claim causality. So while there may be a link between higher ALA intake and lower risk of death, based on this data, researchers can't say for certain that eating more foods with ALA will promote longevity.

If living longer is your aim, there are some other things that longevity experts swear are key to a long life: Sergey Young has made it his personal mission to live to 200, and he shared his ultimate list of must-dos with us on the mindbodygreen podcast.

Editor's Note

October 2024

This article has been updated to clarify the distinction between alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants) and other omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish, to provide you with the most accurate information available.