Okinawa, a prefecture in  Japan, has the highest proportion of centenarians in the world, with more than 33% aged 100 years or older.  Okinawans have 80% fewer heart attacks than Americans, and 75% fewer cancers, including breast cancer and cancer of the ovaries in women and prostate cancer in men.

A Johns Hopkins (USA) study of 600 Okinawan men and women attributes their longevity to a low-calorie diet that typically features:

• No fewer than 7 servings of vegetables daily, featuring dark green vegetables (rich in calcium)

• 7 servings or more of grains in the form of noodles, bread, and rice (many of them whole grains)

• 2 to 4 servings of fruit a day

• Abundance of tofu and other forms of soy

• 3 weekly servings of fish, rich in omega-3s

• Alcohol in moderation (women 1 drink a day, men 2 drinks a day)

In short, the Okinawan diet is rich in complex carbohydrates and plant-based foods, and low in fat, as compared to the average Western diet.

"Thou shalt eat to live, not live to eat." ~  Cicero