A doctor who claims he has become 20 years younger told us what foods he eats every week to increase his life expectancy.
Dr. Michael Roizen, the Cleveland Clinic’s chief medical officer of health who has written books on longevity, is 78, but told Business Insider that his “biological age” is 57.6. (It’s important to note that there is no consensus on what constitutes biological age and how it is measured.)
He said that while genes play a role in life expectancy, “the most important thing people need to understand is that they have control over how long and how well they live.”
“You control your genes,” he said, referring to epigenetics, the study of how lifestyle factors can influence whether genes are turned on or off.
“Your decisions matter,” he added.
For example, a 2023 study published in the journal Nature found that those who switched to a healthy, life-extending diet over the long term were more likely to live more than a decade longer. The researchers said this was likely because participants ate more whole grains, nuts and fruit and consumed fewer sugary drinks and processed meats.
Roizen said that even the smallest changes in a person’s diet can have a positive impact on their health. He shared with us the seven foods he eats every week.
olive oil
Roizen said he drinks a tablespoon of olive oil every day. A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer, and a 29% lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease. Additionally, replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fats with olive oil appeared to reduce the risk of death by as much as 34%.
The authors suggest that this could be due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive oil or because people who consumed more olive oil also tended to be more active, smoke less and eat more fruits and vegetables.
Salmon and trout
Roizen tries to eat salmon every week. SimpleImages/Getty Images
Eating fish once or twice a week was linked to a lower risk of death in a 2022 study published in the European Journal of Nutrition. A separate 2018 study by researchers at China’s Zhejiang University School of Medicine and the U.S. National Cancer Institute found similar results. Participants who ate at least 8 ounces of fish per week, according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, had a 10% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend eating fish such as salmon and trout because they are rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids—which are important for heart health, energy and cell structure—and low in methylmercury, a toxic heavy metal found in fish.
Dark chocolate
With dark chocolate, it’s not hard to eat “a little bit every day,” as Roizen recommended.
As BI previously reported, eating dark chocolate is associated with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease.
Dr. Florence Comite, an endocrinologist and precision medicine specialist, previously told BI that she considers her daily piece of dark chocolate a dietary supplement because of the antioxidants it contains.
Mushrooms
Like Comite with dark chocolate, Roizen sees mushrooms as a supplement that he eats at least five times a week.
Roizen eats a mushroom sandwich for lunch most weekdays. istetiana/Getty Images
“One of my favorite lunches is the MLT,” he said. “Instead of a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato), they have mushroom salad and tomato, which is totally healthy and tastes great.”
Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, which researchers at Penn State University called the “lifetime vitamin” due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A 2020 study by researchers at Lund University in Sweden linked ergothioneine to a lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiometabolic disease for the same reasons.
Avocado
A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found links between eating two servings of avocado per week and a lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Avocados contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which may help prevent cardiovascular disease.
To live longer, Roizen eats avocado every week. Caterina Oltean / 500px/Getty Images
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
Cauliflower
Roizen makes a “cauliflower creamer” by mixing the vegetable with olive oil and using it as a spread.
In a 2021 review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers wrote that cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower, are associated with a lower risk of cancer as well as the prevention and treatment of other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and musculoskeletal disorders.
