What the Longevity Experts Eat (Hint: It's Mostly Plants)

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Longevity is having a moment.

From billionaires biohacking their way to 200, to scientists decoding how we age at the cellular level, the world is waking up to one truth:

We can live longer—and better—than ever before.

But here's where things get interesting…

Despite all the high-tech gear, peptides, wearables, and supplements flooding the wellness world, the people most respected in the longevity space—the ones publishing in Nature, teaching at Harvard, and inspiring global change—are all saying some version of the same thing:

🥦 Eat mostly plants.
⏳ Give your body regular rest (aka fasting).
🧬 Support cellular repair with lifestyle, not just pills.

In other words, you don’t need to spend millions to live longer.

You need a foundation.

And that foundation? It’s simple, plant-based, science-backed nutrition and daily practices. That’s what today’s newsletter is about to unpack.

But first, this email is:

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Bryan Johnson

Founder of Blueprint / Biohacker of the Year

• Diet: Plant-based, high in polyphenols, fiber, and healthy fats

• Daily Routine: Eats 2,000+ calories by 11:00 AM, tracks everything with precision

• Avoids: Sugar, processed food, overeating

• Takeaway: Simplicity over extremes—he eats the same nutrient-packed meals daily for efficiency and consistency.

Highlight: Lots of cruciferous veggies, nuts, olive oil, berries, lentils, and avocado.

Dr. David Sinclair

Harvard Geneticist / Author of “Lifespan”

• Diet: Mostly plant-based, practices time-restricted eating

• Supplements: NMN, resveratrol, spermidine

• Avoids: Animal protein in excess, processed sugar

• Takeaway: Caloric moderation, fasting, and polyphenol-rich plant foods slow aging at the cellular level.

Highlight: Skips breakfast, eats a lot of leafy greens, olive oil, and fermented foods.

Simon Hill

Nutritionist / Host of The Proof podcast

• Diet: 100% plant-based

• Approach: Evidence-based, balance > restriction

• Avoids: Ultra-processed vegan foods, excess oils

• Takeaway: Focus on diversity, fiber, and nutrient density—backed by peer-reviewed science.

Highlight: Trust the data, trust the science.

Dr. Valter Longo

Creator of the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)

• Diet: 100% plant-based with occasional seafood (longevity pescatarian)

• Core Idea: Mimic fasting with a low-protein, high-fat, plant-rich diet

• Avoids: Excess protein (especially animal), sugar, constant snacking

• Takeaway: Time-restricted, anti-inflammatory eating + regular cycles of fasting-like diets are powerful for long-term health.

Highlight: Whole foods like olives, nuts, greens, and legumes dominate his protocol.

Dan Buettner

Founder of Blue Zones / National Geographic Fellow

• Diet: 90–100% plant-based

• Focus: Identifying and studying the lifestyle habits of the world’s longest-living people

• Avoids: Processed foods, added sugars, meat-heavy diets

• Takeaway: After studying the world’s healthiest, longest-living communities, Buettner found a clear dietary pattern: they all eat mostly plants. Meals are centered around beans, greens, whole grains, and simple home-cooked food.

He emphasizes food culture over strict nutrition rules—what matters more than macros is the daily habit of eating home-cooked, mostly unprocessed, plant-based meals, in community, with joy.

What’s Next?

This week focus on eating whole food plant-based meals, start eating within a 10-hour window (8am - 6pm), and track how you feel—not just how you eat.

Remember, you don’t need to live like a millionaire biohacker to live better for longer—just start with more plants, less stress, and one smart habit at a time.

Eat better, live longer,

Live Better, Live Plant-Based 🌱