Eating beans could be the secret to living a longer, healthier life
National Geographic explorer and bestselling author Dan Buettner has made it his mission to seek out those communities around the globe that enjoy the longest life spans without the diseases synonymous with a Western lifestyle - cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Five "blue zones" have been identified where more people live to the ripe old age of 100 than anywhere else on the planet. In his book, The Blue Zones Solution, Buettner takes a detailed look at how the longest-lived citizens of the world approach life, and what they put on their plates.
While regional and seasonal availability dictate subtle variations, one food is common to all these areas - the humble bean.
In fact, blue zone people eat, on average, a full cup of cooked beans every day and it is their primary source of protein.
• Daniel Jardim's Beans 101 workshop takes place in Joburg on July 30. Visit his Facebook page for more information..
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