7 Best Anti Aging Drinks for Longevity and Healthy Aging

New studies suggest that humans can live up to 150 years (1).

Looking for ways to live a longer life may not be the hot topic of daily conversation, but it’s certainly a thought that crosses our minds.

As we all know, diet plays a huge role in our overall health and, ultimately, our quality of life.

Unfortunately, there is not a single food or drink to magically add years to your life, but there are some dietary modifications you can make to promote longevity.

Leafy greens, blueberries, olive oil, and dark chocolate are all recommended by nutritionists to promote longevity.

But did you know certain beverages can also promote a longer lifespan?

Let’s take a look at seven longevity beverages that have been shown to decrease mortality rates and slow down the aging process to help you live a longer life. 

(Yes—this list even makes room for a little bit of alcohol consumption!)

7 Best Anti-Aging Drinks for Longevity

1. Green Tea

If you’re looking for the best drink for longevity, green tea tops the list.

Green tea consumption has been a huge part of traditional Japanese medicine for years and is associated with many health benefits and reduced mortality rates (2).

Matter of fact, green tea consumption is still very popular for its wide range of nutrients and used in Chinese medicine today.

According to one cohort study, those who drink green tea have a longer life span, increased life expectancy, and reduced mortality (3).

Another observational study found that those with diabetes who drank green tea had a reduced risk of mortality compared with those who didn’t (4).

Green tea also contains EGCGs, a potent antioxidant that prevents oxidation and can help prevent diseases in those who are under oxidative stress.

Specifically, green tea contains EGCGs, a type of beneficial catechin, which is primarily responsible for all of the benefits associated with drinking this life-sustaining beverage.

It is thought that catechins and EGCGs have many benefits like promoting weight loss, reducing inflammation, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, and liver disease.

According to one animal study, green tea’s EGCGs also may have anti-cancer benefits by reducing tumor growth (5).

Green tea is also associated with reducing high blood pressure by lowering LDL and total cholesterol levels. LDL is also known as bad cholesterol, and increased levels over time can lead to heart disease or stroke (6).

Not a fan of green tea? Studies show the addition of black tea to your diet also has similar cholesterol-lowering benefits to slow the aging process (7).

Although more research needs to be completed, one study from 2014 also found that the consumption of green tea was associated with decreased risk factors for cognitive decline (8).

The bottom line is, with all the health benefits associated with green tea, almost everyone should consider drinking at least a cup of green tea daily.

2. Black Coffee

If you’re a coffee-lover, I’ve got great news!

Black coffee may not only provide the extra caffeine to boost endorphins and energy in the morning but drinking a moderate amount of coffee daily may also increase your lifespan and promote a healthy life.

Coffee is packed with antioxidants that prevent oxidation and lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure.

Coffee is also a good source of many nutrients like vitamin b5, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.

Studies have found that the polyphenols in coffee have anti-cancer, anti-hypertensive properties. They may also be associated with improved blood sugar metabolism(8).

To get all of the great benefits associated with your morning cups of coffee, it’s always best to avoid added sugar and creamers high in fat— it can be hard to adjust your tastebuds to drinking black coffee, but it is the healthiest option.

Although it can be difficult for coffee lovers, it’s not recommended to overdo it. Instead, drink a moderate amount of coffee totaling no more than five cups of coffee, or 40 ounces daily.

Of course, if you have a certain health condition or health problem that limits caffeine intake, it’s best to speak with your healthcare provider to discuss how many cups of coffee or how much caffeine you should have in a day.

3. Red Wine

For all of you wine lovers, feel free to open that bottle of pinot noir in your pantry and have a nightly glass of wine.

However, all alcoholic beverages are not equal. Red wine is the healthiest option for drinkers because of its antioxidant properties and impressive nutrient profile.

A glass of wine is beneficial to promote a long life span because of its resveratrol and flavonoids —which give it it is red coloring.

Resveratrol can slow down aging and fight off free radicals to reduce cellular damage that may cause mortality.

Moderate alcohol intake is associated with a longer life, and there also have been connections with reduced risk of heart disease and improvements in overall health.

According to the American Heart Association, you should always limit your alcohol intake to less than 4 ounces or a glass of wine daily for positive health benefits (9).

If you’ve ever heard of the popular Mediterranean diet, you will see that this diet style allows for alcohol intake, specifically wine.

The Mediterranean diet has been shown to prolong life and reduce the risk of mortality by improving heart health, reducing cholesterol, and preventing chronic diseases (10).

There have been some conflicting opinions on alcohol consumption for those with atrial fibrillation (AFib).

However, one study proved, moderate alcohol intake, when combined with the Mediterranean diet, did not increase the incidence of Afib (11).

Similar to dark chocolate, red wine can also boost endorphins and increase your mood.

Due to potential adverse effects from overconsumption, it may be better for those who have a history of excessive alcohol use to refrain completely and try other beverage options to promote longevity.

4. Yerba Mate

Recently, Yerba Mate has become increasingly popular, and if you’ve never tried it, now is the time.

Yerba mate is a type of tea primarily produced in Brasil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Each cup has a similar caffeine content to that in a cup of coffee.

Yerba mate, similar to many of the longevity beverages mentioned above, Yerba mate has been studied to reduce blood pressure, fight inflammation, and decrease LDL or bad cholesterol to promote healthy aging (12).

When selecting yerba mate, you want to be sure to select one without added sugar to reap the most benefits.

5. Cranberry Juice

A recent study found that those who drank low-calorie cranberry juice were found to have a lower risk of heart disease.

You want to be sure to choose cranberry juice without added sugar to reap all of the positive health benefits associated with drinking it (13).

Cranberry juice is filled with polyphenols and antioxidants to fight against inflammation and reduce the risk of heart disease.

The nutrient composition of cranberry juice makes it a great choice for supporting living a longer life.

It contains powerful nutrients like vitamin c, vitamin b 6, and vitamin e to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Typically, it is recommended to limit cranberry juice to no more than 8 ounces per day.

There are some medication interactions associated with cranberry juice and its dietary supplements, so it’s best to speak with your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any medication that has cranberry warnings.

6. Kombucha

Kombucha is also made from tea and has many similar benefits to green tea and black tea.

It also has a ton of antioxidants to fight inflammation and free radicals. Though more research needs to be done, many who drink kombucha claim that it has many health benefits like prevention of cancer and reduction of cholesterol levels.

Kombucha is fermented and has probiotics known to promote gut health and may improve digestion.

This helps feed our beneficial gut bugs or healthy bacteria!

Kombucha also contains many vitamins like vitamin b6 and vitamin c.

7. Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols to reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote a longer life span.

Pomegranate juice is also shown to improve cardiovascular health and reduce heart failure by reducing plaque buildup in the arteries. 

It also contains vitamin c, vitamin b6, and folate for added benefit.

Some also contribute the flavonoid content in pomegranate juice to reduce cognitive decline and lower blood pressure.

The Bottom Line On Anti-Aging Drinks

If you’re looking to improve your health status and want to live a longer lifespan, there are quite a few longevity drinks that help us age safely.

As you can see, most of these anti-aging drinks improve overall health and decrease the risk of many medical problems that have a correlation to a shorter lifespan.

Although many foods are associated with longevity, we now have even more evidence-backed beverage options to promote healthy aging.

So, now you don’t have to feel guilty over the extra cup of coffee in the morning or your nightly alcoholic beverage after work (as long as it’s red wine!).

As with anything, we should have all of our favorite beverages in moderation to reach our health goals and promote longevity.

References

1. Pyrkov, T.V., Avchaciov, K., Tarkhov, A.E. et al. Longitudinal analysis of blood markers reveals progressive loss of resilience and predicts human lifespan limit. Nat Commun 12, 2765 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23014-1 JAMA and Archives Journals. “Consumption Of Green Tea Associated With Reduced Mortality In Japanese Adults.” ScienceDaily. epub ScienceDaily, 13 September 2006. artero a<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060913100352.htm>.free pmc article
2. Kuriyama, Shinichi et al. “Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in Japan: the Ohsaki study.” JAMA vol. 296,10 (2006): 1255-65. doi:10.1001/jama.296.10.1255 jul
3. Komorita Y, Iwase M, Fujii H, et al Additive effects of green tea and coffee on all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Fukuoka Diabetes Registry jul BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2020;8:e001252. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001252
4. Gu, Jian-Wei et al. “EGCG, a major green tea catechins suppress breast tumor angiogenesis and growth via inhibiting the activation of HIF-1α and NFκB, epub and VEGF expression.” Vascular cell vol. 5,1 9. 2 May. 2013, doi:10.1186/2045-824X-5-9
5. 5.Xu, R., Yang, K., Li, S. et al. nutrients Effect of green tea consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. epub Nutr J 19, 48 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00557-5 free pmc article
6. Hartley, Louise et al. “Green and black tea for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 2013,6 CD009934. 18 Jun. 2013, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009934.epub
7. Ide, Kazuki et al. “Green tea consumption affects cognitive dysfunction in the elderly: a pilot study.” et al. Nutrients vol. 6,10 4032-42. 29 Sep. 2014, doi:10.3390/nu6104032
8. 8. Reis, Caio E G et al. “Effects of coffee consumption on glucose metabolism: A systematic review of clinical trials.” Journal of traditional and complementary medicine vol. 9,3 184-191. 3 May. 2018, doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.01.001 free pmc article
9. Drinking red wine for heart health? Read this before you toast. jul www.heart.org. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/05/24/drinking-red-wine-for-heart-health-read-this-before-you-toast. doi
10. Minelli, Pierluca, and Maria Rosa Montinari. “The Mediterranean Diet And Cardioprotection: Historical Overview And Current Research.” Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare vol. 12 805-815. 27 Sep. 2019, doi:10.2147/JMDH.S219875
11. Bazal, P et al. “Mediterranean alcohol-drinking pattern, low to moderate alcohol intake and risk of atrial fibrillation in the PREDIMED study.” Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD vol. 29,7 (2019): 676-683. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2019.03.007 artero a free pmc article
12. Colpo, A C et al. “Ilex paraguariensis extracts extend the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster fed a high-fat diet.” Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas vol. 51,2 e6784. 30 Nov. 2017, doi:10.1590/1414-431X2017678
13. American Heart Association. “Low-calorie cranberry juice lowers blood pressure in healthy adults, study finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 September 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120920135559.htm>.