The Anti-Aging Meal Plan

If I want to live as long and as healthily as possible, what should my daily menu look like? Something like this, created by Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D. It's a balanced diet packed with the best anti-aging foods: colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole foods. And because research has shown that reducing calories by 25 percent has impressive anti-aging benefits, it contains around 1,700 calories a day — about a quarter fewer calories than the National Academy of Sciences average requirements for an active 30-year-old woman. (If you're only as active as the average gal, then drop to around 1,500 calories by cutting the last snack.)

Use these first 3 days as your guide, then mix and match.

Day 1

Breakfast
*8 oz fat-free yogurt mixed with 1/2 c raspberries
*8 oz green tea

Lunch
*2 c mixed greens, 1/4 c tomatoes, 1/4 c carrots, 1/4 c red cabbage, 1/3 c chickpeas, 1/3 c red beans, 1/3 c edamame, 1 oz slivered almonds, tossed with 1 Tbsp olive oil and as much red-wine or balsamic vinegar as you'd like

*1 plum
*8 oz sparkling water mixed with 1/4 c pomegranate juice and a twist of lime

Snack
*A mini-sandwich: 1 slice whole-grain bread with 1 oz low-fat cheese and 1 tsp mustard
*3/4 c blueberries

Dinner
*3 oz grilled wild salmon
*1 c brussels sprouts and 1/2 c thinly sliced beets sautéed in 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
*1 small sweet potato, baked
*1 glass red wine

Snack
*1/2 c high-fiber cereal
*1 c fat-free milk

**1,710 cal

Day 2

Breakfast
*1 slice toasted whole-grain bread, spread with 2 Tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butter, like almond)
*3/4 c strawberriesLunch
*2 oz white turkey, 3 spinach leaves, 2 slices tomato, and 1 Tbsp mustard on 2 slices whole-grain *bread
*1 c red grapes
*8 oz green tea

Snack
*6 oz or 100-calorie pack low-fat popcorn, sprinkled with 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dinner
*5 oz grilled albacore tuna
*1/2 c whole-wheat pasta tossed with 1/2 c broccoli and garlic to taste (about 1 clove) sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil
*1 c red-leaf lettuce and 1/4 c shredded fresh beets topped with 1 Tbsp chopped pecans and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries, tossed with 1 tsp olive oil
*1/2 pink grapefruit
*1 glass red wine

Snack
*3 graham crackers, topped with 2 Tbsp low-fat whipped cream cheese and 1/4 c sliced berries of your choice

**1,730 cal

Day 3

Breakfast
*3/4 c high-fiber cereal
*1 c fat-free milk
*1/2 banana

Lunch
*4-egg-white omelet with 5 spinach leaves, 1/2 c diced red peppers, and 1 slice low-fat cheese
*1 small whole-wheat pita
*3/4 c grape tomatoes mixed with 1/4 c diced avocado
*3/4 c blackberries

Snack
*1 Tbsp peanut butter on 2 whole-grain crackers
*8 oz raspberry iced tea

Dinner
*1 veggie burger on a whole-wheat bun
*1/3 c cooked brown rice
*1/3 c black beans
*1 c sautéed yellow and green squash
*1 c mesclun greens with 1/4c shredded carrots, topped with 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1/2 c diced apple
*1 glass red wine

Snack
*1/2 c low-fat frozen yogurt with
*5 c fresh berries of your choice

**1,730 cal