Nutritionist from America’s only Blue Zone reveals what she eats in a day

Eliza Cheng is a resident of America's only Blue Zone - Loma Linda (Image credit: ournourishedbodies/Instagram)

A nutritionist from USA’s only Blue Zone has revealed what she eats in a day. Eliza Cheng, a dietitian and nutritionist living in California’s Loma Linda, revealed her daily diet in a piece for CNBC Make It.

Blue Zones are areas of the world where residents live exceptionally long lives. People in Blue Zones typically live over the age of 80, thanks to healthy diets rich in plant-based foods, regular physical activity and a strong sense of community and social support. Some famous Blue Zones include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California.

Nutritionist Eliza Cheng lives in Loma Linda, the only Blue Zone in America. “As a dietitian and nutritionist here, I think a lot about how the foods we eat can help us feel better and thrive into our old age,” she wrote for CNBC Make It.

Cheng advises her clients to eat foods that provide energy and keep them satiated for long periods of time. Here is a glimpse of her daily diet:

Breakfast

Cheng wakes up at 6 am and begins her day with 8 ounces (roughly 240 ml) of room-temperature water. Sometimes she adds a slice of lemon to it.

Breakfast is usually an hour later, at 7 am. Here, she partakes of a bowl of cereal with plant-based milk and some fruit. Cheng usually takes almond milk with her cereal “because it contains B vitamins and iron, which are essential for regulating muscle growth and strength.” Her breakfast cereals are typically whole grain, because they promote feelings of fullness and satiety.

Mid-morning snack

Around 10 am, Cheng refuels with a mid-morning snack. If she is hungry, she opts for a granola bar with fruit, nuts and seeds. “Those nuts and seeds are an excellent source of fat and protein and the granola is a good complex carb,” the Loma Linda nutritionist explained.

If, on the other hand, she is not too hungry, Cheng opts for something lighter like “a cheese stick and juice, or yogurt and half a handful of granola.”

Lunch

Cheng breaks for lunch around noon every day. She ensures that her meal consists of “carbohydrates, protein, dietary fats, vegetables and some fruit.” Plant-based proteins are a big part of her diet, and she frequently includes chickpeas, edamame, tofu, lentils, beans and soy meat in her lunches.

A sample of her lunch menu could look like “steamed rice with roasted broccoli and cauliflower with honey-glazed stir-fried firm tofu.”

Afternoon snack

Around 1.45, Cheng eats something sweet to boost her blood sugar. Her afternoon snack could be a single serve chocolate, a banana with nut butter or some strawberries and Nutella.

Dinner

A nutritious dinner is a must for Cheng, who typically makes a bowl of white or brown rice around 5 pm. “Then I will fill half the bowl with veggies and the other half with protein,” she explains.

For vegetables, she usually likes bok choy, stir fried with garlic, olive oil and vegetarian oyster sauce, and topped with white sesame seeds. For her dinner protein, she usually likes tofu, which is air fried or pan fried with onions and garlic powder and mushroom seasoning.

Evening treat

Cheng finally ends her day with a healthy treat around 8 pm. Of late, this evening treat has been honey-flavoured yogurt. She eats it plain or adds nuts for healthy fat, fiber and protein. “Yogurt is great for its calcium content and beneficial bacteria that protects my gut health,” she explains.