Longevity is one of the biggest buzzwords of the 21st century. Whether it’s through exercising more, eating well, sleeping longer or taking expensive supplements, slowing the effects of time is often considered the holy grail.
But could affordable and easily accessible ingredients be the true elixir of life? Scientists from Tufts and Harvard universities certainly think so.
Is fibre the real secret to anti-ageing?
A study, published in JAMA Network, has found that consuming high-quality carbohydrates and dietary fibre during midlife is associated with better health in later life.
“We’ve all heard that different carbohydrates can affect health differently, whether for weight, energy, or blood sugar levels. But rather than just look at the immediate effects of these macronutrients, we wanted to understand what they might mean for good health 30 years later,” says Dr Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at Tufts University and lead author of the study. “Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality may be an important factor in healthy ageing.”
To understand the connection between consuming carbohydrates and dietary fibre, and healthy ageing, the researchers analysed data from the Nurses’ Health Study.
What is the Nurses' Health Study
The Nurses' Health Study is a series of prospective studies that examine epidemiology and the long-term effects of nutrition, hormones, environment, and work-life on health and disease development.
The studies have been amongst the largest investigations into risk factors for major chronic diseases ever conducted, and have led to insights on health and wellbeing, including cancer prevention, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Participants, now aged between 70 and 93, had previously completed detailed food-frequency questionnaires every four years from 1984 to 2016. This information allowed the research team to track intake of refined and unrefined carbohydrates, and fibre. They were also able to calculate dietary glycaemic index and glycaemic load, in order to better understand the broader effects of carbohydrate choices.
The researchers defined healthy ageing as the absence of 11 major chronic diseases, lack of cognitive and physical function impairments, and having good mental health.
Analysis showed that intake of high-quality carbohydrates such as nuts, seeds and legumes, and dietary fibre such as vegetables, was linked to a 6% to 37% greater likelihood of healthy ageing. Furthermore it was also linked with positive mental and physical health.
By contrast, intakes of refined carbohydrates such as processed grains and sugars, were associated with 13% lower chance of healthy ageing.
“Our results are consistent with other evidence linking consumption of fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, and now we see the association with physical and cognitive function outcomes,” says Qi Sun, senior author on the study.
The authors highlight that the study population was composed of predominantly white health professionals, which could potentially impact the results. Further research is therefore necessary to understand if the findings are replicated in more diverse cohorts.
Dr Korat also notes that additional work is needed to understand the potential mechanisms linking dietary fibre and unrefined carbohydrates to healthy ageing.
“Studies are starting to find an association between food choices in midlife and quality of life in later years,” he says. “The more we can understand about healthy ageing, the more science can help people live healthier for longer.”
What NPD opportunities does this create?
High-fibre foods are already hugely popular with consumers, powering the global market to $44.3bn (€38.8bn), with a projected CAGR of 6.7% over the next seven years (Fact.MR).
But its success has largely been centred around digestive health. This new understanding of its potential in supporting longevity could trigger a massive boost in sales for high-fibre foods and opens the door for major innovation and new product development in the space.
By contrast, associations with weight gain, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and gastrointestinal issues have led to refined and unrefined carbohydrates being perceived negatively by some consumers in relation to living well.
This new research could to help shift the narrative around unrefined carbohydrates as many believe they have been unfairly demonised in the healthy foods conversation.
“Carbohydrates have been vilified in the press and have been blamed for the obesity epidemic, as well as rising rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” says Professor Ellen E Blaak, chair of the Department of Human Biology at Maastricht University. “Moreover, with the recent popularity of ‘high protein diets’ for weight loss, the important role of carbohydrate in a healthy diet is often forgotten.”
Source: JAMA Network. “Dietary Carbohydrate Intake, Carbohydrate Quality, and Healthy Aging in Women.” Published May 16, 2025. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.11056. Authors: Andres V Ardisson Korat, Ecaterina Duscova, M Kyla Shea et al.
