What 100-Year-Olds Really Eat to Live Longer

They prefer homemade food to takeout

Annie Davis, 107, likes stovetop oatmeal, grits, and rice over instant ones, and she’d rather have a home-cooked meal or eat at a sit-down restaurant than get takeout or fast food. “She’ll go to McDonald’s and say ‘this is not real meat,’” says her granddaughter Emma Powell. “She’ll eat it if you make it.” Processed food tends to be higher in sodium. With too much salt in your body, your system could hold onto too much water, putting a burden on your heart and raising your blood pressure. But making those foods from scratch, using fresh meat without all the preservatives and fillers, could help you cut down. Find out if you’re eating too many preservatives here.