At the other end of the world, on a strip of land from Costa Rica, the inhabitants of Nicoya live old. Very old. And if they reach the century in great shape, it may not be a coincidence. Their secret? An ultra-repanded breakfast in this blue region: the Gallo Pinto. Behind this singing name hides a humble but formably effective dish. A daily routine that local centenarians follow without exception – and which intrigues scientists.
A concentrate of fibers, vitamins and vegetable proteins
According to researcher Dan Buettner, who studied longevity in this blue area closely, this breakfast checks all the boxes of a “longevity” dish. And for good reason: beans, rich in fiber and antioxidants, are associated with rice to offer a complete intake of amino acids.
Peppers bring vitamin C and A, in addition to powerful antioxidants. As for corn tortillas, they complete the meal with a significant energy intake.
Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist, confirms these benefits: “The primary advantage of this breakfast is that it is mainly made up of raw and unprocessed products, which do not contain additives harmful to our health. Then, the complementarity between the amino acids of rice and black beans allows a good supply of vegetable proteins … and the consumption of vegetable proteins is correlated with better cardiovascular health“.
A food model … with a few nuances
She returns to beans: “Black beans are also rich in antioxidants which counterbalance the effect of oxidative stress, reduce cardiovascular risk and the risk of developing certain cancers“, she continues. Could nicoya centennial become the new standard? If the benefits of Gallo Pinto are undeniable, our expert tempers certain elements, in particular the role of corn
But be careful not to overly: “I am more mixed on the interest of corn, which has a high glycemic index and which is often genetically modified (GMO). In general, it is ideally necessary to favor a breakfast with a good protein intake, which is the case here. On the other hand, varying its diet as much as possible to cover all of your vitamin and mineral needs is recommended. If we always have the same breakfast, it does not help“.