A low-protein diet is the norm in Sardinia, a Blue Zone known for longevity.

Here, registered dietitians weigh in on if it’s actually a healthy way to eat.

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(And I mean, Zac Efron is the tour guide, so theres that.)

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Blue Zones expert and author ofThe Blue Zones Secrets for Longer Living

So Efron spent his trip gaining some insight into what exactly makes Sardinians so darn healthy.

But is that a longevity no-no?

Heres what they had to say.

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Meat is really only eaten on special occasions.

This bacteria does loads of good, reducing inflammation in the gut, Buettner says.

And [Sardinians] arent just getting good bacteria from fermented foods.

Young woman mixing ice coffee

Vegetables are rich in fiber andvery beneficial for gut health.

Were obsessed with protein [in the U.S.], Buettner says.

However, our pursuit of proteinprimarily in the form of meatleads many people to over-consume, he says.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

Blue Zones expert and author ofThe Blue Zones Secrets for Longer Living

In fact, neither RD recommends a low-protein diet for most people.

(A specific genetic marker associated with longevity is alsoextremely common among the DNA of Sardinians.)

Most people in the U.S. arent eating enough fiber, thats for sure, Lakatos Shames says.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

(For the record, you want to aim to getat least 25 grams a day.)

So keep that protein on your plate.

And hey, add some fermented bread and cheese on there, too.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

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