Most nutrition advice is either so restrictive it makes food feel like a punishment, or so vague it gives you nothing to actually do. We wanted something different. A simple, evidence-based system you can use every day, that doesn't make eating feel like homework.
So we built the Daily 8+2.
Eight things to get in. Two rules to live by. That's it.
The 8
These are the categories of food that longevity science keeps returning to. From the Blue Zones research, to the PREDIMED trial, to Michael Greger's work. Every item on this list has a serious body of evidence behind it. The framing is ours. The science isn't new.
1. A fistful of greens Leafy and cruciferous vegetables: kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, rocket. The most nutrient-dense food category on earth. Sulforaphane, folate, nitrates, lutein. They show up in every longevity study and in every Blue Zone. Non-negotiable.
2. A handful of berries Any colour. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries. The anthocyanins and flavonoids that give berries their colour are among the most studied compounds in cognitive protection and cardiovascular health. Frozen is fine. Often better, actually.
3. A spoon of seeds Flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin. Omega-3 ALA, fibre, magnesium, zinc. These tiny things are doing a lot of heavy lifting. Particularly useful if you're eating less fish.
4. A glug of good oil High-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil. The PREDIMED trial tracked 7,500 people over five years and the group eating high amounts of EVOO had significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease. The oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol in quality oil are what drive that. Drizzle it on everything.
5. A scoop of legumes Beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas. The one food found in all five Blue Zones. Fibre, resistant starch, plant protein, gut microbiome fuel. The most underrated food group in most British diets, by some distance.
6. A hit of spice Garlic, turmeric, ginger, oregano. Allicin from garlic, curcumin from turmeric, gingerols from ginger - these are among the most studied anti-inflammatory compounds in food. We call this The Flavour Layer. The longevity compounds live here, quietly doing their work in every meal.
7. A rainbow of plants Aim for five or more colours across the day. Plant pigments represent different polyphenol families, and diversity in plant intake is one of the strongest predictors of gut microbiome health. Thirty or more plant varieties a week is the emerging benchmark. This pillar is what ties the whole system together.
8. A whole grain Oats, quinoa, brown rice, rye, barley. Beta-glucan, fibre, sustained energy. Less exciting than the others, but it keeps everything running.
The +2
The 8 are what to get in. The +2 are the rules that sit around them.
Cut the crap Ultra-processed food - defined by the NOVA classification system as industrially formulated products with five or more ingredients you wouldn't find in a home kitchen - is independently associated with all-cause mortality, cancer risk, and cardiovascular disease. The research is robust and keeps growing. You don't need to be perfect. Reading labels, cooking from real ingredients, and treating UPFs as the exception rather than the norm makes a meaningful difference.
This is also why what goes into our products matters so much. Every BOSH! recipe is developed with this rule in mind. We're not interested in making food that tastes good but quietly works against you.
Fill the gaps Even on an excellent plant-rich diet, a few evidence-backed supplements are worth taking:
- Vitamin D3 - the majority of people in the UK are deficient, particularly through autumn and winter. The NHS recommends supplementing. There's no good reason not to.
- B12 - essential for neurological health and red blood cell production. Not found reliably in plant foods. If you eat a plant-heavy diet, this one's non-negotiable.
- Algae-based omega-3 (DHA/EPA) - the plant-based route to the same compounds found in fish oil, going straight to the original source. Critical for brain and heart health.
- Magnesium - most people are running low. Supports sleep quality, muscle recovery, and hundreds of enzymatic processes.
These are optimisations on top of a good diet. They're not a substitute for one. But if you're putting the effort into the 8, it's worth closing the remaining gaps.
Why we built this
BOSH! started as a cooking brand. We've always believed that plant-based food can be extraordinary, that eating without meat or dairy doesn't mean eating without pleasure. The "why" has just deepened over time.
The science on what food does to lifespan and healthspan is getting more specific, more compelling, and more actionable every year. The people living longest and best in the world are eating mostly plants, lots of variety, quality fats, and real ingredients. That also happens to be delicious, if you know what to do with it.
The Daily 8+2 is our attempt to make that science genuinely usable. For ourselves, for our community, and as the lens through which we develop everything we make.
It forms the backbone of our upcoming book, Healthier for Longer, and the nutritional framework inside FOODA, our nutrition tracking app currently in development. More on both soon.