Is there a secret to looking decades younger? A Korean woman’s viral Instagram video has highlighted the connection between diet and youthfulness – after many of her followers pointed out earlier that her 62-year-old father appears to have barely aged at all.
In the video posted on May 5, Hannah walks viewers through her dad’s , saying, “So, a lot of you said my dad does not look 62 at all. Today, we are doing a ‘what he eats in a day’ to see how he maintains his youth.”
From black coffee and banana-topped cabbage salad to soy milk matcha lattes and a diet low in dairy, sugar, and red meat, his routine is as disciplined as it is intriguing. “He always starts his day with a hot cup of black coffee and usually has salad for breakfast with the , like bananas on (cabbage and carrot) salad? I cannot. My dad also loves matcha lattes, but his order is super specific – soy milk and no syrup. He avoids dairy and sugar as much as possible,” Hannah shared.
She also mentioned his preference for brown rice over white, chicken and seafood instead of beef, and zero alcohol. “Even though he eats super healthy, there is one thing he absolutely cannot resist – noodles,” she says.
Then the father and daughter head to a mart, where he purchases his favourite snack, roasted black beans. “Maybe that’s his secret to still having a full head of jet black hair at his age,” she added. “His diet got more strict after being diagnosed with about 2 years ago. But here you go, his daily diet!” Hannah mentioned in the caption.
Deepika Sharma, a personal trainer who focuses on functional nutrition, tells , “The short answer is, yes—especially over decades. Sugar is a highly glycaemic food. It spikes insulin, which leads to increased inflammation and glycation (a process where sugar binds to collagen and elastin), leading to wrinkling, sagging, and dull skin.”
The other is dairy, particularly cow’s milk can be linked to acne, oil production and inflammation in genetically susceptible people. Sharma says, “There’s also evidence that dairy may accelerate androgen activity which affects hair and skin. On the other hand, soy milk contains plant oestrogen that helps and skin elasticity.”
Over time, removing dairy and sugar reduces internal inflammation and oxidative stress — which slows visible ageing, keeps skin tone more even, and supports overall skin resilience.
Hannah mentioned her dad eats salad for breakfast with unusual toppings like bananas, and that his snack of choice is roasted black beans. Sharma mentions, “Bananas are rich in biotin (a B-vitamin essential for skin and hair), habe high dopamine precursors which indirectly boosts mood and harmonal balance. Roasted Black Beans are packed with zinc, iron, and protein — all vital for hair pigment (melanin) and keratin synthesis. It is also rich in antioxidants that fight oxidativess stress linked to gray hair and dull skin”
She adds that adding bananas to salad is unconventional, but functionally powerful. “This isn’t just a quirky breakfast — it’s a strategic combination that covers micronutrients, antioxidants, and hormonal balance, all of which map directly to youthful skin and hair,” shares the expert.
Sharma states, “What this diet does is it reduces oxidative stress, which reduces cellular ageing. It supports mitrochordial functions which are critical for energy, and even hair follicle vitability. Skin texture improves from including microcirculations from such diets for better oxygen and nutrient delivery resulting in firmness, glow and even tone.”
Post-illness lifestyle changes often create an internal environment less conducive to ageing. It’s not just about disease management — it’s a visible, cellular-level reset.
