Humans have been dreaming about discovering the fountain of youth since at least the 5th century B.C.. That’s when Greek historian Herodotus chronicled a restorative spring in Africa that is said to have helped those who visited it to routinely live up to 120 years.

A full 2,500 years later, we’re still tempted by the potential promise of a stronger, longer life. Certain Asian cultures share Longevity Noodles around birthdays and the New Year. The Blue Zones founders claim they have found the "food secrets of the world’s longest-lived people." Supplement brands are promoting "longevity stacks" with powders and pills they assert may aid in "maximizing healthy aging."

And within the last year, a protein bar has hit the market touting some pretty bold claims.

"We wanted to create a bar that could be smarter than your healthiest meal," says Chris Mirabile, CEO and founder of the nutraceutical company NOVOS Labs. "We brought together some of the best minds in longevity, nutrition and gastronomy to build essential vitamins, minerals, and longevity-enhancing ingredients into one nutrient-dense, whole-food bar that supports skin health, immune function, and metabolism."

These minds include longevity researcher Diogo Barardo, PhD, registered dietitian Brooke Alpert, MS, RD, and pastry chef Vân Nguyễn, who previously worked at 3-Michelin-Star restaurants, including The French Laundry and Per Se.

So what are NOVOS Bars, exactly, and can they really help you live longer? We asked dietitians (not affiliated with the brand) to dish.

What are NOVOS bars?

Available in Salted Chocolate Crunch, Mixed Berry Crunch, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Crunch flavors, the recipe for each NOVOS Bar includes 20 superfoods and built-in supplements. The creators vow that they combed through more than 450 studies to determine which ingredients to include.

When you flip around the package and peek at the label, you’ll see many familiar culinary staples (seed butters, honey, cocoa powder, olive oil, sea salt) and plenty of supplements (tapioca fiber, brown rice and pea protein, mushroom extract, and rosemary extract) in the mix. The formula is vegetarian, gluten-free and based on the Mediterranean diet. Each bar has between 190 and 220 calories, and adds 6 to 7 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein to your daily tally.

"I’m impressed by the 'real food' ingredient list, the respectable amounts of protein, fiber, and minimal added sugar [4 grams per bar] and the clearly listed amounts of the five supplement ingredients," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and the author of The Superfood Swap.

Mary Stewart, RD, LD, a registered dietitian and the founder of Cultivate Nutrition in Dallas agrees, applauding NOVOS Bars as an excellent grab-and-go option, if you’re needing a quick bite between meals.

Although the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel don’t raise red flags for the dietitians, the price tag certainly might for any accountants in the room. To set themselves up to potentially score the benefits pledged by the NOVOS team — including fewer cravings, more stamina, stronger focus, better skin, improved metabolism, and slower aging — folks are instructed to consume 1 to 2 bars per day. At $4 each, that works out to $1,460 to $2,920 per year on bars alone.

Can NOVOS bars actually help you live longer?

Both dietitians confirm that longevity isn’t about a specific superfood, a single hyperfixation meal, or a bar — no matter how buzzy it might be. It’s about what’s on your plate most days over months, years, and decades.

"I like that products like NOVOS Bars are bringing attention to the idea that nutrition can influence healthy aging," Blatner admits. "Still, longevity isn't built on one magic bullet bar, it's the cumulative effect of thousands of little everyday choices over many years."

Sure, individual ingredients like taurine, astaxanthin, and functional mushrooms might offer some longevity benefits, Blatner concedes. However, the current body of research comes from mouse studies or cell models, and is still at the very beginning stages in humans. The science is encouraging, but it’s not even close to a longevity guarantee yet.

We also know that ingredients like olive oil and seed butters are wise additions to a meal plan. Among other body benefits, both have been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory within the body. However, you can feature NOVOS Bars’ star ingredients in DIY recipes too, in a package that might offer more volume and satisfaction at a lower price point. (Case in point: This hearty Chopped Salad With Tahini Dressing.)

"A product that promises to help you stay younger for longer seems to skew more marketing than science," Stewart concedes. "There’s a lot of chatter around longevity right now, but the truth is that it’s built on a whole pattern of habits, not any single product. One bar won’t undo a week of fast food or make up for weeks of a sedentary lifestyle."

Should you try NOVOS bars?

Protein bars can be a good option when traveling, rushing between meetings, storing in a gym bag post-workout, or as a quick snack to bridge the gap between meals, the experts admit.

"My clients and I both take advantage of bars when on-the-go, if whole foods aren’t an option," Stewart tells us. "If I’m at home and need a snack, I’ll make a bowl of cottage cheese with blueberries, but if I’m traveling, in between meetings, or in the carpool line, a quality bar beats skipping food or hitting a drive-thru every time."

Compared to its peers in the protein bar aisle, this is among the most nutrient-dense, Blatner notes. That being said, no single bar — even if you eat one daily for weeks or months — "can replace the benefits of regularly eating whole foods like fruit, veggies, beans, fish, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and whole grains," Blatner continues.

If you frequently find yourself needing a between-meal bite with fairly balanced nutrition, and if NOVOS Bars fit in your budget, go for it. Just keep in mind that if you’re seeking to extend the number of healthy years you live (aka your "healthspan") the habits below are the ones that will actually move the needle.

How can you support a longer healthspan, according to dietitians?

As we hinted to earlier, no individual ingredient or food can guarantee longevity. Longevity is influenced by the big picture of your lifestyle, including:

Overall diet

What we eat plays a pivotal role in influencing longevity and reducing your risk of age-related health issues. Research has shown that a healthy dietary pattern like the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower inflammation, reduced risk of fractures from osteoporosis, and all-cause mortality. "The Mediterranean diet framework is focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, extra virgin olive oil, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, with moderate consumption of dairy, fish and poultry, and minimal intake of red meat and sweets," Stewart explains. Collectively, these practices promote cardiovascular health, reduce chronic disease risk, and are linked to increased longevity.

Gut health

A high-quality, nutrient-rich dietary pattern not only nourishes the body but also fuels a healthy balance of microorganisms in the gut, Stewart tells Food Network. "Research suggests a healthy microbiome influences our longevity by acting on our immune system, lowering systemic inflammation, supporting the gut-brain axis and offering protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases," Stewart says. To feed your gut, try to prioritize the "3 Ps:" probiotics, prebiotics, and polyphenols. Probiotics are your fermented foods, including kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Prebiotics are the fiber that feeds them, like legumes, leeks, asparagus, and oats. And polyphenols are colorful plant compounds in berries, extra virgin olive oil, and spices like turmeric and green tea.

Physical activity

Starting at around age 30, adults begin to lose about 3 to 8 percent of their lean muscle mass each decade, science suggests. The best way to slow the decline — or possibly build muscle at 30 and beyond? Strength training and consuming adequate amounts of protein throughout the day, Blatner says. "By preserving muscle mass, you’ll be supporting mobility, independence, and overall health as you age," she explains.

Sleep and social connection

Quality sleep and strong social relationships are both linked to better physical health, cognitive function, and longevity. A perfect place to sneak in extra social connection: around the table. "The experience of eating can also contribute to longevity, so aim to enjoy your meals, cook at home more often, and share food with family and friends," Blatner suggests.

True, these strategies aren’t the most sensational or headline-grabbing. But "the more consistent we are with these healthy behaviors, the more we are able to positively influence our longevity," Stewart says. Instead of putting all of our faith into a bar, "consistency is the real longevity hack," she concludes.

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