Greek Ikarian Diet for Long Life

Here’s my brief run down on a current, very popular topic: How a Greek Ikarian diet can help you be healthier and live longer. I Googled “Greek Ikarian diet”, and got over 35,000 results.  There have been a lot of articles about the “Mediterranean diet” for some time, but now because of a new book by Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones,  it is getting a lot of buzz. Particularly because of the longevity of the population on the Greek island of Ikaria in the Aegean Sea.

Map of Ikaria

So, for those of us who aren’t so fortunate to live in this paradise, we can at least try to eat like the Ikarian people do. That means eating more leafy greens, beans and lentils, cooking with olive oil, avoiding processed foods, and over-eating. We should eat meat less frequently and in much smaller portions. Eat the smallest meal of the day in the late afternoon or evening. Here’s the best part: Drink alcohol moderately and regularly, 1-2 glasses a day!Ikarian home outdoor dining

I have been a big fan of Chef Diane Kochilas for quite some time. I have made and shared her recipes on this blog. Some day I’d like to attend her vacation cooking school on the island of Ikaria.

In 2012 at TEDx Athens,  she talked about how to eat like a Greek, the nutrition of the Ikarian diet, and how all of this could be used to renew Greece’s place in the global community. It’s one of my favorite TED Talks.

Enjoy the video, and kali orexi!