The Mediterranean diet is currently considered by Nutritionists as a modus vivende that endows people with longevity and sound health, with Crete at its epicentre, as supported by research conducted on an international scale.
Cretan nutrition is rich in vitamins and nutritious components and is based on pure, natural materials. Fresh salads, meat and fish, cheese and local specialties all made and cooked with exceptional olive oil of local production. Flavours that bring us more close to the natural way of life and at the same time protect and shield our body.
If you also add the imagination of the Cretans in the mixture of ingredients and the cooking method, you have an example of precisely what Cretan nutrition means. Following scientific research and statistical analyses, the Cretan nutrition and diet has been proven to promote health and longevity. It consists almost exclusively of products that the people of Crete produce naturally. Products that only the island of Crete and its ideal climatic conditions can offer. The products are not only unique in taste and quality, but also their combination gives enormous nutritional value which can be found in every Cretan dish.
For a Cretan-like diet, it is good to know the following basics:
- Use olive oil as the principal fat, replacing other fats and oils.
- Drink a moderate consumption of wine, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.
- Eat fresh fruit as a typical daily dessert; limit sweets with a significant amount of sugar and saturated fat.
- Incorporate an abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Eat minimally processed and seasonally fresh and locally grown foods.
- Total dietary fat should range from less than 25 percent to over 35 percent of energy, with saturated fat no more than 7 to 8 percent of total calories.
- Eat low to moderate amounts of cheese and yoghurt daily.
- Consume low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry weekly; and limit eggs from zero to four servings per week.
- Only eat red meat a few times or just one time per month
History
The history of Cretan diet is very old; its roots lie deep in the Neolithic Age. Today science has no proof, only circumstantial evidence of the dietary habits of Cretans 5,000 years ago. However, a clear picture of those habits emerges from as far back as 4,000 years ago, when the Minoan civilization was at its peak. On the basis of archaeological findings, it seems that ancient Cretans, the Minoans, consumed pretty much the same products that are being consumed by modern Cretans today. Large clay jars (pithoi) were found in Minoan palaces that were used for the storage of olive oil, grain, legumes, and honey. In various pictorial representations2 we can also see the magnificent world of Cretan plants and herbs.During the Byzantine period, the Cretans remained faithful to their dietary legacy and cooking habits. On the one hand, urban families were keen on preparing elaborate meals distinguished for their exceptional taste. On the other hand, the rural population subsisted strictly on products grown: greens, fruit, legumes, olives and olive oil. The Cretans, however, applied their accumulated knowledge and imagination to these lowly products producing delicious results. This practice sustained Cretans through adverse times, in periods of successive occupation by the Arabs (824-961), the Venetians (1204-1669) and the Turks (1669-1898). A turning point in the Cretan diet occurred with the introduction of new crops, particularly of the tomato, from the New World
The conquerors came and went from Crete, but the Cretan spirit, religion, language and cuisine remained unchanged over the centuries
Organic Farming
The natural environment of Crete favours the development of "earth friendly" methods of growing crops, particularly with regard to basic agricultural products, i.e. those that have adjusted well to the climate of Crete. In the last few years a group of organic growers embarked on a very significant project: to make publicly available select organic products that would meet the exact requirements of modern consumers.
This task started from olive groves to expand to garden produce. Demand for such products was very impressive. Every year new farmers join the organised groups of organic farmers, while scientific research in the field of organic farming is flourishing
