Cretan nutrition

NUTRITION IN KISSAMOS

Nowadays, modern dietetics considers the Cretan diet as a type of diet that promotes a healthy and long life.

It has been established both by scientific research as well as by the residents of the island themselves that people on Crete hold the lowest mortality rates in general as well as the lowest mortality rates due to cardiovascular diseases and cancer on a word scale. This fact has triggered a research into the characteristics of this type of nutrition, to which the people onCreteowe their excellent health.

Very soon, it became evident that this matter goes back a very long time ago. It is not the result of the study conducted by some scientists but a biological experiment that lasts several thousand of years! The history of Cretan nutrition dates back a long time ago, even before the Neolithic age.

Findings of archaeological excavations have confirmed the fact ancient Cretans consumed more or less the same products as modern Cretans. Inside palaces of the Minoan age, archaeologists found large jars for the storage of olive oil, legumes, wine and honey. Also, the magnificent world of Cretan plants and herbs is depicted in various iconographic records.

Atheneus, Greek author of the Roman age, mentions two exceptionally complicated and delicious sweets made in ancientCretewith petimezi (grape syrup) and honey, dried fruit, sesame and poppy seeds.

Conquerors succeeded one another inCretebut no one could alter the soul, the religion, the language of the people and … their local cuisine!

This culinary continuity created a tradition which today is proven precious, since the international scientific community speaks not only of the cuisine but also of the miracle of the Cretan nutrition.

The international scientific community conducts discussions and is constantly in search of the ideal diet that will promote health and prevent illnesses. Since ancient times, the traditional Cretan diet seems to gather all the characteristics that make it ideal. This is also the result of a study conducted by 7 countries, which began in 1960and continues until today. This study consists of the follow-up through the years of a group of approximately 700 men from an agricultural region ofCrete. The results of this study show that this population manifested the least number of deaths due to heart attack and various types of cancer compared to people from other developed countries. The population fromCretelived the longest compared to populations from other developed countries.

It is worth mentioning that in 1991, when scientists from the Social Medicine Sector of the Universityof Creteundertook the pre-examination of the elderly population in the 31^st year of the study, those who had survived was 50% of the initial population in Crete whereas inFinland none of the population had survived.

The excellent health and longevity of Cretans is attributed to their traditional nutrition. This type of nutrition is simple and cinsists mostly of olive oil, which accounted for approximately one third of daily energy intake per person, whereas the largest part of energy came from cereals, mostly bread, legumes, vegetables, fruit ald less frequently from small quantities of eggs, cheese, milk, meat, fish and a little red wine with every meal.  

Cretans still prefer to use natural and unprocessed products in their diet and this is also the case for most taverns and restaurants where Cretan traditional recipes are preferred.

For Cretans, the secret to good health and long life is simple, quite simple really. They will eat whatever their rich land will produce, namely lots of fruit, vegetables, herbs, greens, legumes, cheeses, pasta and bread. They season their food with excellent aromatic herbs, they make pastries with natural sweeteners such as honey and grape syrup and accompany their meals with excellent local wine and delicious traditional kneaded bread.

They do not eat meat often or at least, they did not use to a few decades ago. The consumption of meat used to be linked to religious events. In recent years, they would eat meat a few times a year during important celebrations or, if they could afford it, they would have meat every Sunday.

Human ingenuity helped in making endless combinations and today there is an enormous number of recipes of exquisite dishes. Another characteristic of Cretan cuisine is the variety of dishes, none of which monopolizes taste but when combined they make a delicious ensemble.

Visitors in Crete must definitely taste local cuisine. They will discover that it is light, delicious and even more interesting and fascinating than typical Greek cuisine.

Hors d'oeuvressuch as dakos (Cretan bread rusk with tomato sauce spread, olive oil and soft myzithra cheese), cheese with honey, Sfakia pies, (thin fried pastry filled with soft myzithra cheese), kalitsounia pastries with herbs or soft myzithra cheese, fried snales in sauce (or casserole with courgettes and garlic), staka cheese, dolmathakia (stuffed grapevine leaves with rice), rabbit casserole with onions, boureki (courgettes with soft myzithra cheese), Sfakia yahni (meat stew with onions), sfougato (courgettes with eggs), yuvetsi (lamb baked in tomato sauce, various meat pies, lamb with artichokes, chicken with okra or homemade noodles  and many other dishes will remain unforgettable for anyone who tastes them.

Olive Oil

 The most important dietary element is olive oil, which for Cretans as well as for all the people of theMediterraneanconstitutes the basic sourse of fat. Especially inCrete, 120 gr of olive oil is consumed daily whereas in every other part of the world no more than 30 gr of olive oil is consumed on a daily basis.

Olive oil is basic for the nutrition inCreteand more particularly, in the area of Kissamos. It is used in most dishes, substituting butter or other types of edible oil that are used in other parts of the world. The nutritional value of olive oil is enormous given the fact that it constitutes the most powerful natural anti-oxidant, which protects the human body from oxidation and the development of free radicals which cause serious diseases.

The Mediterranean climate and the good constitution of soil in Crete allows olive trees not only to grow everywhere, on plains as well as mountainous areas, and to produce the best possible quality of olive oil, with low acidity and fabulous aroma. The fact that Cretans live longer and have the lowest rate of diseases seems to be directly linked to the fact that they are also the largest consumers of olive oil on a world scale.

"…Olive oil, compared to edible seed oil, is rich in mono-saturated fatty acids which are resistant to oxidation and reduce LDL cholesterol whithout affecting HDL cholesterol, which protects fron atherosclerosis… Olive oil is also rich in anti-oxidant substances such as tocopheroles and hydroxyphenoles, which protect not only fron atherosclerosis but also from various forms of cancer by blocking free toxic radicals. It is worth mentioning that the constitution of olive oil in fatty acids is similar to the one of maternal milk…"  Antonis Kafatos, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Nutrition, University of Crete.