| If you want to live longer you should follow the | | | | counterpart. But they mainly eat wholemeal |
| diet of the people on the Greek Island of Crete. | | | | unprocessed bread. |
| The Cretan Diet is famous -- and some say | | | | Meat and fish play only a small part in the |
| miraculous! It is highly nutritious and has been | | | | traditional Cretan diet, grilled not fried. The main |
| shown to extend life and prevent many of the | | | | staples of the diet are fruit, beans, pulses and |
| modern western diseases related to unhealthy | | | | vegetables. |
| eating habits, which shorten the lives of millions of | | | | This is slow food, prepared with fresh, local |
| people every year. | | | | ingredients. Recipes are kept simple, with wild |
| It is now increasingly important to find a diet, or | | | | herbs adding flavour. |
| away of eating, that helps people reduce weight | | | | Last but not least is the liquid accompaniment -- |
| and improve overall health -- without actually | | | | wine. The benefits of red wine in moderation are |
| dieting, or diminishing the pleasure we get from | | | | well documented, and the Cretan diet gives a |
| eating food. | | | | thumbs-up to this! At least one (but more often |
| Fortunately, there is a way of eating that is | | | | two!) glasses of wine will accompany the meal. |
| healthy, natural, tasty - and proven to prolong life! | | | | All in all it sounds like a wonderful diet, plenty of |
| The traditional Cretan Diet | | | | bread, olive oil with everything -- and a glass of |
| The Cretan diet is both simple and wholesome. It | | | | wine or two with every meal! |
| features: | | | | How to eat like a Cretan |
| - Fresh local fruits and vegetables (plenty!) | | | | These are the basic rules for the Cretan Diet: |
| - Beans, pulses and grains | | | | - Replace your fats and oils with olive oil for frying |
| - Olive oil as the principal fat | | | | and dressings |
| - A little wine! | | | | - Drink only a moderate amount of alcohol |
| - Herbal teas like Greek mountain tea | | | | (preferably wine) |
| - Honey and yoghurt | | | | - Eat plenty of fresh fruit and limit sugar and |
| - Occasional lean red meat | | | | saturated fat |
| - Occasional fish and poultry. | | | | - Include lots of food from plant sources, including |
| - moderate dairy | | | | fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, beans, |
| What's the secret? | | | | nuts, and seeds |
| Natural, local produce are key features of the | | | | - Eat low to moderate amounts of cheese and |
| Cretan Diet. Some things might surprise you | | | | yoghurt daily |
| though! | | | | - Consume low to moderate amounts of fish and |
| In the traditional Crete Diet almost three times | | | | poultry weekly |
| more fat is consumed than what the average | | | | - Include red meat rarely, perhaps just once a |
| American eats! However, the Cretan consumes | | | | week |
| only olive oil, most neither boiled nor fried. | | | | Simple fresh food locally produced |
| Olive oil is a very special food, and is a key factor | | | | A major feature of the Cretan Diet is its |
| in maintaining good health and preventing illnesses. | | | | simplicity. There are no difficult combinations or |
| Unlike other oils and fats, olive oil is rich in | | | | strange exotic ingredients. All you need is a basic |
| monounsaturated fatty acids, highly resistant to | | | | store cupboard of ingredients and then simply get |
| oxidation. Olive oil is uniquely packed with | | | | in what you need for each individual recipe. |
| anti-oxidative agents, which bond with toxic free | | | | Always try to get local produce, in season. This is |
| radicals creating a natural defense against many | | | | the tastiest and the healthiest of foods. Produce |
| cancers. | | | | that has travelled round the world in refrigerated |
| Now is the time to throw away all your other | | | | containers always loses some of its nutrition and |
| types of cooking oils! | | | | taste. |
| Another surprise is bread. A Cretan will eat three | | | | It's not natural to eat non-local food. |
| times more bread than their American | | | | |