Blue Zone Spotlight: Icaria, Greece

Legend has it, this island full of centenarians got its name when Icarus flew too close to the sun, melted his wings, and began falling out of the sky. It was on a rock jutting out of the island that Icarus hit his head and drowned, thereby giving it the name Icaria. Icaria is a tiny, remote Greek island in the Aegean Sea, spanning about 93 square miles. The island has rocky, mountainous terrain, with the highest peak reaching 1,037 m (3,402 ft). Locals believe the Greek Gods themselves blessed this island’s marbled sunsets, clear waters, magnificent cliffs, and rich air. 

Icarians follow what we think of as the Mediterranean diet, consisting mainly of fish and vegetables, but they do some things differently. 

• Olive oil is their main source of fat, providing monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Both contribute to cardiovascular health, increase good HDL cholesterol, and offer protective properties against breast cancer. 

• Instead of consuming dairy products from cattle, Ikarians raise mountain goats to produce goat's milk and cheese. They consume it raw, preserving the enzymes and nutrients. 

• In mythology, the hedonistic Greek god Dionysus, god of wine, grape harvest, and ecstasy, was born in a cave on Icaria. So, it's no wonder Icaria is famous for its wine, rich in antioxidants. Their wine has also been shown to help the absorption of antioxidants from other foods and can even lower blood pressure. 

• One of the first mentions of Icarian wine was in Homer’s The Odyssey, which claims it was Icarian wine that gave the Greeks superpowers when fighting in the Trojan War 

  • Antioxidants stop reactive oxygen species in the body from taking electrons from healthy cells. This protects the cells from deterioration, lessening the effects of aging. 

  • They're also known to reduce the risk of cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.

• The Icarians eat 80 different kinds of wild leafy greens and herbs, including dandelion, fennel, rosemary, mint, and sage. Using the herb, a tea locals call their “childhood antibiotic” is made. 

  • Mint is also the food with the highest amount of antioxidants 

• 20% of the Icarians' diet consists of other vegetables, such as: 

  • Carrots

  • Potatoes 

  • Brocolii 

  • Tomatoes 

• Lentils and fish, like sardines, herring, trout, and salmon, are the main sources of protein among the Icarians. 

  • Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, has cardiovascular benefits, lowers triglyceride levels, and are essentials to the operation of the body’s nervous system, along with being high in protein 

  • Lentils can lower blood pressure, inhibit the growth of skin cancer cells, stabilize blood pressure, and are packed with fiber.

Diet is an essential factor in considering longevity; locals frequently claim that their stress-free, sun-filled environment also contributes. Furthermore, Icarians hike their mountainous terrain every day to run errands, socialize, and make their way back home, collecting over 12,000 steps. 

Sources: 

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/exploring-ikaria-greece-island-immortals

• https://www.bluezones.com/explorations/ikaria-greece/

• https://www.island-ikaria.com/about-ikaria/Ikarian-Food-Diet