Video Dispatch
Watch the Expedition Unfold
Travel with us to a isolated Greek island in the Aegean Sea to determine exactly why this place became home to some of the longest living people in the world. Today we learn about the three types of Ikarian honey and how each one may contribute to longevity.
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Go Green
“What’s that green stuff on top of the feta?” Nick asked. Answer: Olive oil. “What's drizzled on top of the tzaziki?” Answer again: Olive oil. Whether we are sitting down for breakfast, lunch or dinner, olive oil is part of every meal.
In the US, the word “green” refers to saving the environment. But in Greece, green is the color of their most treasured product, olives. Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil in the world (behind Spain and Italy). But in Greece, they keep 70-80% of their production for themselves. In fact, on a per capita basis, Greece consumes more olive oil than any other country in the world.
Olives and olive oil are a significant part of the Mediterranean diet, and throughout Greece, olive oil is the predominant fat used in the kitchen. But in Ikaria especially, olives and olive oil are part of every meal. As Michel and Gianni conduct their dietary surveys, many of the centenarians report that even their typical breakfast is a little bread, some goat’s milk…and a few olives. Sometimes, they have a meal consisting entirely of feta cheese, bread, a small glass of wine…and olives.
What is unique to Ikaria is that most families, even today, have their own olive trees and produce their own oil. The oil they produce is “extra virgin,” meaning that it is the first press of olive juice from the fruit. This oil is a deep green color and is more intense and flavorful than the oil produced when the olives are re-pressed or heated.
In addition, we learned that Ikarians do not use much oil in the cooking process; instead they “finish” their dishes with olive oil and pour it over their food after it has been removed from heat and placed in a serving dish. In fact, they drizzle fresh olive oil over virtually everything, including cheese, tomatoes, greens, meat, and spreads.
The Ikarians make their own oil because it maintains long family traditions and makes their food more delicious. But what they don’t even realize is that they are decreasing their risk of heart disease. Why?
Reason #1: Extra-virgin (deep green) olive oil has a higher concentration of polyphenols (compounds with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties) when compared to virgin or processed olive oil. And diets with a higher intake are associated with lower rates of cancer and heart disease. A 2006 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that olive oil with higher polyphenol levels resulted in higher HDL (“good” cholesterol), lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol), and lower triglycerides.
Reason #2: Heating olive oil destroys its value as a monounsaturated fat. Experts informed us that heat above 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit can alter the chemical structure of the oil and turn it into a saturated fat—which increases cholesterol and therefore the risk of heart disease. The higher the heat, the more you destroy the heart-healthy value of olive oil. Since Ikarians “finish” their dishes with olive oil and avoid heating it, they preserve the health value, and heart value, of their oil.
The high consumption of olive oil in Greece is thought to contribute to the country’s low rate of heart disease. Could it be that all that the extra-virgin olive oil consumed by Ikarians is contributing to their longevity?
It's certainly a very good possibility and we're gathering more information that seems to support those facts.
We'll keep you updated on what we find out.
Until next time,
Archelle
Medical consultant
Image Gallery
Our professional photographer, Gianluca Colla, will tell stories of the Quest through the lens of his camera. To see the photos larger or read the captions, click on the image. Today we can see some of the many faces of Ikaria.
Vote To Direct The Team
You help decide what the team does.
The Direct the Team feature is where you vote to tell the team what to do. We only have two weeks to uncover the secrets of longevity in Ikaria. We have three leads today and we're trying to decide which one to follow first. We've heard that there is a mysterious illness that might help Ikarians live longer. We're also interested in how living in an isolated area may help you live longer. We also would like to know if Ikarians take any vitamins or supplements and if they do, how they work.
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Daily Data
Print Daily DataWhat's new with the team today?
Each day, we'll post interesting facts and figures like Dan's blood pressure, what a team member ate for breakfast, and how much sleep the team is getting each night.
Expedition Team Daily Data
Meet Video editor, Damian Petrou
Name: Damian Petrou
Title: Blue Zones Video producer & director
Age: 39
Pedometer Reading: 7819
Favorite Exercise: Playing Hockey
Hours of Sleep Last Night: 5 hours
What I Had to Eat Yesterday
Breakfast - Yogurt with Honey and piece of toast with fig jam
Lunch - Nothing
Snacks - Nuts
Dinner - Lamb, Stuffed red pepper with feta cheese, hummus and lemon!
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Dan’s Dilemma
Cultural Sensitivities
We've only been on the island of Ikaria for a few days, but have already gone to lots of parties! This may not sound like a problem to you --- who wouldn't want to be invited as someone's special guest! But, here's where things get tricky. In Ikarian culture, welcoming someone into your home is a matter taken very seriously. It is not uncommon to be presented with plenty to eat and drink and to be greeted by absolutely everyone in the room. If you decline, your generous hosts can sometimes feel as though they have failed. We don't want to be insensitive to our hosts, but bringing you the best stories from this amazing Blue Zone is our work and it takes plenty of time. Perhaps you can help us figure out the best way to get our work done, without hurting the feelings of our new friends.
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Mystery Photo
What is this?
- Jellybean pudding souffle
- Sweet bread with boiled egg
- Beet flavored fruit cake
It is a sweetbread with a boiled egg in it
Although jellybean pudding souffle and beet flavored fruit cake sound mouthwatering good [not!], the answer is actually sweet bread with boiled egg. Okay, this combination may sound odd to you, but before you curl up your nose, you should know this tasty pastry, known as kouloura, is a holiday favorite here in Ikaria.
Kouloura is especially popular during Easter and New Years. During Easter, an egg is boiled, and later colored using dye found in beets and red onion skins. The boiled egg is set in a cake-like dough, then the entire mixture is placed in the oven and baked. The result is a delicious cake, with a red egg on the top to represent a symbol of their faith.
The same dough is made during the New Year, but there's a clever twist - instead of an egg, a coin is placed inside the mixture. When the family shares the kouloura, the lucky family member who receives the slice with the hidden coin, earns a year of good luck! No, you can't spend the money...but you can donate it to the church and return the good luck to the community.
Now that I've peeked your curiosity, I'm sure you want to know the recipe. Sorry though, this top-secret recipe has been passed down from generation to generation....but maybe you could come up with your own recipe!
Kid Profile
Meet Chrysoula Petraki
Age: 12 years old
Height: 1.60 meters
Weight: 57 kilos
Favorite food: A Greek dish known as Uveti, which has homemade pasta, meat, tomato sauce and cheese.
If you think you have a busy schedule, meet Chrysoula Petraki. When she's not doing rhythmic gymnastics, karate, bicycling or performing a traditional dance, Ikarioticos...she's winning competitions with her local volleyball team. But, success does not go to her head. Though the kids in her league recently took third in the nation, Chrysoula modestly told me, "Winning or losing doesn't matter. I just want to have fun!" One of the reasons she claims she's so good at the sport, is because she has a great practice partner. "I love playing volleyball--with my mom!"
In fact, Chrysoula loves spending most of her time with her family, a factor that has been shown to lead to longer life in many people! Even though things like hanging out with her 97-year-old great-grandmother, or helping her grandparents in the family-owned coffee shop, could help Chrysoula live to one hundred - that's not the reason she does it. She says simply, "I just like it!"
That might be why Chrysoula says she can't imagine living anywhere else in the world; she's already got a good thing going. "I feel comfortable at home. I love how friendly Ikarians are." And she also says her island is the best in all of Greece because it's so safe. You can go outside and play all night, and you don't have to have your parents with you, like in big cities!
Without knowing it, Chrysoula Petraki is doing many things that can help her live longer. She eats a health diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, she spends quality time with her family and she gets lots of exercise in her various activities. That's why we picked her as our Blue Zones kid.
The Bottom Line
Food is important to Ikarians and two foods produced on the island may be the reason they live so long. Both the olive oil and the honey are very special. What can we do to replicate their culture?
When buying olive oil, buy the greenest olive oil you can find. Look for a label that says, "extra virgin". Also, Avoid exposing olive oil to heat. Instead of using olive oil in the cooking process, try drizzling olive on top of your food just before its being served.
There are three significant types of honey on Ikaria. One with anti-cancer benefits, one with antibacteria benefits and one with antioxidants.
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