Traditional Cretan Diet Guide
Tasty and Nutritious, Ensuring Good Health and Long Life!

In this traditional Cretan Diet Guide, you'll learn that the Cretan Diet is famous, - and some say miraculous!

It is the original Mediterranean diet  Culture, history and geography have helped create a combination of foods and lifestyle which provides a unique diet that is highly nutritious, prolonging life and helping to prevent many of the modern diseases that shorten the lives of millions of people every year in the West.

Western eating habits are the source of much debate at the moment, with concerns over the growing obesity levels in Europe, North America, and all the so called affluent western nations.

Finding the ideal diet is becoming increasingly important for people who want to improve health and reduce weight. Fortunately, there is a diet that is healthy, natural, tasty – and proven to prolong life!

Natural, traditional and local produce are features of the Cretan Diet, but some other features might surprise you. For example, in the traditional Crete Mediterranean Diet almost three times more fat is consumed than what the average American eats! The difference is that the Cretan consumes only olive oil, a substantial amount of which is neither boiled nor fried.

Crete olive trees are said to outnumber the Cretan population by 500 to one! It is believed that the qualities of olive oil are key in maintaining good health and preventing illness. Unlike other oils, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids which are resistant to oxidation.

Olive oil is unique in that it is packed with anti-oxidative agents, which bond with toxic free radicals creating a natural defence against many different kinds of cancer. It’s time to throw away all other types of cooking oils! Another surprise is bread. Three times more bread is eaten in the traditional Crete diet than the diet eaten by the Americans, for example. However, this is still less than other Mediterranean areas.

The famed Mediterranean Diet varies in this way to its Cretan cousin. The type of bread eaten by the Cretans is mainly wholemeal, except on some special feast days connected to the Greek Orthodox Religion. Christmas in Crete, Easter and Saints' Name Days all produce their own special breads.

"Imagine a diet where you can eat plenty of oil and bread!"

Meat and fish play only a small part in the traditional Cretan diet and Cretan cooking, and are usually cooked over a grill rather than fried. The main staples of the diet are fruit, beans, pulses and vegetables.

Fruit is abundant on the ancient island of Crete, and literally falls from the trees! In many parts of the island you can pick fruits from the trees all year round. From November to April the oranges trees and other citrus trees like tangerines, grapefruits and lemons are laden with fruits. A sweet small orange coloured fruit named Mousmoula, similar to a nectarine, are abundant from March to May.

From June, apricots are plentiful and the shops and markets also have piles of huge water melons packed in cages shaded by the sun with beach umbrellas. The vines are full of fat black and green grapes for wines and deserts in August, and you can often find wild vines with delicious sweet fruits while out walking. In September through to October figs and pomegranates are everywhere and given free with drinks like Tsikoudia Raki at the local Kafeneon. Apples, peaches, nectarines, plums and many other fruits are plentiful during the long hot Cretan summer.

All sorts of dried and fresh beans with vegetables and greens (horta) are a main staple for the traditional Cretan family and almost all meals are accompanied by fresh cooked or raw vegetable and pulses. In the Cretan homes in the villages slow food is prepared with only the freshest of ingredients. Recipes are kept simple with wild herbs added for flavour.

Last but not least is the liquid accompaniment – wine. The benefits of red wine in moderation is well documented, and the Cretan diet embraces the benefits wholeheartedly! At least one, (but more often two!), glasses of wine will accompany the meal. Even quite young children with partake of a small glass.

All in all it sounds like a wonderful diet – plenty of bread, olive oil with everything – and a glass of wine or two with every meal!