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Shawn Ang
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Edgar Castrejon
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Taylor Kiser
Life along the stunning azure Aegean Sea is slow and easy. On the rocky Greek island of Ikaria, long days go by with work in the garden, afternoon naps, leisurely strolls to friends’ houses and meals stretched out for hours over conversation. Known as the “island where people forget to die,” Ikaria boasts one of the longest lifespans in the world, with one in three residents making it to their 90s, according to Blue Zones research. They are almost completely free of dementia and other chronic diseases that affect Americans.
Much credit for their elongated lives goes to eating the Mediterranean diet. It’s heavy on produce, whole grains, beans and nuts, while lightly incorporating seafood, dairy, poultry, eggs and red wine, and limited sweets and red meat.
The diet has gotten much press in the New Year since U.S. News & World Report named it the No. 1 overall diet for 2019 — the easiest to follow and the best for healthy eating, diabetes, heart health and plant-based eating.
It can be associated with preventing cancer and diabetes while promoting better heart and brain health.
Carolyn Bouquot, registered dietitian and nutritionist for Western Reserve Nutrition in Akron, coaches her clients toward a plant-based diet and often uses the Mediterranean diet as a guide.
“I’m a really big fan of the Mediterranean diet because I really think our American diet is too high in processed foods, high in sugar, high in fat and high in sodium,” she says. “The Mediterranean [diet] is going back to more basic natural food.”
We may not live by the sparkling blue sea, but Bouquot walks us through how to eat like Ikarians — and maybe even live as long as them.
Fresh Habits
Swapping processed foods for natural ones (think fruits and veggies) is at the heart of the Mediterranean diet. You’ll want at least seven to 10 servings a day of produce. The change brings plenty of health benefits, including better digestion.
“Research tells us that it’s a healthier way to be eating,” Bouquot says. “Excessive saturated fats and cholesterol have an inflammatory effect on our body, and that leads to health problems such as memory issues. Fresh fruits and vegetables are better for us and help with maintaining weight.”
Eating fresh sounds simple and even obvious — but actually doing it can be challenging. Buying only fresh foods means no preservatives and a risk that food will spoil before you can eat it, so more meal planning and prep are required.
Bouquot recommends changing up your grocery habits by shopping the perimeter of the store — where the coolers of fresh food are — and avoiding the processed, packaged foods in the middle.
“Food that is more perishable, that has to be refrigerated and has a sell-by date, is typically going to be healthier,” she says.
Save prep time by buying produce that’s presliced in packages or from the salad bar. If you purchase whole fruits and veggies, you can always put them in a food processor to cut down on chopping time, too. Those worried about wasting fresh food can buy frozen produce.
When it comes to whether to buy organic, Bouquot goes by the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen guide to produce with the top amounts of pesticide contamination. The list for 2018 includes strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes and more. Essentially, produce with a thin skin are more susceptible to pesticide contamination, so you may want to choose organic for those.
Consuming mostly produce doesn’t mean just eating like a rabbit. While Bouquot does steer clients toward salads in the summer, she recommends vegetarian soups in the winter. She has several creative and sneaky ways to boost the produce in your diet, such as drinking 100 percent juice that contains fruits and veggies, and mixing greens into fruit smoothies. It’s a bonus that smoothies help you incorporate Greek yogurt, a dairy source recommended a few times a week to daily on the Mediterranean diet.
“It’s a good source of protein. The probiotics can be very helpful for overall health,” Bouquot says.
Yogurt is also used in Mediterranean sauces such as tzatziki, a cucumber dill sauce. The diet encourages playing with herbs and spices rather than salt to season seafood, veggies and other food.
“There are really great flavors that can add a lot to the food but don’t add sodium,” Bouquot says.
KnowYour Food
To make the switch to the Mediterranean diet, you’ll want to seek healthy alternatives to foods you typically eat. Bouquot recommends starting to read the labels on all food you buy at the grocery store. This diet avoids added sugar, refined grains (white bread), trans fat, refined oils (soybean, canola), processed meat or processed food (low fat or diet are warning signs).
For dressings, sub olive oil and vinegar for creamy, fatty selections. You can mix your own olive oil and vinegar dressing at home or look for dressings with olive oil as the main component like Newman’s Own. Buy flavored olive oils at Olive My Heart in Hudson or other specialty food stores.
Be just as thorough when selecting a pasta. The diet recommends whole grains, so choose pastas and crackers with whole grains as the main ingredient. Whole-grain pita chips with hummus make a tasty snack. Also munch on nuts or baby carrots, berries or apple slices.
If you’ve tried to change your shopping habits and are still overwhelmed, Bouquot recommends talking to a dietitian to help you plan meals and portions.
“Nutritionists tell you exactly how much carbohydrates, how much fat and how much protein. It’s a good basic guideline, and if they need specifics for their health conditions, it’s a good idea to talk to an expert or dietitian,” she says.
Life Changer
The bottom and biggest part of the Oldways Mediterranean food pyramid recommends two major components of the diet that don’t involve food — exercising and sharing meals with others.
You may not live in a hilly town that requires you to travel up and down stairs every day, but at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity activity is recommended each week.
The other component is just as important. Greeks often walk to friends’ or families’ houses for long meals. Social connections are known to boost overall health and longevity.
“There has been a number of research articles or general experts talking about the fact that Mediterranean lifestyle is eating with people. People are healthier because they have social interactions,” Bouquot says.
So try to join friends, children, spouses or whoever for meals. It may increase your longevity.
“Socializing with friends or family is part of the enjoyment of life,” she says. “That can be one of the reasons why their life is extended.”
