On an international scale there is much discussion about, and deep interest in, finding the ideal diet which will improve the health of human beings warding off illnesses. Ever since antiquity, the traditional diet of Crete seems to be just such a one, including all the right ingredients.

A comparative study among several developed countries, which began in 1960 on behalf of seven countries, has a group of about 700 Cretan men from the countryside under medical observation, regularly checking the state of their health: so far this group has had the lowest percentage of deaths caused by heart attacks and different kinds of cancer. This study has also shown the population of Crete to be the longest living one: when, in 1991, thirty one years after the beginning of the study, the Social Health Sector of the University of Crete undertook the medical checkup of the group, about 50% were found to be still alive as opposed to Finland where there wasn't a single survivor!

Until recently the Cretan diet was simple and wholesome: olive oil of course, which counted for the 1/3 of the individual's daily need in energy, but mainly cereals, principally bread, pulses, vegetables and fruit and, to a lesser degree, cheese, milk, eggs, fish and a little red wine with every meal.

The pyramid of cretan dietTaking the conditions of modern life into account, we would recommend a return to the traditional Cretan diet, but with a noticeable decrease in the amount and frequency in the consumption of meat and other animal products. On the other hand, cereals (mainly bread), pulses, vegetables and fruit should represent 85% of our daily food. The consumption of olive oil must be continued: it has been proven through several past and present studies that this excellent oil plays an all-important role in warding off illnesses and in preserving our good health. Contrary to other vegetable oils, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids which are resistant to oxidation and diminish the amount of LDL cholesterol while raising the HDL cholesterol.

Much has been written in recent years about the traditional Cretan diet, and it would be difficult to be in Crete for long without realising how valued the fresh local ingredients still are to local gourmets. And of course every Cretan is a gourmet by definition.The general scorn for supermarket food among the indigenous population makes me wonder how they (ie the supermarkets!) survive. "Ochi supermarket !" seems to be the proud cry any time we sit down to eat in a Cretan home. Only the paper serviettes, we are assured, have been shop purchased. Tables groan with delicious dishes conjured from the local soil and hard labour. While English tables demand beans from Kenya, strawberries from Spain, and meat from New Zealand, the only airmiles required by the Cretan table are those travelled by bees.

But what do we mean by a "traditional" Cretan diet? I have been fascinated by some recent discoveries about not only the history, but the prehistory of eating on this fertile island. We all know the term "a land flowing with milk and honey" and the word "cornucopia" (horn of plenty) to describe the idea of abundance. Both these terms are associated with ancient Crete, for it was here that the baby god was fed milk from a wild goat's horn by the Goddess Amaltheia, and honey by the bee Goddess Melissa.

But science as well as myth can now vouch for the ancient roots of the abundance that we still enjoy when we sit down to eat a traditional Cretan meal. Recent developments in DNA analysis has allowed researchers to reveal fascinating details about what the original inhabitants of Knossos and other Minoan settlements had for dinner, and even the tipples they washed it down with! By scraping the inside of vessels and cooking pots up to 5,000 years old, they have revealed an array of dishes that would be remarkably at home on a taverna menu today. For instance, they have found that to make stews, meat was first roasted before being stewed with green vegetables. This is a method I have only seen in Cretan kitchens. Other refinements they have discovered from the astonishingly sophisticated civilisation of around 2,000BC are herb-flavoured milk, olive oil flavoured with saffron, and - yes, you've guessed, retsina! Drinking vessels found in the settlement at Myrtos were found to contain resinated wine, and what"s more, it was toasted oak that had been used to flavour the wine! Tell that to the waitor next time you"re served up with a vinegary retsina! The Minoan wine list seems to have been at least as varied as it is today, with barley beer, mead (wine sweetened with honey), and herb-flavoured wines being enjoyed. Even more incredible, not all the ingredients were local. Some of the resin was found to be copal resin from Africa, and terebinth resin was found in Palestinian wine jars in a late Minoan shipwreck off the coast of Crete. Further evidence that the Minoans were the most adventurous traders of the ancient world!

But what were the staples of this ancient diet ? Well, remarkably familiar ones, it seems. Olives, of course, then as now, were what the reindeer is to the eskimos: essential for food, medicine, cosmetics, light and heat. Meat came from sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle: all originally indigenous wild varieties. Deer were also eaten as was other game. Just as today, a wide variety of pulses were grown and cooked, including peas, lentils, fava beans, broad beans, field beans, and chick peas (what, no gigantes?!) And of course the huge variety of vegetables still known as horta, or wild vegetables today: wild artichoke, asparagus, chicories and endives, radish, wild leeks, wild mustard, saw thistles, purslane, vetches, okra, and many of the bulbs still prized as healthy vegetables and seen in today"s markets. Grains are not prominent crops today, although the corn circles used to thresh grain until recent times are everywhere. But in 3,000 BC there were at least three kinds of wheat as well as barley and rye grown. Modern farmers interested in catering for the health conscious market might note an opportunity here, for early relatives of modern wheat such as so-called spelt wheat, are now known to be healthier as they contain less gluten and don"t trigger the allergies that normal wheat can.

Some of today's staples were not present. Tomatoes did not arrive here until the 19th century, and potatos, bananas and avocados are all quite recent. It has been reported that in the 17th century there were 40 kinds of grapes and as many varieties of olive. In the same period, 29 varieties of wild herbs or vegetables were recorded by the traveller and writer George Sands, who observed that people then lived on these greens almost exclusively for 8 months of the year! That"s a long cleansing diet! However by 1812 another writer spoke of rice and baclava, so decadence was setting in again, at least for some!

In my next article, I will look at fragmentary evidence for some of the medicines that were used in ancient Crete. And I will reveal the precious, mysterious substance that was so valuable that it may have been what stimulated the Minoan economy to flourish so prodigiously and leave such a uniquely rich cultural and artistic heritage.

The health and therapeutic benefits of olive oil were first mentioned by Hippocrates, the father of medicine. For centuries, the nutritional, cosmetic and medicinal benefits of olive oil have been recognized by the people of the Mediterranean. Olive oil was used to maintain skin and muscle suppleness, heal abrasions, and soothe the burning and drying effects of sun and water. Olive oil was administered both internally, and externally - for health and beauty. Recent research has now provided firm proof that a Mediterranean diet, which includes olive oil, is not only generally healthy, but that consuming olive oil can actually help lower harmful LDL cholesterol. Olive oil contains antioxidants that discourage artery clogging and chronic diseases, including cancer.

There are three kinds of dietary fats: saturated (animal), polyunsaturated (plants, seeds, nuts, vegetable oils), and monounsaturated (olive oil). From a nutritional standpoint, all types of olive oil are approximately the same, with 80% monounsaturated, 14% saturated, 9% polyunsaturated fats on average. Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E and K and in iron. Olive oil, which is beneficial to the digestive system, does not necessarily keep you thin; it contains just as many calories as other oils (9cal/g). Olive oil acts as a mild laxative, is a friend to the intestine and an enemy of ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil is a good tonic, with specific benefits for people suffering from heart disease. Olive oil has been regarded as the "beauty oil". The body's cells incorporate the valuable fatty acids from the oil, making arteries more supple and skin more lustrous. The amount of oleic acid in olive oil is about the same as that found in a mother's milk and is thus the best growth supplement for infants.

Drunk before a meal, olive oil protects the stomach from ulcers. If a spoon or two is taken with lemon or coffee, it prevents constipation without irritating the intestinal tract. It is also effective in treating urinary tract infections and gall bladder problems. It is a perfect remedy for gastritis in children, it accelerates brain development and strengthens the bones. Olive oil dissolves clots in capillaries, has been found to lower the degree of absorption of edible fats, and consequently slows down the aging process. Only animal-derived foods contain cholesterol. Olive oil is cholesterol-free. Cholesterol is not entirely harmful; it is an essential building block for cell membranes, nerve fiber coverings, vitamin D and sex hormones. The body manufactures all the cholesterol it needs, so any cholesterol in foods we eat is excessive. Excess cholesterol causes a gradual accumulation of fatty deposits and connective tissue, known as plaque, along the walls of blood vessels. Eventually, plaque builds up, narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow, in this way increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and is vital for the structure of cell walls. In order to circulate through the bloodstream, it is "packaged" in fatty-protein wrappings called "lipoproteins". The low-density lipoproteins (LDL) distribute cholesterol throughout the body, dropping it off where needed. The liver also packages another type of cholesterol called high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which picks-up circulating cholesterol and returns it to the liver for reprocessing, or excretion. The LDLs are the ones that build up the walls of the arteries and so are tagged "bad" cholesterol. HDLs carry cholesterol away. So the more HDLs there are, the easier it is to unblock paths and rid the body of unwanted cholesterol. What the body really needs is a good HDL/LDL ratio. Polyunsaturated oils lower LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good") levels. Monounsaturated oils (such as olive oil), lower only LDL cholesterol, leaving HDLs to help clean out arteries.

Animal fats, which contain saturated fatty acids, exponentially increase blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower both LDL and HDL levels in the blood, but they do not affect their ratio. Monounsaturated fatty acids on the other hand control LDL levels while raising HDL levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated fatty acids as olive oil, which mainly contains oleic acid. The modest amount of well-balanced polyunsaturated fatty acids in olive oil is well protected by antioxidant substances. It is widely believed that antioxidant substances such as vitamins E, K and polyphenols found in olive oil provide a defense mechanism that delays aging and prevents carcinogenesis, therosclerosis, liver disorders and inflammations.

Since olive oil is not tortured during extraction, these substances are left unspoiled, making the olive oil very stable even when frying. So contrary to common belief, olive oil undergoes a smaller degree of deterioration during frying than other oils. Due to its chemical structure, olive oil is of unrivaled organoleptic value and thus the oil best suited for human consumption. It is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, its protective function has a beneficial effect on gastritis and ulcers. It is a cholagogue, activating the secretion of pancreatic hormones and bile much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of cholelithiasis (gallstone formation). Its excellent digestibility promotes the overall absorption of nutrients, especially vitamins and mineral salts. It has a positive effect on constipation. Bones need a large amount of oleates and what source could be better than olive oil? Promoting bone mineralisation, it is excellent for infants and the elderly who have bone calcification problems. It also has beneficial effects on brain and nervous system development as well as on overall growth. It shields the body against infection and helps in the healing of tissues, internal and external. Olive oil is a panacea, the perfect oil for all ages. And every time scientists look into the reasons behind an olive oil advantage empirically known and employed by the peoples of the Mediterranean, it is certain that they will come across evidence of yet another unique biological attribute.

As scientists tell us, the exact place where the olive tree sprung for the first time is the greater Mediterranean Basin.The first cultivation of the olive tree worldwide took place in Greece, and more specific in Crete.This happened about 3500 BC in the Early Minoan times.In this period the olive tree was in a wilder form in comparison to the tree we know today. After 2000 BC the cultivation of the olive tree in Crete was very intense and systematic playing the most important role on the island's economy.

From Crete started the first export of the olive oil not only in mainland Greece but in Northern Africa and Asia Minor as well. Very soon the cultivation passed to mainland Greece and the olive tree and its blessed product, the olive oil became synonyms of the Greek nutrition through centuries.The Mycenaean civilization (c.1600-1150 BC) followed the Minoan in mainland Greece. The olive oil production was very important in the economy of this society. The decipherment of the "Linear B" script brought to light valuable information about the production, the commerce and the export of the olive oil in Mycenaean Greece as we can see in the palace records of Mycenae and Pylos.In the 6th century BC, Solon, the great Athenian legislator, drafted the first law for the protection of the olive tree excluding the uncontrolled felling. The olive tree was a symbol in ancient Greece and the olive oil was used not only for its valuable nutritional quality but also for medical purposes.Between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC ancient philosophers, physicians and historians undertook its botanical classifications and referred to the curative properties of olive oil. This knowledge is being "rediscovered" today as modern scientists research and find news why the Mediterranean diet is so healthy.

The symbolic meaning of the olive tree as well as the exceptional value of the olive oil is visible in overall sectors of the ancient Greece's life. A number of facts show to us the relationship between the olive tree and its product with some social activities. It is characteristic that when the first Olympic Games took place in Olympia in 776 BC an olive-tree branch was the award to the winners symbolizing the armistice of any hostility and the peace.

This symbolic award was given to winners until the end of the ancient Olympic Games. However, not only an olive-tree branch was the award in games but the product itself. The most impressive example of the value of the olive oil was its use at the Panathenaic Games. These games took place every four years with the occasion of Athens' most important celebration, the Panathenea, in honor of the goddess Athena. The winners of the athletic games delivered as an award olive oil putted in amphorae known as the "Panathenaic Amphorae".The amphorae itself, constituted the quality of the already certified product; this is the very first example of product certification in world history.The quantities of the delivered olive oil to the winners were huge. For example, depending on sport, the first winner could take as award a quantity in about 5 tons. As a matter of fact, such as a quantity could not be consumed by the winner only. Taking into account that the legislation in Athens excluded the export of the olive oil but this concession was given only to winners of the Panathenaic Games we can easily imagine how rich, any winner became.During Classical period when Athens reached the peak of its power, the Greek olive oil was exported throughout the known world and as it is normal the greatest merchants were the Athenians winners of the Panathenaic Games.When Romans occupied Greece, the olive oil production continued and Romans were able to learn the secrets of cultivation.

During Byzantine times things did not change. The production of the olive oil in Greek territories was significant because of the vast size of the Empire. The Empire itself included almost half of the olive oil productive areas in the known world and the product was exported throughout the world.

Large part of the total production was the work of the monks due to the big areas possessed by the monasteries. When Turks conquered Greece the production of olive oil was not affected. The product itself kept alive inter alias the traditional way of life of the Greek nation and was even used for religious purposes.During this time the olive tree and its oil had a special position in the Christian Orthodox church; it was a symbol of love and peace, an essential part of several solemn rites, from the service of baptism to the oil lamps used in churches and the little shrine that is part of every Greek household.Undoubtedly, a great part of the total production belonged to the Turkish Government, but the rest remained in Greek hands as well as the "know how".After the liberation, the olive tree areas were separated into two areas according to the Greek law: the private properties (those areas which belonged to Greeks during the Turkish occupation), and the national areas (those areas which belonged to the Turks respectively).

From this time until today, Greece became the world's most important exporter of qualitative olive oil. The love and high esteem of the Greek olive-grower for the olive tree is passed on from generation to generation and from family to family. With the birth of a child an olive tree is planted which will grow and develop along with the child. When the child starts school at the age of six, the olive tree is ready to produce its fruit. The blessed tree grows up with the family, only it will have a much longer life and will still be around to be tended by the next generation, and the one after that. Each year, it yields its annual crop of olives in return for the labor and love expended on it.