The Greek island of Ikaria, a "Blue Zone," is renowned for its inhabitants' remarkable longevity. Here, people "forget to die," often living well into their 90s with a lower incidence of age-related diseases. While multiple factors contribute to this phenomenon, diet plays a pivotal role. The Ikarian diet, a variation of the Mediterranean diet, emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods, with a particular focus on plant-based ingredients. This article explores the key components of an Ikarian breakfast and provides recipes and adaptations to incorporate this longevity-promoting meal into your daily life.
The Ikarian Lifestyle: More Than Just Food
Before diving into specific recipes, it's crucial to understand the broader context of the Ikarian lifestyle. It's not just what they eat, but how they live that contributes to their well-being.
Ikarians experience significantly less stress. They also breathe clean air, follow an active lifestyle (helped by the mountainous terrain of the island), enjoy the odd glass of red wine, and have strong social circles.
The Ikarian way of eating supports long life not just through the food itself but also through the way meals are enjoyed. Many islanders live a slow-paced, stress-free life filled with walking, gardening, and resting during the wet winters. Ikarians often gather with family, neighbors, and friends to eat, talk, and celebrate. Cooking is more than a chore-it’s a daily act of care.
Stress-Free Living
Across much of Western society, people are rushing, busy, and stressed. In fact, at the end of 2023, one poll from Gallup found that nearly half of Americans frequently feel stress. But regularly feeling this level of stress can have an impact on health. On Ikaria, people live a far more relaxed pace of life, which means they are significantly less stressed.
Read also: Ikaria Juice Ingredients
The Core Principles of the Ikarian Diet
The Ikaria diet is rooted in traditional Greek cuisine but stands out for its simplicity and health benefits. Most Ikarian meals are built around vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and wild greens. Olive oil, whole grains, and fresh herbs like oregano and mint are used daily.
- Plant-Forward: The Mediterranean diet is not vegan, but plant-forward, and this is also the case in Ikaria. This means that the people had to learn to feed themselves by foraging for food, and many still choose to source their food this way.
- Emphasis on Whole Foods: The Ikaria diet emphasizes whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and olive oil.
- Minimally Processed: Mostly plant-based and minimally processed.
- Dairy from Goats and Sheep: Dairy from goats and sheep, not cows.
- Meat in Moderation: Meat is rare, and fish is occasional.
Common Foods in the Ikaria Diet:
- Legumes - black-eyed peas, fava beans, chickpeas
- Dark leafy greens and foraged wild plants
- Goat cheese and yogurt
- Olive oil and olives
- Herbal teas - sage, dandelion, artemisia, mint
- Honey, garlic, grains, and nuts
- Red wine and Greek coffee in moderation
How the Ikaria Diet Promotes Longevity:
- Anti-inflammatory foods that protect the heart and brain
- High-fiber meals that support digestion and gut health
- Natural calorie restriction through small portions and fasting
- Combined with movement, naps, and stress-free living
What Makes the Ikaria Diet Different From Other Blue Zone Diets?
- Foraging and self-sufficiency traditions
- Goat dairy vs. cow dairy
Ikarians don’t follow trends-they follow tradition. Recipes are passed down, meals are homemade, and people drink wine in moderation with family.
The Ikarian Breakfast: A Simple Start to a Long Life
In the Blue Zone Greek island of Ikaria, breakfast tends to be light but nutritious. It is considered an essential part of the day, but it’s not usually a cooked meal of, say, eggs. Ikarians have their own way to approach breakfast. The Ikarian longevity breakfast can start with a glass of herbal tea, herbal infusions that are thought to help promote a long, healthy life. They are one of the secrets to longevity on Blue Zone islands, but truth be told, people all over Greece drink herbal teas, usually made with herbs they pick themselves and dry.
The Ikaria diet emphasizes whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and olive oil. The most traditional Ikaria diet breakfast drink is a glass of fresh goat’s milk, especially for kids. Ikaria breakfast foods might include some whole grain rusks, a bit of goat’s milk cheese or feta, and Greek olives, or some rusks topped with a spoonful of the island’s renowned honey. But there are lots of other typical options, too, such as fresh season fruits, whole grain bread, and, of course, Greek yogurt topped with nuts or seeds.
On my island, a longevity breakfast can also sometimes mean a simple spoonful of extra virgin Greek olive oil or honey every morning. A glass of warm goat’s milk is another Ikarian classic.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Simple Ikarian Breakfast Ideas
Here are some typical Ikarian breakfast options that you can easily adapt to your lifestyle:
- Herbal Tea: Start with a cup of herbal tea, often made with locally foraged herbs like sage, mint, or rosemary.
- Goat's Milk or Yogurt: A glass of fresh goat's milk or a bowl of Greek yogurt provides protein and calcium.
- Honey: A spoonful of local honey offers natural sweetness and potential health benefits.
- Whole Grain Rusks: These twice-baked breads are a staple in Ikaria.
- Olive Oil: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds healthy fats and flavor.
- Fruit and Nuts: Fresh seasonal fruits and a handful of nuts provide vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
Adapting the Ikarian Breakfast to Your Lifestyle
You don’t have to live on the island to eat the Ikaria way. There is also a whole bevy of delicious, healthy breakfast options that you make in the spirit of Ikaria, by using ingredients such as nut butters, tahini, good Greek yogurt, chia and other seeds, and more. The important thing is to A) actually eat breakfast and B) eat a healthy one that doesn’t rely on sugary cereals or sugar-packed yogurts or other foods. If you're hoping to live a long, healthy life, breakfast is a good place to start.
Eating like an Ikarian doesn’t require fancy ingredients or complex recipes. Start the day with a cup of strong Greek coffee and a bowl of goat’s milk yogurt topped with local honey and sun-dried fruits.
Bringing the Ikaria diet into your routine doesn’t mean moving to a Greek island. Fill your kitchen with plant-based staples like beans, lentils, olive oil, and fresh or frozen greens. Keep dried herbs like mint, oregano, and sage on hand for flavor and health benefits.
Ikarian-Inspired Breakfast Recipes
While a simple spoonful of honey or olive oil might be a traditional Ikarian start to the day, you can also create more substantial and flavorful breakfasts inspired by the Ikarian diet.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Greece is also full of heartier morning fare, including lots of egg dishes and rusk recipes. Greek yogurt on its own is a great breakfast option - it’s good for your gut, packed with protein, and could benefit your heart.
Lemon-Olive Oil-Yogurt Cake with Honey
This Lemon-Olive Oil-Yogurt Cake with Honey is a favorite for breakfast in my house.
Greek Yogurt Pancakes
The addition of Greek yogurt in these Greek Yogurt Pancakes makes the whole stack tangy, silky, and fluffy.
Feta Cheese Skillet Pie (Tiganopita)
This Feta Cheese Skillet Pie, aka tiganopita, is a classic recipe from the cuisine of Epirus, and it’s almost like a pancake, making it an even more perfect breakfast pie.
Ikaria Longevity Zucchini-Herb Pie
Or you can go the longevity route, with a classic Ikaria Longevity Zucchini-Herb Pie, stuffed with fresh herbs, summer zucchini, and feta.
Sorrel and Cornmeal Pie (Aradopita)
Looking for something a bit faster? Sorrel and Cornmeal Pie (Aradopita) is made with a cornmeal crust, so it’s healthful, filling and much less time-consuming than pies that require layer after layer of hand -made phyllo pastry.
Tahini-Honey Toast
Yes, you can enjoy some toast for breakfast - but why do that when you can take your bread one step further? I love this recipe, Tahini-Honey Toast, because it features one of the most important, nutritious and traditional Mediterranean diet ingredients for breakfast: tahini. It is full of vitamins and minerals, and it’s a great source of easy-to-digest calcium.
Spanakopita Shakshuka
Then there are a load of paximadi recipes to pick from for breakfast - it makes a great side for something like this Spanakopita Shakshuka, as well as a super base for Eggs Benedict with Feta Hollandaise.
Greek Briam Baked with Eggs
The Greek kitchen is packed with egg dishes that make great breakfasts (but can also easily be enjoyed for lunch or dinner!). Greek Briam Baked with Eggs is one of the classics of the Greek vegetarian table, a wonderful dish made with thinly sliced zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers. It’s delicious and springy, the best way to start the day.
Asparagus, Basil and Tomato Frittata
And there are a billion frittatas and omelets that use Greek ingredients, from cheeses to cold cuts and more. One of my favorites is this Asparagus, Basil and Tomato Frittata, an easy, elegant Greek recipe packed with flavor, extra virgin Greek olive oil, fresh herbs, Greek cheese, and a special Greek superfood, mastiha.
Greek Salad Crepes
Discover a delicious twist on a classic Greek salad with these Greek Salad Crepes, a recipe inspired by the vibrant flavors of Athens. This easy, Mediterranean breakfast or brunch option combines the best of Greek cuisine-feta, olives, tomatoes, and oregano-wrapped in a delicate homemade crepe.
Beyond the Plate: Embracing the Ikarian Lifestyle
What Ikarians eat is important, but how they live each day may matter just as much. Most islanders live without rigid schedules.
Food is only one part of the lifestyle. Many islanders live a slow-paced, stress-free life filled with walking, gardening, and resting during the wet winters.
Here are some ways to incorporate the Ikarian lifestyle into your daily routine:
- Prioritize Social Connections: Ikarians often gather with family, neighbors, and friends to eat, talk, and celebrate.
- Embrace Physical Activity: Regular movement is integrated into their daily routines, making physical activity feel stress free and not forced. People are walking, gardening, and even dancing.
- Find Purpose: It's been mentioned that people in these regions have a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their work, hobbies, or volunteer activities.
- Slow Down: Slow down during meals and avoid eating on the go.
Other Blue Zones Breakfasts
Take a look at six go-to breakfasts from around the world's Blue Zones, that you can easily incorporate into your diet!
Yogurt, honey, fruit and nuts - Crete and Ikaria, Greece
The Crete of the 1950s had the highest longevity rates in the world (and the men lived to be the same age as the women). The island of Ikaria has the highest rates of people to live to 100 years of age in the world. One of the lesser-known facts about the people of Ikaria was that many wouldn't eat breakfast at all. They practiced their own version of intermittent fasting.
If they do eat breakfast, it is often something simple like yogurt with honey, some fruit and nuts and sourdough bread and extra virgin olive oil.
The yogurt is from sheep and the sheep are grass-fed. The fruit they eat comes from their own non-sprayed trees. Organic is the natural way for them.
Many studies show that people who eat a Mediterranean Diet have an incredibly increased lifespan, but what they don't take into consideration are all the extra benefits of eating organic, non-adulterated foods that you are foraging and growing yourself in these places.
Eggs, sourdough bread, olive oil - Crete and Ikaria, Greece
If people on the Greek islands of Crete and Ikaria have olive oil, it is of the highest quality and has the anti-inflammatory qualities that a good extra virgin olive oil will. When they do eat eggs, they are from chickens that are eating herbs like purslane so the chickens and the eggs are packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Some scientists believe that the large amount of omega-3s eaten by those on Ikaria (and Crete) are responsible for their longevity and health.
Miso soup, seaweed, natto, and fresh produce - Okinawa, Japan
A traditional Okinawan breakfast is served in several small dishes and includes a variety of fermented foods, fresh produce, and seaweed. It's no surprise that eating more fruits and vegetables supports longevity, but the standout ingredients in an Okinawan breakfast are miso, natto, and seaweed. Miso and natto are both types of fermented soy products.
A recent study suggests that eating more [fermented soy products] may help lower your risk of premature death. In the study, people who frequently ate natto were up to 24% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who didn't eat it very often. Kombu, and other types of seaweed have a similar effect. Two recent and large studies have linked a higher intake of seaweed with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and stroke.
Oatmeal with nuts, fresh produce, and maple syrup - Loma Linda, California
Inhabitants of Loma Linda, California are known for their longevity, but not because of where they live, but more because of who lives there, referencing the large population of Seventh-day Adventists that reside there. As part of their religion, they are mostly vegetarian. Their main breakfast food is made up of porridges and cereals and fresh fruits and vegetables. Their main breakfast would consist of oats in some form. They might have oatmeal with maple syrup and nuts for breakfast or oat waffles. They could also have a millet porridge or granola made with oats, maple syrup, and nuts, noting that oats are incredibly nutritious and have been shown to significantly decrease risk of heart disease.
Rice and beans - Nicoya, Costa Rica
One of the most popular breakfasts in Nicoya is a dish called gallo pinto - a seasoned mix of beans and rice that's typically served with corn tortillas and coffee. Beans and rice pack a serious protein punch when eaten together, and a recent study suggests that getting more protein in general (and plant protein specifically) could help you to live longer, not to mention, beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber-a nutrient that can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
Eating beans and rice for breakfast is not your thing? It may take a while to get used to, but after a few times you may be surprised how much you love it!
Bread, tomatoes, olive oil - Sardinia, Italy
Sardinia, like Ikaria, has a very large population who live to be over 100. Also, like Ikaria, breakfast is not a meal that is focused on much. Many Italians skip breakfast all together (once again, showing the benefits of intermittent fasting). When they do eat breakfast, it is simple and often about using up leftovers.
A breakfast in Sardinia could be leftover bread dipped in milk or rusks (twice-baked bread) with tomatoes and anti-inflammatory extra virgin olive oil. Again, all the ingredients are from their own land, organic, and fresh. Lycopene in tomatoes has been shown to possibly reduce risk of cancer and heart disease. Recent studies have shown a potential connection between increased lycopene intake and decreased risk of prostate cancer and lung cancer.