The Ikarian diet is the traditional way people eat on Ikaria, a small island in the North Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean family of diets, but it is plainer and more rural. Meals are built from what grows nearby: wild greens, beans and lentils, potatoes, garden vegetables, fruit, herbs and olive oil.
What's on the plate
Animal foods play a smaller role. Goat milk, yogurt and cheese appear most days in small amounts, fish a few times a week, and meat mainly at celebrations. Refined sugar and packaged food are uncommon. Herbal teas, a little local wine and strong Greek coffee are the usual drinks.
Why follow it?
Ikaria is one of the world's five Blue Zones, places where unusually many people reach 90 and beyond. Researchers think diet is one part of the answer, together with daily movement, rest, close communities and low stress. The food itself is filling, high in fiber, low in processed ingredients and kind to the budget.
How to start
You don't need to live on an island to eat this way. Start by cooking one bean or lentil dish a week, using olive oil as your main fat, and adding a plate of greens or vegetables to every meal.
