We have all heard that ‘an apple a day, keeps the doctor away’, but lately, more and more studies show that wine can bring many benefits to the body and make a significant contribution to maintaining our good health.
So how can wine help us when we drink it regularly, but in moderation? Let’s see it in detail!
1. LIVE LONGER!
It is known that in Ikaria people live longer than anywhere else in the world. Daily consumption of wine is part of a diet that can enrich the lives of those who follow it because it is less reliant on animal feed and more on plant foods. The inhabitants of Crete and Sardinia, known for their longevity, enjoy red wine almost daily, appealing to the main part of their anti-aging lifestyle. A 2007 study shows that procyanidins, the compounds found in tannins of red wine, contribute to the promotion of cardiovascular health. Wines produced from vineyards in areas of southwest France and Sardinia, where people tend to live longer, have particularly high concentrations of this compound. (more…)
Nafplio has a charming Venetian heritage and is one of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis (in eastern Peloponnese) as well as one of the most romantic cities all over Greece. Nafplio was the first capital of the newly-born Greek state between 1823 and 1834.
A sovereign naval nation-city in ancient times, Nafplio was founded and named (according to Greek mythology) by the hero Nafplios, father of Palamidis.
A target for Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans, they all repeatedly tried, and succeeded quite a few times, to conquer it.
In 1829, after the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, Nafplio was chosen as the first capital of the new-founded state and democracy. The palace was on the square in front of today’s town hall.
In 1833 the capital moved to Athens, the town remaining capital of the prefecture. (more…)
Ouzo has a special place in Greek cuisine and culture and it is an original Greek aperitif. In Greece especially, it is the perfect choice to accompany seafood delicacies in a seaside setting, with good friends. Tradition traces it back to 14th century Athonian monasteries, when by chance some monks mixed alcohol with anise.
Ouzo is a product with a protected designation of origin (PDO) within the European Union (EU). Initially, it was manufactured in the regions of Tyrnavos, and Kalamata, while at the end of the 19th century, Lesvos Island was the most famous nationally and internationally ouzo producer being the company of Plomari. There is a production of 7 million liters each year, of which 80% is consumed within Greek borders.
Heraklion is a multifaceted seaside city and a major urban center. Come and discover the Heraklion of yesterday – the Venetian harbor and walls, ideal for a nostalgic walk through history. And the vibrant city of today – city squares and pedestrian walkways filled with energy, raki (the local drink), ouzo, gourmet restaurants, and luxury hotels.
Historical Museum of Heraklion in Crete
Along with these, several excellent museums and one of the largest aquariums in Europe. Just beyond the city limits, explore the much-vaunted Knossos, one of the most significant sights on the island and in Greece. It is the most important center of the Minoan civilization, the palace of King Minos, and the home of the myth of the Minotaur. (more…)
Greek vegetarian vegan tastes are simple, and when someone wants to sense their identity, then they need to visit Greece. If you’ve never walked under the warm and bright sun of Greece, sat under an olive tree, smelled fresh thyme, oregano, or sage, or experienced simplicity over complexity, then it would be difficult for you to sense and comprehend the superiority and uniqueness of Greek vegetarian vegan food, diet and lifestyle.
Greece’s bright blue sky, the serenity of its sea, and the fact that is at the crossroads of three continents have always attracted people from around the world, and even in ancient times great Mediterranean civilizations endeavored to establish political and economic dominance (or relations) with the Greek world. (more…)
Fasting in the Orthodox Christian world is a way to clean souls by willingly avoiding temptations of gluttony taste related to meat and other animal products as well as daily food quantities, throughout the fasting period. At the same time, people must keep away from “spiritual temptations” (passions) too.
During the first millennia A.D. the Greek Orthodox Church defined the small and great fasting periods that Orthodox Christians should observe, by the fasting that our Lord Jesus Christ did for 40 days in the desert. Nonetheless, the fasting period “habits” of the Orthodox Church found fertile “ground” within Greeks since the ancient Greek dietary habits (eg Eleusinian mysteries – a ritual initiation) were very similar to the newly introduced rules. The catharsis of the body and mind is the target of any religion (Vedas, Bible, Koran) imposing fasting periods.
Also other mystic characters, like Moses and Pythagoras among others, followed the 40 days of fasting on their “journeys to self-knowledge”, during which it is known they drank water only to purify their body and mind. (more…)
Mediterranean diet or Cretan diet is a diet steeped in time. Historical evidence and mythology have extensively proved Cretans’ nutritional preferences throughout the centuries as well as their fondness for basic products.
I would like to introduce you to one of the most tasty and healthy cuisines in the world but also to a magnificent ancient civilization. Learn about the art of Cretan vegetarian nutrition and cooking.
Their diet is typically based on products that originate from the island’s farmlands and mainly include plates of raw or home-cooked greens, grains, pulses, vegetables, olive oil, and fruits. The Cretan diet is based on fresh and natural produce that is cooked in its original form without any addition in the preparation of the recipes of processed or complicated sauces and only enriched with fresh spices and aromatic herbs that grow on the island of Crete. (more…)
Crete, a beautiful island placed in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, couldn’t be less than an important center and crossroad of commercial and cultural exchanges throughout the centuries. The Cretan diet is the result of the long history of the island. It’s a real philosophy and lifestyle, aimed at harmonizing body and spirit with nature.
The study of the Minoan civilization shows a culture with pure and healthy nutritional habits. Interestingly enough, Cretan cuisine wasn’t influenced by anyone. For more than 2 millennia, Cretans have rejected the presence of conquerors by sparingly calibrating relational dynamics and avoiding foreign influences on their diet, literally keeping them away from their culture and their kitchens. (more…)
