Researchers have long been trying to unlock the life secrets of the residents of the Greek island of Ikaria, who thrive well into old age. Now it seems their secret could go well beyond eating the strictest version of the Mediterranean diet, daily natural exercise and a relaxed paced of daily life. According to Dan Buettner, an American longevity expert and New York Times Bestelling author, there is almost no dementia among Ikaria’s residents and there may be two drinks that help them stay sharp: herbal tea and coffee.
Speaking on the “Live Well Be Well” podcast, Buettner revealed that the idyllic Greek island on the Aegean Sea boasts more than some of the world’s longest living inhabitants—it also has impressively low rates of dementia.
“[People from] Ikaria, Greece live about eight years longer [than US citizens on average], largely without dementia, no discernible dementia,” he said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 6.7 million of Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia today, and this number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060. Meanwhile in Ikaria, Buettner claimed “they found every person aged over 65, [and] there were only three very mild cases of dementia.”
How herbal teas and coffee allegedly decrease the risk of dementia among Ikarians’
The Greek island of Ikaria, which is named after Icarus, the young man in Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun, is one of the five so-called “Blue Zones,” a name given to five regions in the world where people routinely surpass average global life expectancies. The other areas are Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California in the United States.
Buettner, who has been studying Blue Zones for years as well as the longevity of Ikarians, noted that herbal tea and coffee are the two drinks that help them stay sharp well into their 100s.
“Ikarians are drinking herbal tea every day,” he wrote on his blog. “They make these teas with plants from around their houses, from their gardens, and from the wild. They are making them with herbs like oregano, dandelion, sage, rosemary.”
A 2023 study found that drinking tea (green or black) was associated with a 29 percent reduction in the risk of all-cause dementia.
Buettner added that the teas Ikarians drink might be effective not only because they have anti-inflammatory properties, but also because they function as mild diuretics.
“Diuretics keep your blood pressure low, help your kidneys get rid of sodium, and help keep your arteries clean and wide so it’s easier for blood to flow through,” he notes.
Moreover, the longevity guru highlights that Ikarians drink “copious amounts of coffee.” A 2010 study examined participants over an average of 21 years and found that consuming three to five cups of coffee during midlife was associated with a 65 percent decreased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in later life.
Longevity and diet on Ikaria
One factor which all researchers seem to agree on is the Ikarians’ diet, characterized by simplicity and natural ingredients, following what is generally known as the Mediterranean Diet.
The diet includes olive oil, the most common source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which is also rich in antioxidants. The oil has been proven to have cardioprotective properties and to contribute significantly to the increase of “good” HDL cholesterol.
Vegetables are also prominent in the Mediterranean diet. Rich in water, which hydrates the body, they are also excellent sources of vitamins and minerals needed to support the immune system.
Nuts, including almonds and walnuts, are common in the diet of these areas. All tree nuts are rich in gamma-tocopherol and vitamin E, which help regulate the levels of lipids, lowering levels of LDL cholesterol to prevent clogging of the arteries by plaque formation.
Ikarians also consume whole grains, which are better in general than processed cereals because they retain more of their nutritional value.
Diet is important, but not the sole factor affecting the lifespan of Ikarians in particular. Research has shown that there are other factors which influence their longevity.
These include good physical condition due to daily exercise as a result of manual labor and rural living. The walking which Ikarians do on a daily basis, combined with the mountainous topography of the island, enhances their physical condition.
Furthermore, the Mediterranean midday rest, essentially a short nap, has been proven to protect and improve cardiac function, while emotional attachments to others, including strong family and social ties between Ikarians, have been proven to increase lifespan.