Right after WW2, American researchers discovered in Crete this diet that was very low in calories, very low in meat, olive oil was the principle fat, there was no sugar… These were very very poor people in post war Greece. There was very little electricity, there weren’t any cars, they were very physically active because they were hunters and gatherers basically and they were eating what they could grow and what they could provide. They certainly didn’t have any money to buy imported foods, so their diet was largely based on plants, vegetables, fruits, local produce… It’s the kind of diet that we would say is super healthy right now.

Marion Nestle
professor of nutrition, food studies and public health