My family’s from the Greek island of longevity, where people often live to 100—here's 1 unexpected food we always eat

From beans to greens, there are many foods that make up the traditional diets of people in the Blue Zones, a handful of areas in the world where people tend to live longer. 

My family is from the Greek Blue Zone of Ikaria — I spend about half of every year on the island and run a cooking school out of my village home. To me, one unexpected food is at the top of the list of traditional ingredients: honey. 

The raw, thick, delicious honey produced by local beekeepers on the island and across Greece is intertwined with my most precious memories of life on Ikaria. I love to smell its subtle, gentle perfume wafting on the breeze, especially when the weather is warm and the bees are out and about, buzzingly busy among the wildflowers, thyme, and pine trees.  

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Honey has antibacterial qualities, contains an abundance of antioxidants, and helps the body regulate sugar levels. On Ikaria, it's considered one of the island's secret ingredients for longevity, and many Ikarians start their day with a spoonful.

It's consumed as folk medicine for coughs and sore throats. A friend in his 90s has told me the combination of honey, sage or mountain tea, ginger, and garlic were the "penicillin" of his generation. Island elders have even joked with me that it's nature's Viagra. 

It's also a staple in the kitchen, with its exquisite, complex, and deliciously sweet flavor.

I'll probably always prefer fresh, local Ikarian honey, raw and pure, above any other kind. When I'm in the States, I shop for Greek honey either in local Greek and Middle Eastern food stores or online. I even started selling Ikarian honey on my own site. 

Here are a few of my favorite ways to