Three old-fashioned foods eaten on the Longevity Peninsula

Blue zones of longevity

Have you ever heard of blue zones? These are the places in the world where people live to the longest ages. Five locations with quite different cultural backgrounds are united by the high age of the local population, which distinguishes them not only from the rest of the world, but also from their own nation. There are five Blue Zones and they include the following areas:

• Okinawa in Japan, where the locals have a good social background and prefer a plant-based diet.
• Ikaria in Greece is known for its Mediterranean cuisine, use of olive oil and wine.
• In addition to the Mediterranean diet, Sardinia in Italy benefits the locals from strong family ties and a lot of movement throughout life.
• Loma Linda in California, USA is also a place where people live very long, especially among Adventists who have a vegan diet.
• Costa Rica’s longevity peninsula is Nicoya. Here, too, a plant-based diet prevails, but the emphasis is still placed on a strong community and movement.

You can see what Costa Rica and especially Nicoya looks like, but mainly what is eaten here and how the food is prepared, in this post from Mark Wiens’ YouTube channel.

Menu on the Nicoya Peninsula

It is precisely Nicoya that is often called the peninsula of longevity. People here often live to be 90 or more years old. Why could we call their dishes old-fashioned? Probably because they resemble a simpler diet that was also common in our country in the past.

While the Czech standard continues to rise and we can now afford meat, sugar and the amount of processed food many times more often and in larger quantities than our ancestors, on the Nicoya Peninsula people still eat less meat products and more fish. Pork and chicken are also used to a lesser extent. In the kitchen of the locals you will also find more beans and corn and fresh vegetables. Meals are more moderate, yet have enough nutrients and are filling.

Try rice with beans or homemade tortillas

Want to be inspired by the Nicoyans? For example, try the traditional breakfast of rice and Gallo pinto beans, served with eggs or vegetables. You could also see the beginning of the preparation in the video post. Rice is mixed with beans and vegetables or, on the contrary, served on a plate separately, and each diner can indulge himself in exactly what he wants.

Tortillas are also typical of Costa Rica. As you could see in the post, freshly ground corn mixed with water served as a simple batter to make thick patties. At home, you can certainly use corn for tortillas in the summer, or simply reach for corn flour.

All you need for tortillas is a little salt and water. Roll the thick cornmeal dough into a bun or ball and let it rest under a damp cloth for a quarter of an hour. Then form the individual patties and fry them on a dry or slightly greased hot pan.

Costa Rican sopa negra or black bean soup

On the other hand, you could certainly have black bean soup. Sopa negra is not difficult to prepare and you will definitely be able to get most of the good quality ingredients from us. Don’t forget dry or canned black beans, onions, peppers, garlic and fresh cilantro on your shopping list. To make the soup more nutritious and filling, eggs will also come in handy.

Soak two cups of black beans in water overnight. Drain the water and boil in two liters of water until they soften, i.e. about one to two hours.

Fry one finely chopped onion, one capsicum and 4 cloves of garlic in a lightly oiled pan until the vegetables are soft. Then add the contents of the pan to the beans. Add the fixings and chopped cilantro, salt and pepper the soup and let it bubble over a low heat for about 20 more minutes.

You can serve the soup as is or blend all or part of it to make it creamier and smoother. Eggs can be soft-boiled or poached in a water bath, which will stand out in the dark soup and will definitely improve the food.

Sources: cnbc.com, blog.amigofoods.com