Discover the Health and Weight Loss Benefits of the Nordic Diet – Is It Right for You? Find Out Now!
Move over, Mediterranean diet — there's a new European eating plan in town. Much like its Mediterranean predecessor, the Nordic diet also emphasizes eating fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, but instead of olive oil, it incorporates canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil).
The Nordic diet has its roots in the cuisines of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland and appears to have many of the same health benefits as the diets of their Southern European neighbors. For instance, a 2011 study out of Uppsala University found that Nordic diets decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, while a 2015 Danish study published in Nutrientsjournal indicates that it is associated with a decreased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In addition, a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the Nordic diet could also lead to weight loss.
So, what you should eat if you want to try a Nordic diet? The 2015 study looking at diabetes risk measured the participants' intake of fish, cabbage, rye bread, oatmeal, apples, pears and root vegetables, so that's a good place to start.
If you need additional guidance or food ideas, take a look at the Baltic Sea diet pyramid, created by the Finnish Heart Association, the Finnish Diabetes Association and the University of Eastern Finland. Foods like Nordic vegetables, roots, cabbages, peas and Nordic fruits and berries make up the base of the pyramid, representing the foods that should be eaten most frequently. Next up are common Nordic grains, like whole-grain rye, oats and barley, which have high fiber content. After that comes fish, low-fat or fat-free milk products and canola oil. Foods like processed meat, butter, sweets, chocolate and sweet bakery products should be consumed in moderation, as should alcoholic beverages. Water is recommended to quench thirst.
It is plant-forward and reduces meat consumption. The Nordic diet also has a core principle of sustainability, emphasising local and fresh, which is very beneficial for the environment and for health. What’s not to like!
On Your Nordic shopping list:
cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale)
dark green leafy vegetables
root vegetables
fruits (apples, pears)
whole grains (barley, rye, oats)
beans and legumes
wild foods (mushrooms, reindeer moss, lingonberries)
grass-fed or wild meat (not much)
sustainably caught fish and shellfish (salmon, herring)
dairy (small amounts)
organic rapeseed oil (canola oil)
So, if you're looking for some safe, healthy food guidelines, the Nordic diet might be one to try in 2020...
At Fit Democracy we subscribe to the motto that our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food. To serve you and our community we always include a few recipes in the nutrition section of our magazine (subscribe for your free copy here).
