Do you want to eat healthier, but can’t stand the idea of giving up bread, pasta and dairy?
If you fit the above description then you are the perfect candidate for the Nordic diet.
The Nordic diet was developed in 2004 by a team of researchers, nutritionists and doctors in collaboration with the Michelin-starred NOMA restaurant in Copenhagen, and is inspired by the Baltic Sea diet pyramid.
The aim is to encourage people in the Nordic countries (ie Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) to eat more fresh, seasonal and local food.
“Like the rest of the world, obesity rates were rising because people were eating a more traditional Western diet, which is high in meat with more processed, packaged foods,” says nutritionist Christy Brissette, president of 80-Twenty Nutrition.
In general, the Nordic diet emphasizes fresh, local fruits and vegetables, seafood, and whole grains. And indeed – if this happens to remind you of anything – it shares many similarities with its southern twin, the Mediterranean diet.
Differences and Similarities
In terms of health benefits, the two diet plans are about equal. “In terms of weight loss potential and improving heart health, the Nordic diet seems to be right up there with the Mediterranean diet,” says Brisette—though because it’s more recent, she notes there isn’t as much research on it as there is on the Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean diet.
1. Both place great importance on plant foods
The (not-so-secret) weapon for health in both the Mediterranean and Nordic diets is a focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
Plants are the only foods that contain fiber naturally, and fiber boosts heart health, controls weight and supports digestion, Brissette explains.
Plants are also the only source of phytochemicals—antioxidant compounds that fight free radicals—that have been shown to fight aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, he adds.
However, the types of fruits and vegetables on each menu vary. The Mediterranean diet includes fruits and vegetables that thrive in the Mediterranean climate, such as greens, tomatoes, eggplants, pomegranates, figs and dates.
The Nordic diet, on the other hand, includes mainly starchy fruits and vegetables that grow in colder climates, such as roots (carrots, beets, turnips), apples, plums and pears.
The good thing is that whichever diet you follow of the two, you’ll reap the same health benefits, since according to Brissette, both pomegranate and wild blueberries deliver similar nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals.
2. Local products
Eating local produce can have additional benefits. “There is some evidence that the nutritional value may be higher in wild foods than in conventionally grown foods,” says Brissette.
Conventionally grown products are artificially protected from pests and harsh weather conditions.
On the other hand, “wild” foods are forced to produce more phytochemicals themselves in order to protect themselves, which also happen to benefit humans.
And from an environmental point of view, there are more benefits to choosing local. “On the one hand you support local farmers and fishermen and on the other hand you contribute to reducing the carbon footprint.
The reason is that nothing has to travel from the other side of the world to get to your grocery store,” explains Brissette.
3. Fish consumption
Another healthy advantage that the Scandinavian and Mediterranean diets share is that an essential source of protein is fish. In the case of the Nordic diet, it is mainly salmon, mackerel and herring.
These fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood triglyceride levels to reduce the risk of heart disease.
4. Neither diet excludes carbohydrates
Unlike Paleo or keto, you won’t have to cut out whole grains, crackers, and breads on the Mediterranean or Scandinavian diet. While the Mediterranean diet includes grains such as whole wheat in bread and pasta, the Nordic diet is higher in a variety of grains such as barley, oats and rye.
Here perhaps the Scandinavian diet has a slight advantage over the Mediterranean, since the carbohydrate sources it suggests are richer in insoluble fiber.
5. Small amounts of dairy are acceptable
From plain low-fat strained yogurt in the Mediterranean diet to plain low-fat skyr yogurt in the Scandinavian diet, both diet plans allow small amounts of dairy.
6. Both limit processed foods, sweets and red meat
The Mediterranean and Scandinavian diets limit (but do not completely ban) red meat and processed foods. By cutting out these foods, you reduce your intake of saturated fat and sodium, which helps reduce your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
7. The Nordic diet is not so good when it comes to healthy fats
While Mediterranean food is literally smothered in olive oil, the Nordic diet uses canola oil. This is perhaps the big disadvantage of the Nordic diet, since olive oil is a clearly better choice.
One of the reasons is that canola oil is higher in omega-6 fatty acids, and an imbalance in omega-6s versus omega-3s can lead to inflammation.
8. Both diets encourage eating with company
The Mediterranean diet celebrates taking time to sit down with friends and family at meals. Similarly, the Nordic diet encourages people to prepare and enjoy meals at home.
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