For optimal health, a nutritious diet is crucial, and the Nordic Diet is gaining increasing popularity. It shares similarities with the trendy Mediterranean diet but distinguishes itself by prioritizing sustainability, local ingredients, and delicious flavors.
What Is the Nordic Diet?
The Nordic diet is a simple diet plan created based on the foods available in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and adjacent territories). It is a balanced diet that emphasizes sustainable, seasonal, and organic produce for better health and well-being. (1) (2)
Nordic Diet – Basic Guidelines
The philosophy of the Nordic diet is mainly based on the consumption of traditional, seasonal, and locally available berries, vegetables, and fish. It was designed by keeping the Nordic environment in mind. However, the diet can be modified according to the environment, population, and availability of ingredients in a particular area. The fundamental guidelines of the Nordic Diet are based on three principles:
‘More calories from plants and less from meat’: It is about replacing less environment-friendly foods like meat with more environment-friendly ones like plants (fruits, vegetables, etc.). This ensures more significant health benefits by increasing the intake of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and unsaturated fats and reducing excessive calories and saturated fats.
‘More Intake of freshwater and saltwater fish’: This refers to the consumption of plenty of fish, including shellfish, to ensure that you get essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids in sufficient quantities.
‘More foods from the wild countryside’: Meat, fruits, berries, etc., scavenged from the wild are significantly healthier than their commercially reared counterparts. Eating such foods in large amounts can provide our body with lots of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fats, etc., for great well-being.
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Nordic Diet – Food List
Here is a list of food categories, including food items and nutrients. If you are planning to go the Nordic way, this will be of utmost help:
| Food Category | Food Items |
Nutrients |
| Oily / Fatty Fish | Salmon, mackerel, sardine, herring, certain white fish | Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals |
| Meat (lean and high quality) | Preferably venison (game animals killed by hunting), reindeer, elk, rabbit, kangaroo, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey | Protein, vitamin B, minerals (iron, zinc) |
| Cereals | Whole-grain rye bread and pasta, wheat bread, oats, muesli, barley flakes, pearled barley | Dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals (lesser amounts of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats), phytochemicals, antioxidants |
| Fruits and vegetables (eaten hot or cold) | Apple, pear, prune, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, fennel, spinach, onion, leek, kale, sugar peas, turnip, carrot, parsnip, beetroot | Dietary fiber, vitamins B6 and C, folate, minerals (iron, potassium, magnesium)
|
| Berries (added to fish and meat dishes, desserts, or eaten separately) | Lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, blackberries, wild strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, elderberries, black and red currants | Antioxidants, vitamins, minerals |
| Fats / Oils | Canola oil/rapeseed oil, high oleic sunflower oil, linseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, low-fat vegetable spread, vegetable liquid margarine | High unsaturated and monosaturated fats, only 6% saturated fats, vitamin E |
| Dairy products | Low-fat milk, fermented milk, cheese (< 17%)
|
Proteins, vitamins, minerals |
| Legumes | Brown beans, yellow and green peas | Dietary fibers, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals |
| Nuts and seeds | Almonds, linseed seed, psyllium seed, and sunflower seed | Proteins, vitamins and minerals |
| Herbs, spices, and beverages | Parsley, dill, mustard, horseradish, vinaigrette, all spices, soy sauce, oat-based non-dairy creamer, potato starch, yeast, low sodium salt, tea, coffee, fruit or vegetable juices | Antioxidants |
Here are a few other things to remember about the Nordic diet:
- Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, etc., are a staple in the Nordic diet.
- Eggs should always be cooked before consumption.
- Starchy plant foods like potatoes must be boiled first.
- Rice is not all a Nordic food.
- Stay away from red meat while going the Nordic way.
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Benefits Of the Nordic Diet
The best thing about the Nordic Diet is that it offers fast results with long-term benefits. So, if you are struggling to improve your health, following this diet can be safe, natural, and effective. Here are some of the incredible health benefits offered by the Nordic Diet:
- Reduces the risks of developing cardiovascular diseases to a great extent
- Prevents the onset of metabolic syndromes, such as stroke, type-2 diabetes, obesity, etc.
- Keeps blood sugar levels under control
- Keeps certain types of cancer at bay
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Gives a better blood lipid profile
- Reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream
- Lowers blood pressure significantly
- Aids in brain development
- Keeps joints, nerves, and eyes healthy
- Regularize bowel movement
- Averts free radical damages
- Takes care of mental health
- Cooking at low-temperature offers the maximum nutritional value
Summary
The Nordic Diet, gaining popularity akin to the Mediterranean diet, focuses on sustainability, local ingredients, and taste. It originates from Nordic countries and emphasizes seasonal, organic produce for a balanced and health-centric diet. The philosophy centers on increased plant calories, freshwater and saltwater fish intake, and wild countryside foods. With food categories like fatty fish, lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, the Nordic Diet promotes well-being. It reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, and cancer while enhancing overall health.
