You may have heard of dietitians and health practitioners praising the mediterranean diet lately. This diet was inspired by what the spanish, greeks, and italians would normally eat and included recommendations like more olive oil, fish, legumes, fruits and vegetables, while enjoying moderate amount of unrefined cereals and non-fish meats.
There is a new style of diet that is starting to gain popularity as well and it comes from the land of vikings and the world’s top crossfit athletes.
The Nordic Diet
It turns out our scandinavian friends have been keeping their secret to good health hidden away in the north all this time. Scandinavian countries have some of the lowest obesity rates of the developed countries. Despite most of them experiencing cooler temperatures and little-to-no sunlight in the summer months (common reasons westerner’s indulge in comfort food), the nordic nations keep themselves in excellent health. Nutrition scientists are now taking a look at this very simple diet as the new front-runner for diets.
As with many of the region-specific diets, a lot of the foods are what make sense for the region they come from. The mediterranean diet includes olive oil, fruits, vegetables, and cereals because those are naturally abundant in that area. The scandinavian countries would have only had winter vegetables, game meat, fish, and hearty rye bread at their disposal and so those are the core foods consumed in a nordic diet.
Why is it working?
This is a tricky argument to break down. Yes – many of the food sources in the nordic diet boast greater nutrient density: more omega 3’s and 6’s, greater antioxidant concentration, lean and clean protein sources – all of these are what research has shown to be beneficial to a healthy diet. It is important to keep in mind that ancestrally this diet makes sense for those of us who came from the nordic nations. If our ancestors survived on this food, then it makes sense that we are benefitting from eating in such a way that is more natural. Our genetics like this diet; it makes sense for our body to use these foods as fuel.
This diet is also another example of how whole foods are the better option in any diet. There are so many processed versions of food out there that we have lost touch with what a regular meal looks like. Bringing our diets back to the basics of good quality rye bread, fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables simplifies the digestion process and so we can expect to look and feel better because of it.
Is the Nordic diet the magic pill to perfect health? We would be foolish to make that statement, but we can say that there are ideas and principles in this diet that we could all benefit from incorporating into our lives.
A Typical Day in the Nordic Diet
Want to give this diet a try? Here is a sample menu for one day on the Nordic Diet found on Legon Athletcs
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Flaxseeds and Blueberries
Lunch: Creamy Pearl Barley with Mushrooms, Pickled Onions and Grated Cheese
Dinner: Baked Cod with Celery Remoulade and Hot Potato Salad
Dessert: Rhubarbs with Merengue
Snacks can include fresh fruit, raw vegetables, nuts and seeds or low-fat yogurt.
*Please consult your trainer for the best diet for you. Everyone is different and responds differently.*
