Nutrition experts are excited about the Nordic diet. As the name suggests, the Nordic diet consists of locally sourced foods that are traditionally eaten in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Typically, the Nordic diet includes whole grains such as rye, barley, and oats; berries and other fruits; vegetables, especially cabbage and root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots; fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring; and vegetables (beans and peas).
Many call it the New Nordic Diet, which has evolved into a new food culture developed in 2009-13 with a key emphasis on gastronomy, health and the environment. The New Nordic Diet is based on Nordic ingredients but is adaptable around the world.
Contrary to the Mediterranean diet, which includes olive oil, it favors rapeseed oil (canola oil), which is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. And it also contains some alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
Canola oil can help lower bad LDL cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Canola oil may be better for lowering bad cholesterol and improving heart health. The diet emphasizes eliminating processed foods and most high-fat meats like hot dogs or bacon.
Health benefits of the Nordic diet –
Its health-related benefits are listed below:
• A major review by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that both Mediterranean and Nordic diets reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
• Diet may also contribute to weight loss. A study from the University of Eastern Finland also found that diet downregulates the expression of genes associated with inflammation, which are believed to contribute to many chronic health problems and play a role in obesity.
• Processed foods are tastier, resulting in overeating and weight gain. Since the Nordic diet downplays the importance of processed foods, avoid overeating and the resulting weight gain.
• Eating more of a plant-based diet is better for the environment, as there are far fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock production. Intensive farming for meat production has been reported to contribute more to global warming than all planes, trains, buses and cars combined.
The essential –
The Mediterranean diet has been considered the best in terms of health benefits it is believed to offer. Now there is another diet that is making its mark in the culinary world when it comes to its health benefits. This is the Nordic diet.
In many ways, it is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, but it is based on rapeseed (canola) oil rather than olive oil. It also differs in the selection of types of products, which are grown locally, depending on the climate, soil and water of the region.
Therefore, it encompasses both the health and well-being of the individual and environmental sustainability.