You’ve probably heard of the Mediterranean diet, lauded by nutritionists for its anti-inflammatory and life-lengthening powers. But what of its culinary cousin, the Nordic diet? Here’s everything you need to know about this Scandi food trend.
What is the Nordic diet?
Similar to the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet does not involve a strict regulation of calories or portions, but is a guide to understand the nutritional advantages of these foods and how they may improve your quality of life and even your running. This list of foods hails from Norse countries such as Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
Specifically, it consists of oily fish, fibrous fruits, vegetables, whole grain carbohydrates and vegetable oils. At the same time, red and processed meat is restricted to limit the intake of saturated fats.
Here’s a snapshot of the Nordic diet:
Fish: Salmon, mackerel, herring
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Vegetables: Updated: 16 December 2024
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Legumes: Beans, peas
Oil: Canola oil
Is the Nordic diet healthy?
This diet is a step ahead in terms of prebiotics.
One study explained how the consumption of foods that are high in saturated fats, such as processed meats, contributes to low-grade inflammation (LGI). LGI is linked to coronary heart disease – which can lead to strokes and heart attacks – and it also occurs with a poor microbiome. This is where the Nordic diet comes in, as popular Nordic dishes such as sauerkraut and skyr The alkaline diet: Everything you need to know.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The best electrolyte drinks, powders and tablets found the following: ‘The gut microbiota are useful for the digestion of macronutrients and the production of a wide range of metabolites. Fruits and vegetables feed your gut microbiome, but fermented foods are the star of the show. They balance and boost the gut microbiome’s ability to absorb more nutrients from the foods you eat.’
Is the Nordic diet suitable for runners?
Running uses a large of amount of energy, so it’s important to have a balanced nutritional intake to fuel your runs. The Nordic diet is a compelling choice for runners, because it offers loads of whole grain carbohydrates in foods such as rye bread, barley and oats. Incorporating whole grain carbohydrates into your diet helps to both sustain your runs while feeding your gut microbiome to increase nutrient absorption. In addition, the diet includes foods that are high in healthy fats, protein and omega-3s. Tick, tick, tick.
Is the Nordic diet for everyone?
While a healthy diet looks different to everyone, the Nordic diet gains points for being relatively broad in its scope. The only limitations are around processed foods – generally deemed unhealthy – while the emphasis on prebiotics, oily fish and healthy fats is another positive. That said, cleaving to a certain diet is not always the healthiest approach. Runners might be better served taking some of the principles of the Nordic diet – with its focus on seafood, whole grain carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, and so on – rather than sticking to it rigidly.
