The mainstays of a Nordic diet are seasonal, plant-based foods with a moderate amount of fish and seafood with a small amount of processed food. The Nordic diet serves as the foundation for many people’s eating habits, even though it is not a diet that is universally adopted throughout the Nordic region. You could use inspiration from Nordic countries to lead a healthier lifestyle through this diet. In this article, we’ll learn more about the Nordic diet and everything you need to know about this diet.
What is the Nordic Diet
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and Greenland are among the nations that make up the Nordic region. Their customary eating practices are the foundation of the “Nordic diet.” Similar to the more well-known Mediterranean diet, its main goal is not weight loss. The Nordic diet focuses on a deliciously healthy way to eat. (1)
In 2004, a team of nutritionists, chefs, and scientists developed the Nordic diet in response to the increased obesity rates and unsustainable farming practices.
Given that it emphasizes locally sourced and sustainably farmed foods, it might be a wise decision from an environmental standpoint to follow the Nordic diet. The diet contains less sugar and fat than the typical Western diet but twice as much fiber and seafood. (2)
The Nordic diet encourages a lifelong approach to healthy eating rather than calorie counting or crash dieting. It focuses on plant-based, seasonal foods and is a powerhouse of healthy fats, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. (3)
Nordic Diet vs. Mediterranean Diet
Whole-grain foods like oats, barley, rye, berries, other fruits, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring, and legumes like beans and peas are all essential components of the Nordic diet.
The New Nordic diet is based on fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean meats rather than the traditional Mediterranean foods. Consider cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, and locally and wild-caught lean meat when choosing food items for this diet.
Unlike the Mediterranean diet, the New Nordic diet strongly emphasizes eating organically whenever possible. It includes foods like rye and barley, mushrooms, and loganberries that are not common in the Mediterranean region.
But oil is one of the biggest differences between Mediterranean and Nordic diets. As we all know, olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet. Meanwhile, rapeseed oil, commonly known as canola oil, is a component of the Nordic diet. Once again, geographic limitations are the reason for the oil used in these two diets. After all, the widespread availability of olive trees is not particularly suitable for the Nordic regions. (5) Both oils help maintain a healthy heart by raising HDL levels and lowering LDL levels (LDL). (6)
Nordic Diet Food List
The Nordic diet promotes eating a lot of whole foods, especially those that are in season and locally sourced. The foods that you can eat include: (7)
- Root vegetables like beets, carrots, and turnips
- Berries
- Fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines
- Legumes, whole grains, especially rye, oats, and barley
- Low-fat dairy and yogurt
The foods that need to consume in moderation are game meat like rabbit, venison, bison, and eggs.
The Nordic diet has a few foods to avoid or only occasionally consume, like many other diets. Here are the foods to occasionally consume:
- Alcoholic drinks
- Meats that are not part of the game meat
Meanwhile, here are a few foods that need to avoid:
- Added sugars in food
- Fast food
- Sweetened beverages and drinks
- Foods that are high in salt like dried pasta, lunch meat, and bread
- Processed meats such as bacon and bologna
Sample Nordic Diet Meal Plan
The Nordic diet consists primarily of seafood and contains only modest amounts of lean animal protein. If you decide to follow this diet, keep in mind that there might be other meals that are best suited to your tastes and preferences.
Breakfast
The Nordic diet meal plan is far from the traditional American morning meal. So if you want to follow the Nordic diet, quit the bacon, pancakes-breakfast, and hash browns and replace them with some cultured dairy product such as Skyr or kefir. If this is unavailable at a local grocery store, you can look for plain, unsweetened yogurt. You can start your day by making a smoothie using yogurt and mixed berries. A great source of protein to jumpstart your day is fish. A smoked salmon on top of flagel (flat bagel) will give your breakfast protein and omega 3 boosts.
Lunch
A Nordic diet lunch consists of foods such as rye bread, salad, and fermented foods. A tasty, kid-friendly way to include the nutrient-rich root vegetable in your diet is to make a beet salad. Try a light tuna salad with yogurt and whole-grain crackers instead of the typical tuna fish sandwich that has mayo using refined white bread.
Dinner
Adding more vegetables to your dinner is still essential for the Nordic diet. Fish and locally sourced, sustainable game meats are frequently served in small portions. Visit your nearby grocery’s meat and fish counters and find local, lean, grass-fed meats and fresh, sustainable fish.
Pros and Cons of the Nordic Diet
There are various health benefits that the Nordic diet is associated with. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Nordic diet below.
Pros
The Nordic diet does not have any specific recommendations when it comes to meal timing. However, the diet’s creators do advise that people eat slowly and with others. It is also recommended to eat at the table rather than on the go while sharing meals with loved ones and friends. And here are some pros of the Nordic diet which you and your family can enjoy at the dining table.
Manageable lifestyle change
The Nordic diet emphasizes foods made with sustainable practices, making it environmentally sustainable and a manageable lifestyle change. It is not overly restrictive and uses familiar foods that can be found at a local grocery.
There is also no measuring or math involved. Just consume the suggested foods and use the others in moderation. However, you might need to be more careful about calorie intake and portion sizes if you’re using the diet to lose weight.
Nutrient Value
Similar to the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet offers excellent nutritional value. Despite having few calories, food items like whole grains, fruit, and vegetables offer a wealth of key nutrients. Fish provides omega-3 fatty acids, and berries provide antioxidants.
The diet emphasizes whole foods, which are always more wholesome than processed ones, including all the major food groups. This indicates that the diet contains few unhealthy additives and empty calories.
Tailor fit based on your preferences
The Nordic diet follows no strict guidelines. Its main goal is to promote foods and preparations that are good for your health and the environment, not to help you lose weight. Therefore, there is flexibility in how you interpret the diet.
Environment Friendly
In addition to addressing the rising obesity rates in the Nordic region, the Nordic diet’s developers aimed to spread a diet that would be less harmful to the environment than the region’s traditional eating habits.
Cons
While it’s true that the Nordic diet is good for the body and the environment, some downsides come with it. Here are the cons you should consider before you decide to follow it.
Requires more time to prepare
Additionally, locating and preparing these foods takes time. And since eating processed food is not advised, most of your meals should be made at home. The diet’s developers also intended a leisurely, mindful approach to eating. This might be difficult for some people if they are pressed for time.
Expensive
Even if you live in an area with plenty of organic farms and seafood, buying all the fish and produce can be expensive. Compared to conventionally farmed produce and cheap cuts of meat, these ingredients are typically more expensive.
Finding the right ingredient
While it’s convenient to prepare meals and plan menus without worrying about calorie or carb counts, some people might find it challenging to find the ingredients for this diet.
Nordic diet for weight loss
The effects of the Nordic diet on weight loss have been examined in several studies. In one study, 147 obese individuals were advised not to restrict their calorie intake as compared to a usual Danish diet. The Nordic diet resulted in a weight loss of 10.4 pounds (4.7 kg), while the typical Danish diet resulted in a weight loss of just 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). (8)
Meanwhile, a 6-week study of those who followed a Nordic diet group lost 4% of their body weight which is significantly higher than those following a standard diet. This finding supports the Nordic diet’s ability to help people lose weight. (9)
Bottomline
The Nordic diet may be a wise choice for you if you’re looking for a healthy diet for the planet and your body. It nourishes and might even help you lose weight and improve your overall health. However, some people may be unable to afford this diet due to the cost of obtaining seasonal, local, and organic foods. Remember that you may not need to follow a long-term or short-term diet and that many diets, especially long-term ones, are counterproductive. Your general health is significantly influenced by lifestyle choices like exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors. The balanced diet that fits your lifestyle is always the best.
Disclaimer: This article is only a guide. It does not substitute the advice given by your own healthcare professional. Before making any health-related decision, consult your healthcare professional.
Editorial References And Fact-Checking
- Krznarić, Ž., Karas, I., Ljubas Kelečić, D., & Vranešić Bender, D. (2021). The Mediterranean and Nordic Diet: A Review of Differences and Similarities of Two Sustainable, Health-Promoting Dietary Patterns. Frontiers in nutrition, 8, 683678. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.683678
- Adamsson, V., Reumark, A., Cederholm, T., Vessby, B., Risérus, U., & Johansson, G. (2012). What is a healthy Nordic diet? Foods and nutrients in the NORDIET study. Food & nutrition research, 56, 10.3402/fnr.v56i0.18189. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v56i0.18189
- Meet the New Nordic Diet: The Buzzy Diet That Could Help You Live Longer. (2021, September 12). Byrdie. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.byrdie.com/nordic-diet
- Pedersen, A., Baumstark, M. W., Marckmann, P., Gylling, H., & Sandström, B. (2000). An olive oil-rich diet results in higher concentrations of LDL cholesterol and a higher number of LDL subfraction particles than rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets. Journal of lipid research, 41(12), 1901–1911.
- Adamsson, V., Reumark, A., Cederholm, T., Vessby, B., Risérus, U., & Johansson, G. (2012). What is a healthy Nordic diet? Foods and nutrients in the NORDIET study. Food & nutrition research, 56, 10.3402/fnr.v56i0.18189. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v56i0.18189
- Poulsen, S. K., Due, A., Jordy, A. B., Kiens, B., Stark, K. D., Stender, S., Holst, C., Astrup, A., & Larsen, T. M. (2014). Health effect of the New Nordic Diet in adults with increased waist circumference: a 6-mo randomized controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 99(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.069393
- Adamsson, V., Reumark, A., Fredriksson, I. B., Hammarström, E., Vessby, B., Johansson, G., & Risérus, U. (2011). Effects of a healthy Nordic diet on cardiovascular risk factors in hypercholesterolaemic subjects: a randomized controlled trial (NORDIET). Journal of internal medicine, 269(2), 150–159. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2010.02290.x
