Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant nutrients and lots of fiber: The Nordic diet is the local answer to the healthy Mediterranean diet. When it comes to health benefits, the Nordic diet doesn’t have to hide behind the Mediterranean diet.
Nutrition experts have been making the Mediterranean diet palatable to us for quite some time and refer to the health benefits of the diet. Researchers have also been able to prove in many studies that Mediterranean cuisine is particularly good for healthy aging. When it comes to healthy eating without sacrifices, we don’t even have to look to the distant Mediterranean Sea. The Nordic diet is in no way inferior to the Mediterranean diet. Nutritionists confirm the health-promoting benefits of the Nordic diet. Traditionally, the Nordic Diet includes many foods on the plate that provide us with important vitamins, minerals, fiber and health boosters, including:
- fresh fish from the Atlantic, North and Baltic Seas
- mushrooms
- rapeseed oil
- linseed oil
- oats and buckwheat
- Kohl
- berries and root vegetables
Other foods are also on the menu for the Nordic diet, but they are only consumed in moderation. Meat is rarely eaten, and sausages are also served less frequently. The focus is on traditional preparation methods such as fermenting cabbage into sauerkraut or stewing vegetables at low temperatures. You can see the benefits of the Nordic diet for your health here.
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The Nordic Diet: Health Benefits
1. Your blood counts are improving
Those who follow a Nordic diet eat more foods with a low glycemic index. Such foods cause the blood sugar level to rise very slowly. Then there are no food cravings and we are full for longer. Other blood values such as blood fat, cholesterol levels or blood pressure are also positively influenced by a Nordic diet. The high levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in canola oil or fish have anti-inflammatory effects and can lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol in your blood. This reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or developing type 2 diabetes.
2. Your joints stay healthy
The Nordic Diet is rich in anti-inflammatory foods. Healthy fatty acids like linolenic acid, which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body. The fatty acid is mainly found in linseed oil , which plays a prominent role in the Nordic diet. The Nordic diet as an anti-inflammatory diet can therefore also help with joint diseases such as arthrosis.
Read here which foods you should rely on for arthrosis >>
3. Your gut will be strengthened
The Nordic diet is very high in fiber. These important plant components ensure a healthy intestinal flora and thus strengthen our immune system. If enough dietary fibers get into the large intestine through a healthy diet, our own intestinal bacteria really jump for joy. For them, dietary fiber is a real treat, and when it breaks down, the bacteria in our intestines then release valuable short-chain fatty acids into our bloodstream. This in turn strengthens our arteries and prevents disease.
4. Your immune system will be protected
Classic foods in the Nordic diet are fresh vegetables, tubers, roots and legumes. With a consistent Nordic diet, you take in a large number of vitamins and minerals from these foods, which are essential for the normal functioning of the immune system. Legumes, for example, provide your body with a particularly large amount of folic acid, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6. The vitamin C from fruit and vegetables also makes a significant contribution to your general health and strengthens your immune system, especially during the cooler and darker autumn and winter months.
5. You can lose weight with pleasure
Most foods that you are allowed to eat as part of the Nordic Diet have a low glycemic index. These do not allow the blood sugar level to rise sharply and make you feel full for longer. Cravings that completely overwhelm your daily calorie intake are then less likely. Along with an active lifestyle, the diet can help you lose weight. The abundance of food and tasty dishes of the Nordic cuisine put the focus on the enjoyment of losing weight.
Tips for losing weight with the Nordic Diet
As with any diet change, the beginning is often the most complicated. What are you allowed to eat? Which meals can be prepared quickly and easily? ” Nordic Weight Loss ” provides a perfect overview of the advantages of the Nordic Diet . The authors Arne Astrup, Jennie Brand-Miller, Christian Bitz and Anette Buyken show you in 60 delicious recipes to cook at home how tasty the protein and fiber-rich Nordic foods are.
If you’re already losing or maintaining your weight with the Weight Watchers program, you can add some variety to your eating plan. The ” Nordic Cookbook ” shows you 22 delicious recipes that combine all the advantages of the Nordic diet with the proven Weight Watchers points principle.
