If you’re over eating like a caveman, you might consider eating like a Viking instead. The Nordic Diet — which is also referred to as the New Nordic Diet or NND — is a spinoff of the Mediterranean diet that may help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure, while also being environmentally friendly. The diet originated in 2004, when food professionals and chefs met in Copenhagen to define a healthier cuisine using seasonal, local foods and sustainable ingredients. They also wanted to avoid food additives and minimize food waste. NND was born.
Some of the food encouraged on this plan may sound strange to us living in the U.S. (ever heard of bilberries?) because it’s based on what grows in Nordic countries. Many of these foods are a reflection of the region’s climate, soil and water supply, which is specific to Scandinavia. The diet is primarily plant-based and encourages choosing local, seasonal foods, which makes it environmentally friendly. Further, it encourages reduction of food waste.
[See: 7 Reasons to Choose a Plant-Based Diet.]
The New Nordic Diet is high in plant-based foods with lots of root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (from the cabbage family), dark greens, berries, apples and pears. It also emphasizes whole grains, fish and lean protein including wild game and a small amount of dairy. Wild foods such as moss, mushrooms, garlic and even ants (yes, ants) are encouraged. The diet recommends cutting back on fats like butter, eating sweets and sugar sparingly, and reducing salt intake. Sample dishes include a parfait made with Skyr yogurt and berries, oatmeal with berries, salmon topped with a dollop of cucumber-dill yogurt sauce, root vegetable coleslaw and barley pudding. Tempted to give it a shot? Get familiar with these foods:
— Lean Protein: Game like elk, which is low in fat, and grass-fed lean beef, pork and lamb are encouraged. In the U.S., game meats have become more readily available from farmers markets and even some warehouse clubs. The diet also emphasizes fatty fish like mackerel, herring and salmon, which contain a heart-healthy dose of omega-3 fats.
[See: 13 Best Fish: High in Omega-3s — and Environment-Friendly.]
— Vegetables: Root vegetables like potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, carrots and beets are recommended, as are members of the cruciferous vegetable family, which include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and mustard greens.
— Berries: The Nordic Diet encourages lots of berries, including lingonberries, bilberries, blueberries and strawberries. Berries contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation. Research shows that anthocyanins may help ward off diabetes, support eye health and lower the risk of certain forms of cancer.
— Whole Grains: The diet encourages whole grains like rye, oats and barley. Think Swedish Wasa crackers, which are a dense cracker made primarily of whole grains.
— Dairy: A small amount of dairy (low and nonfat) are encouraged. Skyr or Icelandic yogurt, which is even thicker and tarter than Greek yogurt, is also growing in popularity in the U.S.
— Healthy Fat: The diet is based on canola oil made from rapeseed. It is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Research shows there are benefits to following the New Nordic Diet. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that following the plan improved blood cholesterol in folks with heart disease risk factors more than folks following a traditional Nordic diet or a typical American diet. The study also found that following the New Nordic Diet had benefits on low-grade inflammation.
A 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the effects of the New Nordic Diet in folks with high body mass indexes and waist circumferences — factors that put them at risk for chronic disease. Participants followed either the New Nordic Diet or a traditional Nordic diet for 26 weeks. The results showed that those following the New Nordic Diet lost weight, and those who were obese reduced their blood pressure on the plan.
The New Nordic Diet is quite similar to a Mediterranean diet, which is diet pattern that is encouraged in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and ranked the No. 2 best diet overall in the U.S. News Best Diets ranking. The New Nordic Diet is well-balanced, varied and, if you can eat the foods encouraged while cutting back of saturated fat, added sugar and sodium, you’re pretty much following the recommendations of the dietary guidelines.
[See: Dietary Guidelines Do-Over.]
The downside of this plan is that some of the foods like elk are not available, or are at least tough to get, in the U.S. However, if you choose to eat the foods encouraged by the New Nordic Diet, look for foods like Skyr, Wasa crackers, oats, barley, cabbage and canola oil, which are widely available in the U.S. As long as it’s eaten in a calorie-controlled diet plan, the New Nordic Diet is a healthy way of eating.
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Should You Try the Nordic Diet? originally appeared on usnews.com
