Nordic Descent Diet

The Nordic diet is Scandinavia's answer to the Mediterranean diet. Rich in fruits, vegetables and heart-healthy good fats, the Mediterranean diet has recently been held up as one of the world's healthiest cuisines. Crops amenable to the hot, dry Mediterranean climate, however, are not easily grown in colder areas. The Nordic diet appears to provide benefits similar to the Mediterranean diet, but through crops that can handle colder weather. Nordic countries include Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Benefits

Like the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet contains foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants. It is also low in saturated fat. Government agencies and most nutritionists recommend such diets for weight management, cardiovascular health, diabetes prevention and cancer prevention. If you live in a northern climate and have been struggling to find or grow Mediterranean foods, the Nordic diet may help you meet your health goals. You may also wish to combine the Nordic diet with the Mediterranean diet for greater variety of foods.

Nordic Crops

Instead of grapes, Nordic countries grow blueberries, cloudberries and cowberries. These berries are rich in protective antioxidants and also contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The long days of sunshine coupled with cool nights are ideal conditions for growing sweet berries. To enjoy berries year round, try freezing them while they are fresh.

Mediterranean staples, such as tomatoes and bell peppers, require hot conditions to grow properly. Just as healthy are cool-weather vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and dark leafy greens, such as kale. Dark leafy greens are one of the best ways to boost your antioxidant intake.

Olive oil is not the only heart-healthy oil. Rapeseed oil (a cabbage-family crop) contains even more omega-3 fatty acids, and it is also rich in vitamin K. Unlike the olive tree, it thrives in cooler weather. It may be awhile, however, before this oil takes on the popularity and availability of olive oil, which is still a great choice.

The Nordic diet is rich in seafood. Salmon and herring provide protein and omega-3 fatty acids, while cod provides plenty of protein without the saturated fat found in poultry and farm-raised livestock.

The Nordic diet favors barley, oats and rye over wheat. These grains are a good source of fiber and antioxidants. Unlike wheat, which often gets processed into refined white flour, barley, oats and rye are often consumed as whole grains. Whichever you chose, the USDA recommends consuming at least half of your grains as whole grains.

Considerations

The Nordic diet isn't all healthy. The diet tends to be high in salt, making high blood pressure a problem in these countries. The Swedes also often fry their heart-healthy fish in artery-clogging lard. These problems can easily be solved by using less salt in cooking, by consuming fewer high-sodium processed foods and by replacing lard with heart-healthy rapeseed, olive or canola oil.