Also called the Scandinavian or Viking diet, the Nordic diet is a healthy diet that is also ecological, sustainable and responsible.

Principle

Local and seasonal food rich in fiber, with little food of animal origin except seafood. It excludes processed foods and their ingredients (sugars, additives, etc.)
Strong points
– Local and seasonal
– Low carbon impact
– Raw unprocessed food
Weak points
– The Nordic diet uses rapeseed oil instead of olive oil (with a lower good fat ratio than olive oil)

What is the Nordic diet?
Created in 2004 by a group of experts (in nutrition, gastronomy, environment, culture and history of food, sensory science, etc.) in response to the obesity epidemic and unsustainable agricultural practices in countries Scandinavians, the Nordic regime was promoted in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Greenland.

This diet emphasizes healthy eating with increased calories from plant foods and reduced consumption of animal products.
To address the environmental issue and overpopulation, these recommendations are intended to be responsible in terms of sustainability: with locally grown products, organic farming, wild food, and a reduction in waste from food. (1)

What are the differences with the Mediterranean diet?
Balanced, health-oriented, inspired by local cultures, the Nordic and Mediterranean diets are very similar.

Differences Common points
– The Nordic diet uses rapeseed oil instead of olive oil
– Local and seasonal
– Lots of fiber
– Authorized carbohydrate consumption
– Omega-3s from seafood
– Few dairy products
– Few red meats
– Few ultra-processed foods

The main rules to follow
– Rapeseed oil is the main added fat
– Eat more seasonal and organically grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible
– On the fruit side, give preference to berries (local and seasonal)
– Eat more nuts and seeds
– Favor whole grains (oats, rye and barley in particular)
– Pulses should represent the majority of carbohydrates consumed
– Promote seafood (fish, crustaceans, etc.) from seas, lakes and wild nature
– Consume less dairy products
– Eat less meat but of better quality
– Limit ultra-processed foods as much as possible and reduce sugary foods
– The Nordic diet emphasizes self-cooked meals, and with the aim of reducing food waste.

What does the research say?
This diet has been tested the most on life expectancy. In a large 2011 study carried out on nearly 50,290 individuals, researchers found a lower mortality in Danes who practiced a diet close to the Nordic diet, with a greater association for men. (2)

Weightloss

When it comes to weight loss, the studies are rather contradictory. Indeed, the Nordic diet being balanced, with a free calorie rate and adapted to each one, it is not supposed to be slimming. However, weight loss can be observed in cases where the previous diet was not balanced. (3) (4)

Cardiometabolic disorders

Numerous studies show an improvement in the lipid profile of people following a Nordic diet, including a drop in LDL cholesterol, but also a beneficial effect on blood pressure and on sensitivity to glucose and insulin. (5)

Inflammation

A few studies have reported a decrease in biomarkers of inflammation with a Nordic diet. What is interesting is that these improvements are not linked to significant weight loss, but earlier to the diet’s high omega-3 content. (6)

Our opinion
The Nordic diet is a healthy diet which, like the Mediterranean diet, promotes a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and good quality fats while limiting ultra-processed products. Given its local and seasonal foundations, it cannot be applied to all regions of the world. Its philosophy, on the other hand, is applicable everywhere.