Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Nordic diet: an evidence-based review

Man eating a plate of vegetables "Diet" last will appear in the media as a Nordic diet.

Proponents of this diet claim that you can improve your health by eating foods "Nordic".

These are the traditional foods often consumed by people in the Nordic countries.

Several studies have shown that the Nordic diet can weight loss, at least in the short run (cause and improve health markers, 1 , 2 ).

The eating behavior is also supported by the fact that obesity in the Nordic countries are much lower than in the US ( 3 ).

This article will explain everything you need to know about the Nordic diet. What to eat, what to avoid, health benefits, a review of research and a lot of advice.

What is the Nordic diet?

As the name implies, the Nordic diet is a way of eating that focuses on traditional dishes the Nordic countries [1] . (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland)

The Nordic system was created in 2004 by a group of nutritionists, scientists and managers to meet the increasing rates of obesity and unsustainable farming practices in the Nordic countries.

Compared to an average Western diet less sugar, less fat, fiber contains twice and twice Seafood ( 4 ).

Foods to eat and avoid

The Nordic regime locally grown and sustainable food sources, with a strong emphasis on food after the "mainstream" food science approach as well.

  • Frequent eating: fruits [2] , berries, vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, rye bread, fish, seafood, low-fat dairy products, herbs, spices and rapeseed ( canola [3] ) oil.
  • Eat in moderation: game, free range eggs [4] ., cheese and yogurt
  • Eat rarely: Other red meat [5] and animal fats.
  • Do not eat soft drinks, sugar [6] , meat products, food additives and refined foods quickly.

The Nordic diet is actually very similar to the Mediterranean diet [7] . The biggest difference is that it is on canola / rapeseed instead of concentrating extra virgin olive oil [8] .

Conclusion: The Nordic diet emphasizes traditional food from the Nordic countries. It is similar to the Mediterranean diet in many ways, and places special emphasis on plant foods and seafood.

Nordic Diet and Weight Loss

Several studies have evaluated the effects of weight loss in the Nordic diet.

In a study of 147 overweight men and women, those who nurture a Nordic lost 10.4 pounds (4.7 kg), while those who ate a typical Danish diet lost only 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) ( 1 ).

That's pretty impressive, especially considering that people are not informed of the restriction calories [9] .

In a follow-up study a year later, participants in the Nordic diet had more weight in the rear (won 5 ).

These results are really very typical for long-term studies on weight loss. People lose weight at first, but then gradually over a period of 1-2 years.

A longer study the weight of the impact of the reduction in Nordic diet. In this study, six weeks, long, the Nordic diet group lost 4% of body weight compared to a standard diet ( 6 ).

Conclusion: The Nordic regime seems effective for weight loss, which can be short-term, even if the people asked to limit their caloric intake.

Health Benefits of Nordic diet

A healthy diet is about weight loss.

It can also lead to significant improvements in metabolic health and the risk of all kinds of serious illnesses.

The head in the face with a fish

Several studies have examined the effects of diet on Nordic markers of health.

Blood pressure

In a 6-month study of obese participants, Nordic diet reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 5.1 mmHg and 3.2, compared to a control system ( 1 ).

Another study of 12 weeks a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure in participants with metabolic syndrome ( 7 ).

Cholesterol and triglycerides

Although the Nordic diet is rich in many "heart" healthy food, its impact on cholesterol and triglycerides are not compatible.

Some studies, but not others, showed a reduction in triglycerides and effects on LDL and HDL cholesterol seem so small that they can not reach statistical significance ( 1 , 2 ).

However, one study found a slight reduction in LDL-C / HDL-C and apo B / apo A1 and non-HDL cholesterol, the major risk factors for heart disease (are 2 ).

Glycemic control

The Nordic Diet does not seem very effective in reducing the sugar levels in the blood, but one study found a small reduction in fasting plasma glucose ( 1 , 2 ).

Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is an important factor for many serious illnesses.

The impact of diet on Nordic inflammation are mixed. In one study, a reduction in the inflammatory markers CRP, while the other found no statistically significant effect ( 1 , 2 ).

Another study found that the Nordic diet reduced the expression to inflammation in adipose tissue of the body (genes related 8 ).

Conclusion: The Nordic diet seems to be effective in reducing blood pressure. The effects on cholesterol, triglycerides blood sugar levels in the blood and inflammatory markers are small and irregular.

Environmental aspect of Nordic diet

The Nordic diet can be a good choice from an environmental perspective. It focuses on foods that are grown locally and sustainably grown.

Some foods advocates also recommend eating organic food.

Top news

The evidence behind the Nordic diet is not particularly impressive.

It causes weight loss in a short time, and some reduction in blood pressure and inflammatory markers, but the results seem to be weak and erratic.

At the end of the day, a diet that focuses on real food instead of the standard Western junk food is likely to result in weight loss [10] and improving health.

This has been made repeatedly in hundreds of studies on the various systems to the test.

However, there is nothing magical about the "Nordic" or food "eat like a Viking."

The diet works because it replaces processed foods [11] , with simple whole foods. That's all.

Credentials

  1. ^ Nordic countries (en.wikipedia.org)
  2. ^ Fruits (authoritynutrition.com)
  3. ^ rape (authoritynutrition.com)
  4. ^ eggs (authoritynutrition.com)
  5. ^ red meat (authoritynutrition.com)
  6. ^ sugar (authoritynutrition.com)
  7. ^ the Mediterranean diet (authoritynutrition.com)
  8. ^ extra virgin olive oil (authoritynutrition.com)
  9. ^ calories (authoritynutrition.com)
  10. ^ weight loss (authoritynutrition.com)
  11. ^ processed foods (authoritynutrition.com)

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