Have You Lost Weight With The Nordic Diet?




Weight loss diets are the “in” thing, with articles about how to lose weight floating about, all over the internet. Amidst the entire healthy eating boom is a new competitor, called the ‘Nordic Diet’ steadily making its mark. The Nordic Diet does not just boast about being an efficient weight loss diet, it’s also about eating healthy.

What is Nordic Diet?

The Nordic Diet otherwise known as ‘Food of the Vikings’ is the traditional food of Nordic countries like Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. It started gaining popularity in 2004, with focus from a group of researchers, looking for a way to deal with obesity problems and unsustainable farming practices in the US. Clearly this didn’t seem like an issue in the Nordic countries and the U.S researchers thought the diet could be replicated in America.



What Does a Nordic Diet consist of?

The Nordic diet is primarily about less sugar and more fibre. It is a lot like the Mediterranean diet, except that it incorporates canola or rapeseed oil instead of extra virgin olive oil.
It eliminates food with high sugar content such as sodas, or those with high fat content and processed food. Although there is the inclusion of red meat and fat of animal origin, it is eaten very rarely and in the form of lean meats. Free range eggs, game meat and yogurt are often a part of this diet. It primarily consists of:-

•    red and purple berries which are rich in antioxidants
•    Legumes, whole grains, rye bread
•    Root vegetables, like potatoes, which are rich in fibre, magnesium and potassium
•    Fresh Fruits and vegetables
•    Low fat dairy
•    Seafood, like salmon and herring, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Another health factor is that the Nordic diet focuses on home cooked food, rather than junk or fast food.

Health Benefits of the Nordic Diet

When you get to know about the amazing health benefits of the Nordic diet, you will begin to wonder how come you haven’t heard of this diet before.

•    Heart Health: Research shows that Nordic diet has been able to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases in 18-24 weeks, by decreasing the ratio of bad cholesterol to good cholesterol and by lowering blood pressure.

•    Inflammation: Studies show that the Nordic Diet helps with inflammation at a genetic level and keeps it under control, thus reducing the risk of some cancers, type-2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and coronary heart disease.

•    Obesity: Studies were conducted on obese men and women with some receiving the Nordic diet while others were on the Danish diet. While the Danish eaters lost 1.5 kg in 26 weeks, the group taking the Nordic diet lost 4.7 kg, which shows how it can help in weight loss. It was not just about weight loss, the participants of the study also reported that they felt healthier.

Final Thoughts

The Nordic Diet can have a significant impact on weight loss and health, and the results are impressive and long lived. Any diet that results in a healthier lifestyle and has long term health benefits is worth trying.
Have you tried the Nordic Diet? Send us your thoughts!