Several aspects must be taken into consideration in the development of an eating plan. Among them we can mention the economic, environmental, sensory, nutritional and practicality, both in the search for food and in the preparation of it.
The “New Nordic Diet” was born in Denmark in 2004, the result of the union of these aspects, and its premise is to establish a healthy eating pattern of the population, prioritizing the use of fresh, sustainable, healthy and tasty regional ingredients.
How does the New Nordic Diet work?
Food should preferably be organic, fresh and locally grown to minimize transportation, such as whole barley and rye grains; or wild, such as mushrooms, blackberries and plums, encouraging biodiversity and minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The prioritized protein sources are fish and eggs, and to a lesser extent red meat and dairy.
In short, more calories should come from plant foods and less from meat; more food from the sea and lakes should be included; and more wild foods. Processed foods should be avoided as much as possible.
Clinical practice
Studies show that this dietary pattern drastically reduces environmental impacts, decreases the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes), and reinforces local commerce and the cultural identity of the country itself.
Bibliographic references
Mithril C, Dragsted LO, Meyer C, Blauert E, Holt MK, Astrup A. Guidelines for the New Nordic Diet. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15(10):1941-1947. doi:10.1017/S136898001100351X
Saxe H. The New Nordic Diet is an effective tool in environmental protection: it reduces the associated socioeconomic cost of diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(5):1117-1125. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.066746
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