Nordic Diet
Scandinavia's answer to the Mediterranean diet — local, seasonal, and sustainable.
What Is It?
The Nordic diet is based on traditional eating patterns from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. It emphasizes locally sourced, seasonal foods: fatty fish, whole grains (especially rye and barley), root vegetables, berries, and canola oil. It shares many principles with the Mediterranean diet but uses Northern European ingredients.
How It Works
Like the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic approach focuses on whole, minimally processed foods with an emphasis on plants and healthy fats. The key difference is the use of locally available Nordic ingredients — canola oil instead of olive oil, rye instead of wheat, and berries instead of citrus. Sustainability is a core principle.
Benefits
- Reduces inflammation and cholesterol
- Lowers blood pressure
- Environmentally sustainable (local, seasonal focus)
- Lower carbon footprint than most diets
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish
- Practical for people in northern climates
✅ Foods to Eat
- •Fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel)
- •Whole grains (rye, barley, oats)
- •Berries (lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries)
- •Root vegetables (beets, carrots, turnips, potatoes)
- •Legumes
- •Canola/rapeseed oil
- •Low-fat dairy and fermented dairy
- •Wild game and free-range poultry
🚫 Foods to Avoid
- •Processed foods
- •Refined sugars
- •Excessive red meat
- •Processed meats
- •White flour products
- •Sugary drinks
Sample Day
🔬 Scientific Evidence
The SYSDIET trial showed significant reductions in inflammation and improved cholesterol in participants following a Nordic diet. A 2025 Finnish cohort study found 23% lower stroke risk and 17% lower diabetes risk. The WHO Nordic Office has endorsed this dietary pattern as a regional health strategy.