Healthy Eating

The Science of Healthy Eating #2: Benefits and Key Foods of the Nordic Diet

By Ekaterina 24 March 2025
The Science of Healthy Eating #2: Benefits and Key Foods of the Nordic Diet
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Continuing the series on healthy eating after the Mediterranean Diet, today I’d like to talk about the Nordic Diet. In recent years, several studies have explored nutrition in Nordic countries. Let’s take a closer look at its key foods, unique characteristics, and potential health benefits.

Key Foods

The Nordic diet is a healthy eating pattern recommended for the inhabitants of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden, but it could be extended to all Nordic countries. It differs from the Mediterranean diet primarily due to the use of certain typical foods from these regions.

The main differences are:

  • Frequent consumption of oats and rye bread;
  • Use of potatoes as the main source of carbohydrates, along with whole grains;
  • Abundant consumption of vegetables like cabbage and root vegetables (carrots, onions, beets, etc.);
  • Greater inclusion of berries in the fruits consumed;
  • Use of other vegetable oils instead of olive oil.

Existing Studies on the Nordic Diet

Existing studies on the Nordic diet are fewer compared to those on the Mediterranean diet, and the results are mixed.

For example, an important study was conducted in Germany within the EPIC-Potsdam project, which followed over 27,000 people for about 10 years. This study aimed to understand if following the Nordic diet had positive effects on health. Although the results showed that the Nordic diet was associated with a lower risk of some diseases, this association was not strong enough to be considered statistically significant. In contrast, participants who followed the Mediterranean diet showed a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and having a heart attack, particularly among women.

Three other prospective cohort studies examined the effects of the Nordic diet on the onset of major chronic diseases. These studies concluded that greater adherence to the Nordic diet was associated with a lower risk of total stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer, the latter only among women.

The differences between the results of these studies are most likely due to the absence of a clear and uniform definition of the components of the Nordic diet and the quantities to be followed.

Another prospective cohort study conducted in Denmark involved more than 57,000 Danes aged between 50 and 64 years, for whom detailed information on diet and lifestyle was collected. During the 12 years of follow-up, about 4,000 participants died. From the analysis of this data, researchers developed a Healthy Nordic Food Index, which includes traditional foods with potential positive health effects, such as fish, cabbage, rye bread, oats, apples, pears, and root vegetables. The index was correlated with lower mortality, particularly among middle-aged men.

Foods with Greater Benefits

The authors of this study highlight the major benefits derived from two specific foods: whole grain rye bread and cabbages.

In fact, the consumption of rye has been associated with improved gut function, blood sugar regulation, and reduced cholesterol levels. Furthermore, rye is rich in several molecules that have a prebiotic function. This means that these substances are fermented by the bacteria in our gut microbiota, producing various beneficial effects. Among these substances are β-glucans, which are associated with better immune responses and increased satiety.

Cabbages, like all other cruciferous vegetables, have been the subject of numerous studies over the years due to the presence of very potent substances called isothiocyanates. These molecules exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, induce programmed cell death in cancer cells, and prevent the formation of metastases in various types of cancers. In addition to cabbages, cruciferous vegetables include turnips, radishes, arugula, mustard, and wasabi.

New Nordic Diet

Recently, the New Nordic Diet (NND) has been developed, an eating model that emphasizes the use of local, seasonal, and sustainable foods, with the goal not only to promote health but also to respect the environment. This approach was formalized in 2004 by several chefs and food industry professionals.

Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

In 2023, the updated nutritional guidelines for the Nordic and Baltic countries, the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR), were published.

NNR2023 is the result of five years of work by hundreds of researchers and experts. This edition, for the first time, provides recommendations not only on foods beneficial to health but also on those sustainable for the environment.

In summary, NNR2023 recommends:

  • A predominantly plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruits, berries, legumes, potatoes, and whole grains.
  • An abundant consumption of fish and nuts.
  • A moderate consumption of low-fat dairy products.
  • A limited consumption of red meat and poultry.
  • A minimal consumption of processed meats, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods high in fats, salt, and sugars.

As you can see, it is still a plant-based diet that, in the end, closely resembles the Mediterranean diet, but with a focus on the healthy products more represented in the Nordic countries.

Discover more:

How to Follow a True Mediterranean Diet

Sources

  • Galbete, C., Kröger, J., Jannasch, F., Iqbal, K., Schwingshackl, L., Schwedhelm, C., Weikert, C., Boeing, H. e Schulze, M. B. (2018) ‘Nordic diet, Mediterranean diet, and the risk of chronic diseases: the EPIC-Potsdam study’, BMC Medicine, 16(1), p. 99. doi:10.1186/s12916-018-1082-y.

  • Hansen, C. P., Overvad, K., Kyro, C., Olsen, A., Tjonneland, A., Johnsen, S. P. et al. (2017) ‘Adherence to a healthy Nordic diet and risk of stroke: a Danish cohort study’, Stroke, 48(2), pp. 259–264.

  • Kanerva, N., Rissanen, H., Knekt, P., Havulinna, A. S., Eriksson, J. G. e Mannisto, S. (2014) ‘The healthy Nordic diet and incidence of type 2 diabetes–10-year follow-up’, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 106(2), e34–37.

  • Kaur, P., Sandhu, K. S., Purewal, S. S., Kaur, M., Singh, S. K. (2021) ‘Rye: A wonder crop with industrially important macromolecules and health benefits’, Food Research International, 150(Pt A), p. 110769. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110769.

  • Kyro, C., Skeie, G., Loft, S., Overvad, K., Christensen, J., Tjonneland, A. et al. (2013) ‘Adherence to a healthy Nordic food index is associated with a lower incidence of colorectal cancer in women: the Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort Study’, British Journal of Nutrition, 109(5), pp. 920–927.

  • Liu, R. H., Zhang, Y., Li, D., Yang, H. (2009) ‘Endosperm and whole grain rye breads are characterized by low post-prandial insulin response and a beneficial blood glucose profile’, Nutrition Journal, 8(42). doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-8-42.

  • Mithril, C., Dragsted, L. O., Meyer, C., Tetens, I., Biltoft-Jensen, A. e Astrup, A. (2013) ‘Dietary composition and nutrient content of the New Nordic Diet’, Public Health Nutrition, 16(5), pp. 777-785. doi:10.1017/S1368980012004521.

  • Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Available at: https://www.norden.org/en/publication/nordic-nutrition-recommendations-2023.

  • Olsen, A., Egeberg, R., Halkjær, J., Christensen, J., Overvad, K., Tjønneland, A. (2011) ‘Healthy aspects of the Nordic diet are related to lower total mortality’, The Journal of Nutrition, 141(4), pp. 639-644. doi: 10.3945/jn.110.131375.

  • Sundaram, M. K., Preetha, R., Haque, S., Akhter, N., Khan, S., Ahmad, S., Hussain, A. (2022) ‘Dietary isothiocyanates inhibit cancer progression by modulation of epigenome’, Seminars in Cancer Biology, 83, pp. 353-376. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.12.021.