The Mediterranean diet has long been a go-to for people trying to eat more healthfully. But the Mediterranean (an area that includes southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East) isn’t the only region with good-for-you foods. Food cultures that prioritize fresh produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats can be found around the world. Research has shown that eating in the style of Nordic countries may also help you live longer, with fewer chronic diseases as you age.
Food from the North
Nordic refers to the countries of northern Europe, and particularly Scandinavia. The region includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.
Like many Western diets, northern European fare can contain foods high in sugar as well as red meat and high-fat dairy. Both are high in saturated fat, too much of which can contribute to heart disease. But there are a lot of nutritious foods native to the region, as well.
Developing a modern take on a traditional diet
In 2004, unhappy with the Westernization of food in the Nordic region, a group of chefs were believed to be the first to develop and promote a healthy “New Nordic” diet, filled with local, unprocessed foods. This way of eating was adopted by the Nordic Council of Ministers, an international group that released recommendations for a healthy Nordic eating plan in 2012.
In a nutshell, the Nordic diet focuses on increasing the use of healthy, local foods, and reducing processed foods. The diet recommends eating little to none of the following:
- Sugar-sweetened food and drinks
- Refined grains
- Red meat
- Alcohol
- Salt
- Butter
- High-fat diary
Instead, the diet advocates loading up on a variety of healthful foods local to Scandinavia. Though the cool region may not have the same crop diversity as the warm Mediterranean climate, it boasts a variety of nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, and berries. Go-to foods in the Nordic diet include:
- Berries (particularly lingonberries, which are relatives of blueberries and cranberries)
- Root vegetables (like carrots)
- Cabbage
- Whole grains (including rye and oats)
- Nuts and seeds
- Pulses (beans, lentils, and chickpeas)
- Fish and seafood (particularly fatty ones like herring and salmon)
- Low-fat dairy
- Fruit (such as apples and pears)
Health benefits of the Nordic diet
Research on the Nordic diet is still developing. But there is some consensus around its advantages, especially in terms of chronic disease prevention.
For example, a 2025 review of more than 30 studies found that people who followed the Nordic diet most closely, compared with those who didn’t, experienced the greatest benefits. They:
- Showed improvements in blood pressure, lipids (fatty substances in the body), blood sugar, and insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar)
- Had a lower risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer
- Were less likely to die of heart disease, cancer, or other chronic conditions
The results were published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Some research suggests that the Nordic diet may help you stay healthy as you grow older. A small 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, for example, found that people who ate a healthy Nordic diet were less likely to have mobility issues and disabilities as they aged than those who didn’t.
The diet's benefits may also span generations. In a study of 83,800 mother-child pairs in Norway, following a healthy Nordic diet during pregnancy—with children continuing to eat that way during their early years—was found to benefit cognitive development up until age 5. The study was published in 2022 in Nutrition Journal.
Bring the North to you
Trying to adopt diets from other regions of the world—be it Mediterranean or Scandinavian—may seem daunting. But the core of these eating plans is simple: Reduce processed foods and unhealthy fats and increase plant-based foods and seafood.
For instance, rye bread and oats are the most important Nordic whole grains and are easy to include in most eating plans. You may also have access to fatty fish like mackerel and sardines without realizing it; canned varieties can be found in many supermarkets and are typically as healthy as fresh versions. Salmon—another fish loaded with healthy fats—is readily available in most grocery stores, often in the freezer section.
Lingonberries—a staple of Scandinavian cuisine—typically only grow in colder climates, like the northern United States, but blueberries and raspberries are packed with antioxidants and make great replacements. Apples, pears, cabbage, and carrots are abundant in the U.S. and are simple to prepare.
If you’re interested in exploring a new cuisine with big potential health benefits, give the Nordic diet a try. Its basic formula—increasing local, whole, fresh foods while reducing processed, refined, and sugary ones—applies practically wherever you are.
Sources: Meltzer HM, Brantsæter AL, et al. Enviro... + 4
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- Perälä MM, von Bonsdorff MB, et al. The Healthy Nordic Diet and Mediterranean Diet and Incidence of Disability 10 Years Later in Home-Dwelling Old Adults. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2019 May;20(5):511-516.e1.
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