If we go back to 2009, many of us will remember a program known as The Deadliest Warrior (Deadliest Warrior). The premise was to pit two combatants from different eras against each other to see who would win in a duel to the death. Although on the screen we saw the Viking measure his axes against a Samurai, and the Gladiator against an Apache, we never got to see the direct duel between the colossus of the north and the warrior of the Mediterranean.
That “fight of the century” was left hanging on television, but in the field of nutrition, the Roman side (the Mediterranean diet) has been the undefeated champion for decades. However, science has decided to simulate that combat in the laboratory in 2025, and this time the Viking’s ax has nipped Mediterranean leadership in the bud. According to the latest studies, the Nordics have a much better solution.
A new discovery. Given that we live in the Mediterranean area, it seems impossible to do without olive oil and wheat. But, as nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner explains in National Geographica “cousin to the Mediterranean diet in colder climates” has emerged that is demonstrating surprising results. Originally created in 2004 by a committee of scientists and chefs—under the premise that health is not incompatible with gastronomic pleasure—the “new nordic diet” It does not seek longevity, but rather does so with a focus on local sustainability that the Mediterranean model often ignores outside its borders.
The most recent milestone is the study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology. After analyzing a young and middle-aged population, researchers led by Abdelgawwad El-Sehrawy found that those who strictly follow the Baltic Sea dietary pattern have a 42% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If the strictest adherence index is used, protection rises to a staggering 52%. This finding is crucial because it shows that the benefits act as a preventive shield from youth, and not only in old age.
A shield against modern diseases. The robustness of this diet is supported by an “artillery” of previous research that already pointed in this direction. As a 2024 study details published in Scientific Reportsthe Nordic diet is one of the best tools to combat non-alcoholic fatty liver, reducing its risk by 58%.
Added to this is that the benefits do not remain in the metabolism. According to a 2022 meta-analysis published in Diabetology analyzed data from more than a million people, confirming that those who follow this lifestyle have a 26% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 22% lower risk of premature death from any cause, and a 14% lower chance of dying from cancer. As Dr. David L. Katz states“all good diets are made up of real foods, mostly plants; the Nordic diet is a masterful variation on that same theme.”
What does it mean to eat like a Nordic? Many will surely have thought that it would be something like “eating aranques every day”, but (happily) it is not like that. The mainstay is canola (rapeseed) oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and more affordable than olive oil, along with:
- Whole grains: Rye, barley and oats (essential due to their low glycemic index).
- Forest fruits: Blueberries, raspberries and wild berries.
- Tubers and cruciferous vegetables: Beets, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage.
- Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel and herring.
- Fermented dairy: Like skyr or kefir.
Beyond diet. One of the points to highlight about the diet is that, according to research by British Journal of Nutrition, Women who followed the Nordic diet reached old age with significantly greater physical performance, easily passing walking and strength tests.
The Nordic diet has an ‘inevitable’ side effect: weight loss. And it does this by hacking the feeling of hunger. The NORDIET study put to the test to subjects with high cholesterol and the result was a drop in weight and blood pressure without the stress of measuring each gram. But the most compelling data came from the NND trial. in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Participants with abdominal obesity lost an average of 4.7 kg by eating on demand, without quantity restrictions. Compared to the few kilos lost by those who followed a normal diet, the Nordic system appears to be much more efficient.
A solution for everyone. What the north teaches us is that health is not the exclusive property of one geography. As dietician Joan Salge Blake points out,the success of this diet lies in its ability to add strength. It’s the mix of fiber, healthy oils and antioxidants that really matters, acting as a balm against inflammation. It is there, in that inflammation that fuels the diseases of our century, where the Nordic diet fights and wins its most important battle.”
You don’t have to live in Oslo to benefit. The key, according to experts, is to prioritize whole foods, choose fatty fish (even if they are frozen or canned due to their affordability) and replace white bread with whole rye. The Nordics seem to have found the recipe for a long, strong and sustainable life. In 2025, the fight is over: the Viking knows how to take better care of himself.
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