It’s no secret that some nations have healthier diets than others, but which European nations have some of the healthiest food options?
We all understand what constitutes a healthy diet. The vitamins and minerals we require to strengthen our immune systems against disease are provided by fresh fruits and vegetables. Protein-rich foods like meat and fish help muscles grow and may speed up metabolism. Along with beans and pulses, wholegrains are a great source of fiber.
And it’s no secret that some nations have improved the balance more than others throughout time. The obvious scientific explanation for this is that our predecessors subsisted on the food that naturally grew in the environment in which they lived.
For instance, natural species in Asia and Africa were the first places where rice was found. Seafood-based diets rich in iron and potassium are common among coastal residents. In areas of the world with hot climates, fruits with high vitamin C and antioxidant content, such as mangoes and pineapples, flourish and are consumed.
One particular study, the brainchild of Minnesota-based biologist Ancel Keys, was the first to explore how where we live can affect our health, particularly with regard to eating.
It investigated the eating habits of thousands of men in Europe, the US, and Japan to ascertain how their diets were influencing their health.
In addition to concluding “that serum cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking are universal risk factors for coronary heart disease,” it also drew attention to one important finding that has since come to represent the cornerstone of diet culture: the Mediterranean diet is the best option for a healthy diet.
Here are some of the other European nations that excel at it and the reasons why.
Mediterranean food
Since Keys et al.’s dietary investigation, which became known as “The Seven Countries Study,” the Mediterranean diet has dominated lists like this one.
The Mediterranean diet, with its foundation in vegetables, whole grains, fish, and dairy, is still frequently associated with preventing obesity as well as diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
According to Harvard University research, “those who followed this type of diet had 25% less risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the course of 12 years,” which is an extension of the previous statement.
Additionally, the study notes that “those who had the highest adherence to a Mediterranean diet showed a 24% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 23% lower risk of premature death compared with those who had the lowest adherence.”
Greece, Spain, and Italy are just a few of the Mediterranean Sea-facing nations that profit from Mediterranean cuisine.
Nordic cuisine
In addition to having typically superior mental health than the rest of the world, Nordic countries are also thought to have a healthy diet.
Several nations, notably Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Denmark, emphasize the consumption of rye bread, fresh, oily fish that has just been caught, as well as fruit and vegetables that are grown nearby.
Eating seasonally, which pairs well with locally sourced goods, is another Nordic tradition.
The benefits? Produce that is shipped from another country is frequently subjected to freezing and preservatives so that when it gets to its destination, it seems to be fresh.
French cuisine
Before 1991, when Serge Renaud, a scientist from Bordeaux University, looked into it, doctors and dieticians had long been baffled by the strange relationship between the rich French cuisine and the nation’s comparatively low incidence of heart disease.
The conclusions? La portion parfaite, or “perfect serving,” is the focus in France. Although French cuisine is famous for its high-saturated-fat items like cheese, bread, croissants, and cured meats, the general consensus is that these foods are often consumed in moderation.
Research on how the French maintain low obesity and heart disease rates has also been provided by Will Clower, CEO of Mediterranean Wellness LLC. One concern Clower brings up is to the caliber of the food being consumed; in France, 80% of the fat that people consume originates from whole dairy and vegetable sources, which is a much healthier choice than the deep-fried culture that some other nations have.
In her book “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” author Mireille Guiliano supports this. She goes one step farther and contends that the variations are cultural and ingrained.
The French diet places a strong focus on variety, three meals a day, three meals a day without snacking, and the enjoyment of food.
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