What’s the Atlantic diet, the cousin of the famous Mediterranean diet? How healthy is it?
The award-winning Mediterranean diet is passé. The Atlantic diet is catching on. It helps in reducing belly fat and cholesterol but at the same time allows you to enjoy bread and pasta. It benefits the people and the planet
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Are you conscious about what you eat? Are you also mindful of the environment? The Atlantic diet is for you. Not only it is good for your health but also for the planet.
The Atlantic diet, which is all the rage these days, is the cousin of the famous Mediterranean diet. It’s the traditional diet that emerges from the eating habits of those in the coastal regions near the Atlantic Ocean. It is what those living in northern Portugal and northwestern Spain have been eating for ages.
A recent study published in JAMA Network, a medical journal, says that the Atlantic diet may be a beneficial new option for people looking to simplify and improve their nutrition.
What is the Atlantic diet?
The Atlantic diet shares its roots with the award-winning Mediterranean diet . Those living in coastal regions near the Atlantic Ocean incorporate an abundance of seafood, fresh vegetables and whole grains in their meals.
Fresh fish, particularly cod, features prominently in the diet. The other choices include salmon, mackerel and sardines. It also focuses on whole, unprocessed and fresh foods including vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole-grain bread, dairy, eggs, olive oil and other seasonal sources of nutrition. There is moderate consumption of red meat and pork and some wine.
Carbs and starches are a big part of the Atlantic diet, which calls for the consumption of foods like bread, pasta, cereal and rice six to eight times per day, according to a report by USA TODAY.
Red meat is used sparingly and eggs, dairy and poultry are eaten in lesser quantities than in the traditional Western diet. The mainstay of the meal is healthy, oily fish which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids , vitamins and minerals. The diet incorporates grains and legumes – brown rice, quinoa , lentils and chickpeas – and a lot of fresh produce like tomatoes, peppers, citrus fruit and leafy greens. Vegetable soup is a common staple on the Atlantic diet.
