What is the Atlantic Diet? Experts Explain the Trend Nutrition Plan

• The Atlantic diet is the latest nutrition plan to get the internet going.
• The diet differs from the Mediterranean diet.
• Dietitians say the Atlantic diet is also a healthy eating option.

For years, the Mediterranean diet has been considered the gold standard eating plan for overall health and wellness. But a new study suggests that the Mediterranean diet’s cousin has many advantages, too. It’s called the Southern European Traditional Atlantic Diet or the Atlantic diet, and there are a lot of great things to say about it.

The study published in JAMA Network Openanalyzed data from the Galician Atlantic Diet study, a six-month randomized clinical trial examining the effect of regional nutrition and a controlled feeding plan on 250 families in a rural town in northwestern Spain, starting March 3, 2014. May 29, 2015.

Researchers found that the Atlantic diet “significantly reduced” rates of metabolic syndrome in study participants.

Of course, the Atlantic diet is not as well known as the Mediterranean diet. What is a nutrition plan and why can it be good for health? So how does it compare to the Mediterranean diet? Here’s the deal.

What is the Atlantic diet?

The Atlantic diet is a traditional diet in northwestern Spain and Portugal, the study explains. It has a similar structure to the Mediterranean diet but includes slightly different foods, such as cod, red meat and pork products. Potatoes, which are not usually found in the Mediterranean diet, also appear in the Atlantic diet.

This isn’t the only research finding health benefits of the Atlantic diet. A study published in the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology It looked at data from 35,917 people in December and found that the Atlantic diet reduced the risk of death from any cause over the 14-year study period. People who followed the diet also had a lower risk of death from heart disease and cancer.

What is metabolic syndrome?

According to the study’s findings, the Atlantic diet reduced rates of metabolic syndrome in people who followed the diet throughout the six-month trial. Metabolic syndrome, also known as insulin resistance syndrome, is a group of conditions that increase your risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other health problems, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The NHLBI says metabolic syndrome includes having high blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and belly fat. People with metabolic syndrome often have lower levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

About one in three adults in the United States has metabolic syndrome, but the condition is largely preventable.

What foods are included in the Atlantic diet?

The Atlantic diet features a wide variety of foods, including local, fresh and minimally processed seasonal foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and olive oil.

The diet also includes lots of fish and seafood, including cod, as well as starch-based foods, vegetable soups, potatoes, dried fruits, chestnuts, milk, cheese and moderate amounts of red meat, pork and wine. “It also encourages eating meals with family, going for daily walks, and being mindful when eating,” says author Keri Gans, RD. Small Change Diet.

Atlantic diet vs Mediterranean diet

There are some similarities between these two diets, as well as a few key differences. “The Atlantic diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, but focuses more on culinary traditions native to northern Portugal and northwestern Spain,” says Gans.. He adds that diets “look pretty much the same” depending on whether you like them or not.

However, he notes that “Someone following an Atlantic diet may consume slightly more red meat, pork, or dairy products than someone following a strict Mediterranean diet.

“For both, you’re looking at lots of fish, vegetables, legumes, and minimally processed foods,” says Jessica Cording, RD, a nutritionist and author. The Little Book of Game Changers.

Gans says both of these diets have many advantages. “I wouldn’t say one is better than the other because they both recommend antioxidant-rich plant-based foods like nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables, as well as seafood, healthy monounsaturated fats, and minimal processed foods,” she says. “They both recommend a solid diet. It’s not a diet plan, it’s promoting a lifestyle.”

What do experts say about the Atlantic diet?

Gans applauds the foods in the Atlantic diet. “The Atlantic diet includes plenty of antioxidant-rich plant-based foods like nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables, as well as seafood, healthy monounsaturated fats and minimally processed foods,” she says.

Cording also likes that the Atlantic diet contains plenty of fiber as well as healthy fats. “These have been shown to support overall health and heart health,” he says.

But the Atlantic diet isn’t perfect. Cording points out that red meat and even moderate amounts of alcohol are linked to health problems, such as an increased risk of cancer. “People will need to be careful about limiting their intake of these,” he says.

Gans says the Atlantic diet may not have enough specific guidelines for someone who needs more structure in their diet.

But Cording says the Atlantic diet is a good choice overall. “There aren’t any major red flags or major cons,” he says. “It can come with a learning curve for some people.”