This Heart-Healthy Diet Has a Nordic Twist
Dinner frequently included root vegetables with fish — or less frequently and in smaller portions, meat.
Now, as an epidemiologist at the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen, Dr. Kyro studies how this eating pattern, more recently coined the Nordic diet, influences disease risk.
As with the famously healthy Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beneficial fats. While it hasn't been studied for as long as the Mediterranean diet, preliminary research suggests that the Nordic diet may have big rewards — especially for the heart.
What is the Nordic diet?
Similar to its southern cousin, the Nordic diet prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean proteins and fatty fish. The main difference is that it highlights food native to the Nordic region, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Instead of olive oil, the Nordic diet features rapeseed (or canola) oil — made from the rapeseed plant, which thrives in cooler temperatures. Root vegetables like turnips, carrots and parsnips, and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, are staples of the diet. Blueberries, strawberries, lingonberries (small, tart fruits similar to cranberries) and other berries also play a prominent role, as do fruits like apples and pears.
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Special features: "Some products include features like pre-set measurements or Bluetooth connectivity to track consumption on an app," explains Imus. This is particularly true of items like kitchen scales. She adds that this can be helpful for people actively managing their diet. (back to top) How we chose the best portion-control tools To choose the best tools for portion control, we tested over 20 different products, including bento boxes, snack boxes, snack bags, measuring cups, silicone baking cups, serving spoons, squeezable oils, dishes and meal prep containers. We also spoke with three registered dietitians who gave us insight into what factors to consider when choosing a portion-control product and some of the benefits of using such products. We tested the items by preparing snacks and lunches to be stored in the portable containers (like bento boxes, snack boxes and bags) and cooking with the other items (like the measuring cups, silicone baking cups and cooking oils). As a registered dietitian who cooks frequently and has worked in weight management clinics, I was able to evaluate the usability and quality of each product compared to other products I have tried. (back to top) FAQs What is the most accurate way to measure portion sizes? "The most accurate way to measure portion sizes is to use a digital food scale that measures in grams or ounces," says Imus. However, she acknowledges that this method is not the most convenient for many people. Instead, "being able to use a measuring cup or measuring scoop is typically the fastest and easiest way to measure portions with a fairly good amount of accuracy," she says. Which portion-control tools work best for serving soups and sauces? "For soups and sauces, ladles with measurement markings or liquid measuring cups work the best," says Bianchini. She notes that these products are consistent, easy to use and require minimal effort while ensuring accurate portions. She also recommends using glass mason jars if you're meal prepping things like soups or casseroles. "Mason jars have measurements in fluid ounces and milliliters, making it extremely accurate [while] taking away an additional step," she explains, adding that Mason jars also help keep food fresh — an extra bonus! What are three ways to control portion size? There are many ways to control portion size, but some of the most effective are using smaller plates or bowls, pre-portioning meals and snacks and measuring food with tools, says Imus. "Studies show that smaller dishware can trick the brain into thinking you're eating more," she explains, "which can reduce overall food consumption." In addition, she explains that instead of eating directly from a package of food like crackers or nuts, measure out an appropriate portion (such as one ounce of nuts) and place that in a small bowl or container to avoid grazing or overeating. Finally, Imus explains that using tools like food scales, measuring cups or portion plates helps ensure you know how much you're actually eating. "If you're tracking your intake in an app to lose weight, these tools allow you to record the amount of food accurately so you can stick to the calorie budget you're aiming for." However, while measuring your portions is all well and good, one often overlooked aspect of controlling portion size is not skipping meals, says Callins. "Skipping meals tends to lead to eating larger portions later on," she explains. She recommends sticking to a consistent meal and snack schedule, which may make it easier to manage your portions. (back to top) Other products we tested In addition to the products that made our list, we tried several other portion-control products. Here are some that we tried: Melii: We also tried the Melii Snackle Boxes with four and six compartments, as well as the Spin Snack Container. While the Snackle Box Mini with six compartments held a lot of snacks, we felt it was too bulky for taking in a purse on the go. The four-compartment Snackle Box was good for small snacks like nuts and seeds, but lacked the versatility of some of the other snack bags and boxes we tried. Finally, while we loved the idea of the Spin Snack Container, the wheel kept getting stuck, making it difficult to use. Stasher: In addition to the silicone snack and sandwich bags that we tried and loved, we also tried Stasher's 1-cup bowl, 2-cup bowl and Stand-Up Mid bag. We found that the bowls were too bulky for snacks but felt that they would work well for holding leftover soup or casserole (we didn't notice any leakage when we tested them, and they're oven-safe). The Stand-Up Mid bag was quite large, which we felt made it unsuitable for an individual snack bag. However, if you're packing snacks for multiple people, it could be useful. Great Jones: We tried Great Jones's Great Spoon for portioning out pasta and rice, but because of the shape, it was difficult to scoop these foods. However, it worked very well for soups and sauces. Good Cook: We tried Good Cook's two-compartment and three-compartment meal prep containers. While we loved that the compartments were labeled with portion sizes (in cups) and kept foods separate, they leaked a bit when jostled around, which could be a problem for people who want to bring them to work in a lunch bag. However, if you just plan on using them at home, they're a good option that stacks nicely in the fridge or freezer. Bentgo: We tried a variety of Bentgo products, including the Bentgo Prep 2 Compartment Set, the Bentgo Kids Print Lunchbox and the Bentgo Bowl. All of them are high-quality products that can certainly help with portion control, but each fell a little short when it came to including them on the list above. The prep containers aren't designed to be used forever, and it shows in their construction — they're a bit flimsy and we were worried the lids popping off. The Bentgo Bowl is a nice, leak-proof option for transporting soups and pastas, but the 21-ounce interior size may be a bit large for portion control, depending on what you're eating. And the Kids Print Lunchbox is cute, but the compartment shapes aren't very functional (depending on what you're packing) and the hinges on one of the lunch boxes broke during testing. Ezpz: We tried a variety of the Ezpz feeding tools for toddlers and preschoolers. The Happy Feeding Set for kids over two years of age is cute and kid-friendly and makes it easy and fun to portion out different foods. However, we found the mat a bit challenging to fit in the dishwasher and a pain to wash by hand. This held true for the Mini Mat and Mini Bowl we tested for younger toddlers (under two years of age), although of the group, we liked the Mini Bowl best. We also found that the cups (one that came with the Happy Feeding Set and the Mini Cup for younger toddlers) were too easy for our kids to take the lids off of — we prefer cups that lock tight. (back to top) Meet our experts Vanessa Imus, MS, RDN of Integrated Nutrition for Weight Loss Umo Callins, MS, RD, LD, CSSD, CPT, a sports dietitian and fitness coach with Well Rooted Health and Nutrition, based in Oklahoma City Jennifer Bianchini, MS, RDN, IFNCP, RYT, functional nutrition and mindfulness expert, founder of Body to Soul Health Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
