Boost your health and well-being with the Atlantic diet: A comprehensive guide to eating like coastal Europeans
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If you are interested in adding some delicious, European-inspired recipes to your meal routine while boosting your health, you should know about the Atlantic diet.
Much like the world-famous Mediterranean diet, the Atlantic diet has been found to offer significant benefits compared to the standard American diet.
Read on to learn more about the Atlantic diet and how to easily include its recipes and techniques into your meal routine.
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What is the Atlantic diet?
The Atlantic diet refers to the ingredients and cooking techniques associated with the traditional eating patterns of Europe’s Atlantic region. It includes a high consumption of fish, shellfish, vegetables (especially potatoes and cabbage), fruits, grains, nuts, legumes, and honey.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET COULD HELP REDUCE BELLY FAT AND MUSCLE LOSS CAUSED BY AGING, STUDY FINDS
Dairy, eggs, and meat play moderate roles in the Atlantic diet. Alcohol consumption is also moderate – usually limited to a glass of red wine with meals.
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Diego Platas, owner of a restaurant that promotes the Atlantic diet, cooks in Naron, Spain, on Sept. 13, 2018.
For dessert, egg-based treats are common – think flans, custard tarts, and bread pudding – along with dried fruit and some grain-based baked goods.
The Atlantic diet is as much about how to prepare food as the ingredients themselves. Boiling, stewing, roasting, and grilling are common preparation methods.
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are Portugal and the Galicia region of Spain.
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What are the health benefits of the Atlantic diet?It’s easy to see how a diet rich in seafood and vegetables and low in alcohol, sugar, and processed foods will lead to improved health, especially when paired with regular physical activity.
A study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open found that the Atlantic diet significantly reduced the risk of metabolic syndrome. Also known as insulin resistance syndrome, metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that can increase your risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
One in three adults in the United States has metabolic syndrome, per the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, high blood triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol are all indicators of metabolic syndrome, especially if you have three or more of these conditions.
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changes in your lifestyle, especially diet.An attendant manages her seafood stall at a market in Matosinhos, Portugal, on July 17, 2019. A key feature of the Atlantic diet is fresh, local ingredients in season. (Horacio Villalobos – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
A report published in the International Journal of Food Studies notes that the Atlantic diet’s high fish consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, most likely due to the abundant amount of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fish is also an ample source of vitamin D and calcium.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with a lower risk of degenerative disease, including cardiovascular disease and brain dysfunction, as well as proliferative diseases such as cancer. Onions and cabbage, which feature prominently in Atlantic diet recipes, are associated with healthy antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects, respectively.
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How is the Atlantic diet different from the Mediterranean diet?The Atlantic diet is often compared to the Mediterranean diet, which was introduced to the world after scientists in the 1960s noticed that residents of the Greek island of Crete were in unusually good health and enjoyed long longevity.
These were attributed to the islanders’ diet, which is rich in saturated fatty acids and flavonoids – thanks in large part to the Cretan’s liberal use of olive oil, which is also important in the Atlantic diet.
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MEDITERRANEAN, MIND DIETS SHOWN TO REDUCE SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S IN THE BRAIN, STUDY FINDSBoth the Atlantic and Mediterranean diets put an emphasis on seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, healthy grains, legumes, moderate to low amounts of dairy, and moderate red wine consumption.