2024-03-02 16:34:15
The traditional diet of northern Portugal and northwestern Spain, known as the “Atlantic Diet” or “Southern European Atlantic Diet,” may hold some evidence for improved heart health and a lower risk of premature death from cancer, heart disease or another cause, according to studies. in Europe.
The Atlantic diet is shining in the world of research, and it could compete with the “Mediterranean diet” as an alternative way to significantly enhance public health, according to a report on the “Health” website.
Like its popular cousin the Mediterranean Diet, the Atlantic Diet is characterized by a high consumption of fresh and local seafood, vegetables, and olive oil, based on the eating patterns of people in northwestern Spain and northern Portugal.
Eating these foods appears to improve metabolic health, according to a new study published in early February in JAMA Network Open. After a 6-month nutritional intervention, Spanish families who followed the traditional Atlantic diet and received educational sessions, cooking lessons and other forms of support were less likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those who did not receive this intervention.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions such as high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar, large waist circumference, and low HDL cholesterol, that can increase a person’s risk of diabetes, stroke, and other health problems. According to the website, this is a major health problem in the United States, affecting one in every 3 American adults.
The diet of northern Spain and Portugal has long been known for its potential health benefits, but the new study is the first to examine it in a real-world context. “Research has traditionally been conducted only from a theoretical perspective, without using real food consumption data from individuals or in real-life scenarios,” said Mar Calvo Malvar, study author and laboratory medicine specialist at the University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela.
The new study sought to put the theory into practice, with interesting results.
The Atlantic Diet includes a high consumption of olive oil, fruits and vegetables (AFP)
Here’s what experts have to say about the Atlantic Diet, why it has such a positive impact on metabolic health, and whether it’s worth trying…
What is the Atlantic diet?
Due to their geography, the cuisines of Spain and Portugal bear many similarities to Mediterranean cuisines.
“Like the Mediterranean diet, the Atlantic diet emphasizes the consumption of fresh, seasonal, and local foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains…fish and dairy products,” Calvo Malvar explained. Using a lot of olive oil is another thing the two have in common.
However, the diets have some notable differences that stem from regional history.
He explained that the origins of the Atlantic diet go back to the Celtic peoples who inhabit the European Atlantic arc, which includes regions such as northern Spain, northern Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, southern England, the Isle of Man, and the French region of Brittany.
He pointed out that this makes the Atlantic diet distinct, as it usually features a greater proportion of fish, milk, potatoes, fruits and vegetables compared to the Mediterranean diet.
In addition to the food itself, cooking techniques are another way to distinguish the Atlantic diet from its Mediterranean counterpart. Calvo Malvar explained in this regard that “cooking techniques associated with the Atlantic diet, such as steaming, boiling, baking, grilling, or braising, lead to less modification in the nutritional composition of foods, compared to frying.”
In general, the Atlantic diet is characterized by the following…
– Eat large amounts of fish, mollusks, crustaceans, vegetables, potatoes, bread, cereals, fruits, chestnuts, legumes, honey, whole nuts and olive oil.
– Moderate consumption of milk, cheese, eggs and beef.
– Reduce consumption of fatty meats, sweets and soft drinks.
The Atlantic Diet may hold some evidence for improved heart health and lower risk of premature death from cancer (foodinstitute)
What are the health benefits of the Atlantic diet?
Because the JAMA Open Study is the first to examine the real-world effects of the Atlantic Diet, it’s just a first peek at the potential applications of this eating plan. But according to this research, the diet can improve many components of metabolic and heart health.
Over the course of 6 months, 231 families in the rural town of Estrada, Spain, were randomly assigned to either receive educational sessions, cooking lessons, written support materials and foods characteristic of the Atlantic Diet, or to continue with their usual eating habits.
At the end of 6 months, only 2.7 percent of those who received the Atlantic Diet intervention developed metabolic syndrome, while 7.3 percent of the other group that continued their usual eating habits developed it.
The intervention also reduced the risk of central obesity and lowered good cholesterol (HDL), two important components of metabolic health. However, the Atlantic Diet had no significant effect on participants’ high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, or high fasting blood sugar levels.
Participants in the Atlantic Diet group also saw a reduction in waist circumference, which may be an indication of greater ripple effects on metabolic health, Calvo-Malvar said.
He said: “It is worth noting that weight loss has been widely recognized as beneficial for treating all components of metabolic syndrome.”
Why does the Atlantic Diet seem to have such a big impact on people’s health?
In this area, Anne Danahy, author of “Cooking the Mediterranean Diet for Two,” said it is most likely a matter of eating large amounts of plant foods and healthy fats (especially olive oil).
“These elements can promote a healthy metabolism due to fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients,” she told Health. “In general, it’s an anti-inflammatory diet.”
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