THE ATLANTIC DIET IS A WAY OF EATING that is well-liked in certain parts of Spain and Portugal. It’s similar to the Mediterranean diet. Today, we’ll explore unlocking wellness: The Atlantic diet’s surprising power against metabolic syndrome.
The Atlantic diet is all about eating fresh, local foods that haven’t been messed around too much in a factory. I am very interested in how we can use diet to advance health.
A new study suggests the Atlantic diet can help us dodge metabolic syndrome.
The syndrome is a cluster of health factors that can increase diabetes and stroke risk.
Metabolic syndrome
Have you heard of metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is like a team of health issues that team up to make your chances of getting serious problems like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke higher.
Some folks also call it insulin resistance syndrome.
Defining metabolic syndrome
You might have metabolic syndrome if you’ve got three or more of the following things going on:
- Big belly: More fat around your stomach (like an apple shape) is riskier for your heart than extra fat in other places.
- High blood pressure: Consistently high blood pressure can harm the heart and blood vessels, leading to heart attack or stroke.
- High blood sugar: Too much sugar in your blood can damage your blood vessels and increase the risk of blood clots, which can cause heart and blood vessel problems.
- High blood triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood). Too much can raise bad cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.
- Low HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind): Low levels of this good cholesterol can make it harder to remove the bad cholesterol, leading to plaque buildup in your blood vessels.
Metabolic syndrome is common.
The first meta-analysis to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome across the globe showed the following:
- Metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence varied from 12.5 to 31.4 percent, depending on the diagnostic criteria.
- The Americas and Eastern Mediterranean regions had the highest prevalence across MetS definitions.
In the United States, about one in three adults have metabolic syndrome. The good news? It is largely preventable.
In summary, metabolic syndrome and its related cardiometabolic components are highly prevalent worldwide.
The Atlantic diet
The Atlantic diet is a nutritional approach popular in certain regions of Portugal and Spain, sharing similarities with the Mediterranean diet.
This dietary pattern emphasizes consuming fresh and locally sourced foods while minimizing the intake of heavily processed items.
Specifically, the Atlantic diet promotes a lifestyle where individuals focus on incorporating minimally processed, whole foods into their meals.
This approach includes abundant fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and other locally produced items, mirroring the principles of the Mediterranean diet.
Atlantic diet details
The Atlantic diet is the traditional diet of people from northern Portugal and Galicia in northwestern Spain.
In the Atlantic diet, the go-to foods are starchy stuff like bread, pasta, rice, and whole grains, eaten about six to eight times daily.
People also have some meat, mostly beef, pork, and eggs.
Olive oil is a common choice for adding flavor, and having a bit of wine during meals is part of the deal.
But it’s not just about what you eat with the Atlantic diet — it’s also about how you cook and eat.
The focus is on healthy, nutrient-packed foods and sharing meals with others.
Traditional cooking methods like stewing are encouraged because they help your body soak up more nutrients, according to dietician Michelle Routhenstein of EntirelyNourished.com.
New study
A study published in JAMA Network Open examined how the Atlantic diet influenced metabolic syndrome and dietary carbon footprint emissions among participants.
Researchers looked at more than 200 families who either tried the Atlantic diet or stuck to their usual eating method for six months.
The researchers were curious about which group had a higher chance of getting metabolic syndrome — a bunch of health issues like too much body fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and wonky cholesterol levels, all of which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.
Results
After those six months, researchers discovered the following:
Individuals who followed the Atlantic diet had a lower risk of getting metabolic syndrome than those who stuck to their regular eating habits.
The study also discovered that following the Atlantic diet lowered the chances of getting things like:
- obesity
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high triglycerides ( a kind of fat in your blood).
These findings mean that the Atlantic diet can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease in the long run.
Atlantic diet — why it’s good for you
Eating the Atlantic diet has more benefits than just tasting good—it might also help you live longer.
Let’s dive into why this diet is so good for you.
Fish
First, it’s big on fish, bringing these awesome omega-3 fatty acids. These little guys are like superheroes for your heart, calming down any inflammation in your body.
The American Heart Association even suggests having fish at least twice weekly to keep your heart in shape and reduce your risk of stroke.
Whole grains, fruits, veggies, and more
Then, you’ve got a mix of whole grains, fruits, veggies, pulses, and nuts. It’s like a dream team for your body, giving you fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants — all the good stuff your heart craves.
Most Americans don’t get enough fiber daily, but studies show that eating 25 to 30 grams can lower the risk of heart disease.
Potassium and magnesium
And let’s not forget about potassium and magnesium, both found in plant-based foods.
These guys help check your blood pressure and ensure your heart is doing its job right.
Atlantic versus Mediterranean diets
Even though Spain is in the Mediterranean neighborhood, the Atlantic diet has its unique twist, a bit different from the usual Mediterranean style.
Both diets love fresh foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and olive oil, but the Mediterranean is more into plant-based goodies.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic diet emphasizes bread, fish, milk, potatoes, and even some red meat. They’re also big fans of stewing, especially when making vegetable soup.
My final thoughts
So, the Atlantic diet isn’t just a food fad; it’s a way to keep your heart happy and healthy.
Both the Atlantic and Mediterranean diets have science backing them up.
The Atlantic diet gets a gold star for bringing in omega-3 fatty acids from seafood, while the Mediterranean diet is largely about antioxidants and healthy fats from olive oil and plant-based foods.
Here are my final words: the Mediterranean Diet has more research behind it, especially when lowering the risk of heart problems.
For me, it starts with dodging highly processed foods. Atlantic? Mediterranean? It’s all good.
Your thoughts?
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