The Mediterranean diet has been extensively researched and is consistently rated as the best overall diet. It has been associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. But now attention is turning to another body of water near the Mediterranean Sea: the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Diet is a dietary style that reflects the traditional eating habits of the people of northwestern Spain and northern Portugal, which surround the Atlantic Ocean known as Galicia.
Important points:
- The Atlantic Diet is an eating style based on the traditional eating habits of the people of a particular region surrounding the Atlantic Ocean known as Galicia.
- Research shows that people who eat an Atlantic diet have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity.
- Although similar in some ways to the Mediterranean diet, the Atlantic diet includes potatoes and allows more red meat and dairy products.
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The Atlantic Diet, also known as the Southern European Atlantic Diet or SEAD, has growing evidence of impressive health benefits and is rapidly becoming as popular as the more well-known Mediterranean diet. In particular, a 2024 analysis based on the Galician Atlantic Diet Trial (GALIAT) found that the Atlantic diet reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious illnesses. health problems.
What is the Atlantic Diet?
Although the Atlantic-style diet emphasizes local, fresh, and seasonal ingredients and shares similar aspects to the Mediterranean diet, there are significant differences between the two diets.
Although Spain is part of the Mediterranean Sea, Spain’s South Atlantic coast and Galicia region have unique culinary traditions, said Galiat, lead expert in laboratory medicine at Spain’s Santiago de Compostela University Clinical Hospital. the study.
“Although recent media reports have referred to the Atlantic diet as simply a variation of the Mediterranean diet, these two dietary patterns exhibit notable differences while sharing health benefits.” she says.
Atlantic and Mediterranean diets
Annika Urban
The vegetables you can eat vary depending on the location and climate. The Atlantic diet incorporates more cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, turnips, and turnip greens.
“Brassica vegetables are a hallmark of the Atlantic diet,” says Calvo-Malvar. “These vegetables are rich in glucosinolates, which have been shown to have disease-preventing properties.”
Potatoes, which are not normally found in the Mediterranean diet, are also consumed more in the Atlantic diet.
While both diets are rich in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes (beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas), the Atlantic diet is rich in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes (beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas); , you can consume more dairy products, especially milk and cheese.
As with the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is preferred over butter or margarine for cooking and flavoring.
While pasta may be the preferred grain in the Mediterranean diet, rice is usually the preferred grain, along with whole grain bread, in the Atlantic diet. In fact, six to eight servings of grains each day are recommended, making them the most important part of the Atlantic diet.
Meal Preparation for Atlantic and Mediterranean Diets
What distinguishes the Atlantic diet from the European diet is not just the food, but the way that food is prepared.
The Atlantic diet is highly palatable and tends to use cooking methods that preserve food’s original flavor and nutritional content, especially stews, Calvo-Malvar said.
Vegetable soup usually contains a variety of vegetables such as legumes and vegetables, tomatoes, and potatoes, and is a traditional dish often eaten in Spain and Portugal. Fisherman’s stew, made with freshly caught fish and tender potatoes in a tomato-rich soup, is also a classic.
Like the Mediterranean diet, the Atlantic diet celebrates the pleasurable aspects of food and encourages home cooking, eating together, and considering mealtimes as social acts.
how to do the atlantic diet
The Atlantic Diet promotes minimally processed, local foods and includes:
- Seafood (especially cod, mussels, octopus), seasonal fruits and vegetables, bread and cereals, whole nuts (preferably chestnuts, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas), olive oil. Large intake of.
- Consume wine, milk, cheese, eggs, and lean beef and pork in moderation.
- Reduce your intake of fatty meats, sweets, sugary drinks, butter, and margarine.
If you eat dessert, it’s likely to be made with grains, dried fruit, nuts, or honey. The Atlantic Diet recommends water as the main drink and also encourages daily physical activity.
what to eat on the atlantic diet
Here’s a breakdown of how often you should eat certain foods.
| food | 1 serving/frequency |
| Bread, cereals, whole grains, rice, pasta, potatoes | 6-8/day |
| Olive oil | 3-4/day |
| fruits | 3 or more times per day |
| vegetables | More than 2 times per day |
| dairy products | 3-4/day |
| whole nuts | 4-6 times a week |
| seafood | 3-4 times a week |
| egg | 3-4 times a week |
| red meat | 3-4 times a week |
| pulse | 2-3 times a week |
| fatty meats, cured sausages, margarine, butter | sparingly/monthly |
| Sweets, pastries, cakes, ice cream | sparingly/monthly |
Health Benefits of the Atlantic Diet
The origins of the Atlantic diet can be traced back to the Celts who lived on Europe’s Atlantic coast, Calvo-Malvar said. This included areas such as northern Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, southern England, and the Brittany region of France.
“Although northern Spain and Portugal have strong Atlantic coast diets, other regions have adopted different dietary patterns over time,” she says.
Researchers have documented the health benefits of the Atlantic diet for years, including studies showing that adherence to this traditional eating style is associated with:
- Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Reduction in cancer-related mortality.
- Reducing the risk of obesity.
An analysis of the 2024 GALIAT study found that the Atlantic diet reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that include high blood pressure, blood sugar levels, waist circumference, and cholesterol levels that, when combined, increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems.
Participants who followed a traditional Atlantic diet with the support of nutritional education, cooking classes, and recipes were approximately 42% less likely to exhibit additional components of metabolic syndrome compared to the control group.
“Our interventions are based on a diet that is in line with the cultural and gastronomic heritage of the region, featuring local, economically available foods, and incorporating the food pleasures characteristic of the Atlantic diet. We emphasize fun,” says Calvo Malvar.
Spain and Portugal have lower cardiovascular death rates and longer life expectancies than other European countries, so researchers believe the Atlantic diet may also benefit people living in other parts of Europe. I have also investigated whether there is one. A recent study found that adherence to the Atlantic Diet (SEAD) was associated with lower rates of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality in Spain, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
atlantic diet recipes
fava beans and vegetables
Beans and vegetables are staples of the Atlantic diet, especially soups. Try this version with fava beans from Sharon Palmer, a plant-based nutritionist and one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Diets panelists. Or, substitute your favorite white beans.
Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup).
- 8 ounces dried fava beans (or cannellini, flageolet, or white beans).
- 4 cups of soup.
- 1 cup of water.
- Divide 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped.
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped.
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional).
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- 1 large bunch of chopped fresh turnip greens or other vegetables (dandelion, chicory, mustard greens).
- Place beans in a large pot or Dutch oven, cover with water, and soak overnight (about 8 hours).
- Drain the beans, return them to the pot, add the broth, water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper, oregano, salt (to taste), and black pepper, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 1 hour. Stir frequently until the semi-cooked beans are very soft. You may need to add more water as needed to create a thick stew-like texture (be careful not to make it too watery).
- Remove from the heat and while still hot in the pot, immediately mash the beans with a potato masher to create a thick mixture (about the texture of mashed potatoes). If the mixture is too dry and thick, add more boiling water.
- Add the chopped vegetables on top of the beans, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not stir. Leave the vegetables to wilt. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- Serve immediately.
Roasted cauliflower steak with pistachio pesto
Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables are staples of the Atlantic diet. Try this easy cauliflower steak made by registered dietitian Liz Weiss of Liz’s Healthy Table.
Cauliflower steak ingredients:
- Cut 1 medium-sized cauliflower into 3-4 pieces and add 1-inch-thick whole slices (about 6 ounces per slice) and remaining florets.
- Divide 3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Kosher salt and black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme.
Ingredients for pistachio pesto:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
- Add 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil and more for garnish.
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh tarragon.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, more for garnish (chopped pistachios).
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
- 1 tablespoon honey.
- 1/2 clove of garlic, peeled.
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt.
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and brush the “steak” and florets with 2 teaspoons of oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper. Roast until lightly caramelized and almost cooked through, about 18 minutes.
- Gently flip each “steak” and floret over and brush with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of thyme, salt, and pepper and roast until caramelized and the stems are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the pesto (you will need extra pesto for another recipe). Place the olive oil, basil, tarragon, Parmesan, pistachios, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a small food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the cauliflower steaks on a large plate or platter. Sprinkle with pesto and garnish with pistachios and fresh basil.
