The Atlantic Diet Is Trending—But Is It Worth the Hype? Nutritionists Explain
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The Atlantic diet is the latest eating plan to have the internet abuzz.
The diet differs from the Mediterranean diet.
Dietitians say the Atlantic diet is also a good healthy eating choice.
For years, the Mediterranean diet has been considered the gold standard eating plan for overall health and wellness. But a new study suggests that a cousin of the Mediterranean diet has plenty of perks, too. It’s called the Southern European Traditional Atlantic Diet—or Atlantic diet—and there are plenty of great things to say about it.
The study, which was published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from the Galician Atlantic Diet study, which was a six-month randomized clinical trial that looked at the impact of the regional diet and a control eating plan on 250 families in a rural town in northwestern Spain from March 3, 2014, to May 29, 2015.
The researchers found that the Atlantic diet “significantly reduced” rates of metabolic syndrome in study participants.
Of course, the Atlantic diet isn’t as well known as the Mediterranean diet. What is the eating plan and why might it be good for health? And how does it compare to the Mediterranean diet? Here’s the deal.
What is the Atlantic diet?
The Atlantic diet is a traditional diet in northwestern Spain and Portugal, the study explains. It has a similar feel to the Mediterranean diet but with slightly different foods, like cod, red meat, and pork products. Potatoes, which are not usually found in the Mediterranean diet, also show up in the Atlantic diet.
This isn’t the only research that found health benefits of the Atlantic diet. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in December looked at data from 35, 917 people and found that the Atlantic diet lowered the risk of death from any cause over the 14-year study period. People who followed the diet also had a lower risk of death from heart disease and cancer.
What’s metabolic syndrome?
As the study found, the Atlantic diet reduced the rates of metabolic syndrome in people who followed it during the six-month trial. Metabolic syndrome, a.k.a. insulin resistance syndrome, is a group of conditions that together raise your risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other health issues, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Metabolic syndrome includes having higher blood pressure, blood sugars, cholesterol, and belly fat, the NHLBI says. People with metabolic syndrome will usually have lower levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
About one in three adults in the U.S. have metabolic syndrome, but the condition is largely preventable.
What foods are in the Atlantic diet?
There is a wide range of foods in the Atlantic diet, including local, fresh, and minimally processed seasonal foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and olive oil.
The diet also has a lot of fish—including cod—and seafood, along with starch-based foods, vegetable soups, potatoes, dried fruits, chestnuts, milk, cheese, and moderate amounts of red meat, pork, and wine. “It also encourages dining with family, going for daily walks, and being mindful while eating,” says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet.
Atlantic diet vs Mediterranean diet
There are some similarities between these two diets, as well as a few key differences. “The Atlantic diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet except it focuses more on the culinary customs specific to northern Portugal and northwestern Spain,” Gans says. The diets “appear almost identical” depending on your likes and dislikes, she adds.
That said, she does note that “someone on the Atlantic diet may consume slightly more red meat, pork, or dairy compared to a strict Mediterranean diet follower.”
“For both, you’re looking at a lot of fish, veggies, legumes, and minimal processed foods,” says Jessica Cording, R.D., is a nutritionist and the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.
Gans says there are plenty of perks to both of these diets. “I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, as both recommend plenty of antioxidant-rich plant-based foods, such as nuts, legumes, fruit, and veggies, as well as seafood, healthy mono-unsaturated fats, and minimally processed foods,” she says. “They both promote a lifestyle, not a strict diet plan.”
What experts say about the Atlantic diet
Gans applauds the foods in the Atlantic diet. “The Atlantic diet includes plenty of antioxidant-rich plant-based foods, such as nuts, legumes, fruit, and veggies, as well as seafood, healthy mono-unsaturated fats, and minimally processed foods,” she says.
Cording also likes that the Atlantic diet has plenty of fiber, along with healthy fats. “These have been shown to support overall health and heart health,” she says.
But the Atlantic diet isn’t perfect. Cording points out that red meat and even moderate amounts of alcohol have been linked to health issues, like an increased risk of cancer. “People will need to be mindful of limiting their intake of those,” she says.
The Atlantic diet also may not have enough specific guidelines for someone who needs more structure in their diet, Gans says.
But Cording says that the Atlantic diet is an overall good choice. “There aren’t any major red flags or big cons,” she says. “It just may come with a learning curve for some people.”
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