What scientists say about the Atlantic virus diet

You’ve heard of the Mediterranean diet, but what about its cousin: the Atlantic diet?

Since the start of 2024, there has been a surge of interest in the Atlantic diet, with TikTok users and influencers taking an interest in the latest diet trend. But what is the Atlantic diet and what does science say about it?

News week I spoke to experts to find out.

“The Atlantic diet, originating from northwest Spain and northern Portugal, is characterized by its emphasis on fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients,” said specialist Maria del Mar Calvo Malvar in laboratory medicine at the University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela. Spain, which has published several articles on the Atlantic regime, declared News week.

Learn more: Compare the best health savings accounts

“Basic products include fruits, vegetables, especially vegetables of the Brassica family, whole grains (mainly bread), legumes, potatoes, fish and dairy products, fish and fruits seafood being consumed at least 3 to 4 times a week,” she said.

“Olive oil is the main cooking fat and wine is preferred over beer. Cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, baking, grilling or stewing are favored over frying and to preserve the nutritional value.”

It is similar to the Mediterranean diet, rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and olive oil. It also includes moderate consumption of cheese and fish and limited consumption of red and processed meats. But it is the foods consumed within these groups that distinguish these two diets.

“Unlike the Mediterranean diet, which also emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients and the use of olive oil, the Atlantic diet features a different selection of vegetables and fruits, as well as consumption variety of cereals,” said Calvo Malvar.

“The Brassica vegetable (i.e. broccoli, cabbage, kale and other green leafy vegetables) is consumed in abundance in Atlantic cuisine, with recognized preventive benefits against disease. Consumption of fish and dairy products is higher in Atlantic gastronomy, and wine takes precedence over beer.

Alberto Coelho, professor of chemistry at the University of Santiago de Compostela, added that the types of fish eaten in the Atlantic diet also differ from those eaten in the traditional Mediterranean diet.

“While the Mediterranean diet and the Atlantic diet of southern Europe include the consumption of fresh fish and seafood, the Atlantic diet of southern Europe may place more emphasis on the consumption of seafood typical of the Atlantic, such as cod, sardines and local shellfish,” said Coelho. News week.

“Given access to the oceans, the Atlantic diet tends to include a significant amount of fresh fish and seafood such as salmon, cod, sardines, mussels and shrimp. Although fish is a central part of the Atlantic diet, it can also include moderate amounts of fish consumption of lean meats such as poultry and game.

Now that we’ve established what the Atlantic Diet is, what are the health benefits associated with this way of eating?

“The main benefit provided by the Atlantic diet… is well-being and longevity,” Coelho said. “The data show evidence of the anticancer and antioxidant activity of different components of the Atlantic diet of southern Europe, present in octopus, mussels, cruciferous vegetables, native olive oil, Padron peppers, among other widely consumed foods.”

In fact, a study carried out by researchers from Madria, Porto and Harvard, published in the journal BMC Medicine in 2021, found that adherence to the Atlantic diet among adults over 60 was associated with lower all-cause mortality.

Research from Calvo Malvar’s lab has shown that this diet may also benefit metabolic health.

“In our latest study, published in the JAMA Network“We found that nutritional intervention in families following the Atlantic diet reduced the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by a third in the intervention group compared to controls,” she said.

“This is an important finding because metabolic syndrome affects almost 25 percent of the general adult population worldwide and its diagnosis significantly increases the risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular diseases.

“Specifically, the Atlantic diet has been correlated with a healthy gut microbiota and low levels of various cardiovascular risk factors, such as cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation), insulin resistance, blood pressure, body weight and waist circumference, among others.

Learn more: What is a health savings account?

So, does this make the Atlantic diet better than the Mediterranean diet?

“I wouldn’t focus the talk on whether one is better than the other,” Coelho said. “They are complementary diets and both very healthy (and) the choice between the South Atlantic diet and the Mediterranean diet may depend on various personal and contextual factors.”

Calvo Malvar agrees: “Both diets were found to be healthy and enjoyable,” she added. “I believe that the question is not to determine which is more or less healthy, or more or less pleasant, but rather which dietary model is best suited to the population in which it is promoted. Diet is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease Chronic and other chronic diseases and dietary changes are a key strategy to prevent millions of deaths each year worldwide.

“The fundamentals of the Atlantic Diet offer a unique combination of flexibility, palatability, satiating power and affordability, making it an attractive option for people seeking healthy food choices. Additionally, its culinary tradition, characterized by imaginative yet simple dishes, lends itself well to the time constraints prevalent in today’s busy lifestyles.

Do you have any advice on a health story that News week should it cover? Do you have a question about organ transplants? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.