A new study from Uppsala University in Sweden has found that a healthy Nordic diet can help people with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
This kind of diet includes a lot of fiber from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables but only a small amount of saturated fat. The researchers say this diet may work even better than other recommended diets for improving blood sugar and reducing fat in the liver.
The study lasted for one year and included 150 people who had either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. These participants were randomly assigned to follow one of three diets. One group followed a low-carbohydrate diet that was low in animal foods and high in healthy fats from plants.
Another group followed the healthy Nordic diet, which is similar to the Mediterranean diet but uses more local Nordic foods. The third group followed a diet based on the general Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, which includes healthy eating advice.
The healthy Nordic diet included foods such as rye and oat flakes, whole-grain crispbread, rapeseed oil, almonds, apples, berries like blueberries and raspberries, cabbage, peas, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.
It also allowed some low-fat dairy and plant-based cooking fats. All three groups were advised to avoid red and processed meats, sugary drinks, sweets, and snacks.
After one year, the group following the healthy Nordic diet had the best results. Their liver fat was reduced by more than 20%, and their blood sugar control improved.
More than half of the people in this group even saw their fatty liver disease go into remission. The Nordic diet also helped lower inflammation, body weight, and levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
Interestingly, the researchers were surprised by how effective the Nordic diet was. They had expected the low-carb diet to perform better. However, both the low-carb and the Nordic diets helped reduce liver fat and cholesterol. Still, the Nordic diet had greater benefits for long-term blood sugar control and liver health.
One reason the diet worked well could be that it was easy for people to stick with it. Even though participants could eat as much of the recommended foods as they wanted, many still lost weight. This is different from many other diet studies where people are told to eat fewer calories, which can make them feel hungry and give up.
The researchers found that weight loss only explained about half of the improvement in liver fat. This means the foods in the Nordic diet may have had direct effects on the liver and on blood sugar levels, separate from weight loss.
This study is important because it shows that a healthy, easy-to-follow diet based on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats can be a powerful tool for managing diabetes and liver disease. It could help shape future guidelines for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about How to choosing the right fruits for type 2 diabetes and findings of New higher dose diabetes drug promises better blood sugar control and weight loss.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about The hidden connection between cancer and diabetes uncovered and findings of Scientists find the best way to help people with diabetes lose weight.
The study is published in Nature Communications.
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