Vegetables, fruit, berriesNNR 2023 · in the app
500–800 g a dayHalf of it vegetables. Roots, cabbage and frozen berries count.
The method · Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023
THE NORDIC
THE NORDIC
METHOD
A food pattern, not a protocol. Five groups, one plate.
No guru and no forbidden list. It is the pattern five governments recommend: more whole grains, berries, roots, legumes and fish, fewer ultra-processed defaults. Here it is in plain numbers, with what the app checks for you.
The Nordic plateFish, whole grains, plants, legumes, oils and nuts.
What it is
What the Nordic diet is really doing
It is not Scandinavian food cosplay. It is a way of filling the day that works anywhere with local food.
1
A pattern, not a menu
Groups and amounts, not recipes. Any dish that fills the groups counts.
2
Add before you cut
Fill the groups first. Sweets, sausage and white bread get less room on their own.
3
Local beats exotic
Seasonal, simple, home-cooked. Frozen berries and canned fish are fully Nordic.
Same family, different geography
Nordic vs Mediterranean
FoodNordicMediterranean
GrainsRye, oats, barleyWheat, pasta, bulgur
OilRapeseed (canola)Olive
FruitBerries, apples, pearsCitrus, grapes, figs
VegetablesRoots, cabbage, kale, mushroomsTomatoes, peppers, aubergine
FishCold-water: salmon, herring, mackerel, troutSardines, anchovies, white fish
DairySkyr, kefir, plain yogurtYogurt, cheese
Both reward whole foods, fibre, seafood and home cooking. Every Nordic pick has a local swap.
Verified facts
Read NNR 2023 →
The facts that shape your plate
Every amount here comes from the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Cards marked in the app are the bands EatBeat scores your day against.
Whole grainsNNR 2023 · in the app
90 g+ a dayDry weight, about three slices of rye bread or a bowl of oats and one more serving.Fish and seafoodNNR 2023
300–450 g a weekTwo to three meals. At least 200 g of it oily: salmon, herring, mackerel.LegumesNNR 2023
More, every weekBeans, lentils and peas in place of part of the meat.Red meatNNR 2023
350 g a week, maxCooked weight. Poultry and legumes fill the rest.Processed meatNNR 2023 · in the app
As little as possibleSausage, ham, bacon. The app counts any amount against the day.Nuts and seedsin the app
20 g+ a dayA small handful, unsalted.Vegetable oilsin the app
25 g+ a dayRapeseed (canola) first, instead of butter.Low-fat dairyin the app
350–500 ml a dayMilk, kefir, plain yogurt, skyr. Lactose-free works the same.Nutrients, as a share of the day's energy
Work out your own numbers →The balance the app checks every day
Protein10–20%Of energy. Fish, legumes, dairy and eggs.
Carbohydrates45–60%Mostly whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
Fat25–35%NNR 2023 allows 25–40%. The app aims at the middle.
Saturated fat10% maxSwap butter for rapeseed oil.
Added sugar10% maxSweet drinks first.
Fibre3 g+ per MJAbout 25 g on 2,000 kcal.
Sources: Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023, Nordic Council of Ministers. App bands: EatBeat Health Score algorithm, built on NNR 2023. Guidance for healthy adults, not medical advice.
The food list
Eat more often. Make smaller.
Eat more often
Whole grains
Oats, rye bread, crispbread, barley, whole-grain porridge.
Produce
Potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, kale, mushrooms, apples, pears, berries.
Protein
Salmon, trout, herring, mackerel, sardines, eggs, beans, lentils, split peas, some poultry.
Dairy
Skyr, plain yogurt, kefir, a little cheese.
Fats and flavour
Rapeseed oil, nuts, seeds, mustard, dill, chives, horseradish.
Smaller or less often
- Sweet drinks and ultra-processed snacks
- White bread, pastries, sugary cereals
- Dessert-style yogurts
- Sausage, ham, bacon
- Butter in place of oil
- Restaurant portions of creamy and fried food
Less, not never. Nothing is forbidden.
A real Nordic week
Seven days, from the app
A week the app built from one person's diary. Every day scored 85 to 91 Health Points.
Monday
91 Health Points1756 kcal
BreakfastCurd Mousse100 g · 188 kcalWith Millet Porridge with Pumpkin
LunchPasta with Minced Meat225 g · 631 kcalWith Cucumber, lettuce & tomato salad
SnackOat & fruit yogurt smoothie bowl200 g · 222 kcal
DinnerBaked Cod with Carrot and Cabbage Salad260 g · 338 kcalWith Apple, Strawberry and Carrot SmoothieSwap anything, leave out fish, meat, dairy or gluten: the app rebuilds the week.Get my week in the app →
Swaps
No lingonberries? No problem.
The method lives in the groups, not in the shop. Keep the group, change the food.
SkyrGreek or plain yogurtSame protein-rich, unsweetened dairy.
LingonberriesBlueberries, cranberries, blackberriesFrozen is fine, and often cheaper.
Herring, mackerelSardines, canned salmon, troutOily fish is the point, not the species.
Dense rye breadAny whole-grain breadKeep the rule: whole grain first.
Fish night too priceyLentils, beans, split peasLegumes cover the protein that night.
Rapeseed oilCanola oilThe same oil under another name.
Shopping and prep
One cart, four habits
Buy once a week
Base: oats, barley, rye bread or crispbread, plain yogurt or skyr, potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, onions, apples, pears, frozen berries.
Protein: salmon or trout, a can of sardines or mackerel, eggs, lentils, split peas, white beans.
Flavour: rapeseed oil, mustard, dill, lemon, parsley, black pepper.
Four prep habits
1Cook one pot of grains early in the week.
2Roast a tray of roots for bowls, sides and soups.
3Keep one fresh fish meal and one canned-fish backup for tired days.
4Wash berries and slice vegetables so the snack is already there.
The evidence
Studied on real people
Trials and cohorts of the Nordic pattern itself. Certainty differs between studies, and we say so.
Liver fat in a year
150 adults with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Half reached remission. NAFLDiet, Nature Communications 2025.
Read the summary →All-cause mortality
Over 76,000 Swedish adults with high adherence to NNR 2023. Journal of Nutrition 2025.
Read the summary →Cardiovascular risk
6 trials and 15 cohorts, about a million people: lower LDL and blood pressure. Certainty mostly low. Diabetologia 2022 meta-analysis.
Read the paper →The weight loss of an average diet
181 adults, 26 weeks, eating until full, against the average Danish diet. Blood pressure lower too. OPUS, Am J Clin Nutr 2014.
Read the paper →Studies of the diet, not of EatBeat. Results vary.
NNR 2023 reportWHO/Europe 2018Harvard HealthIs it a diet for weight loss?
It is a way of eating for health. Many people eat less without trying, because whole grains, legumes and fish fill you up. The app shows the day, not a promised number. Results vary.
How is it different from the Mediterranean diet?
Same family: whole foods, fibre, seafood, home cooking. The Nordic version leans on rye, oats, roots, cabbage, berries, rapeseed oil and cold-water fish.
Do I need Nordic ingredients?
No. Greek yogurt for skyr, blueberries for lingonberries, sardines or canned salmon for herring. Keep the group, change the food.
Can I eat it as a vegetarian?
Yes. Lentils, split peas, beans, eggs and dairy cover the protein. Keep the whole grains, berries and roots.
What should I eat less of?
Sweet drinks, ultra-processed snacks, white bread and pastries, and processed meat. Less, not never.
Where do the numbers come from?
The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The app scores your day against the same bands. Guidance for healthy adults, not medical advice.
Start tonight. The app checks the numbers.
Snap your lunch, see what the day is missing, get the dinner that fills it. Free, 2 scans a day; Premium 7 days free.
