London - The Scandinavians seem to tuck into the most delicious, indulgent foods – yet they stay so slim and healthy-looking. How on earth do they manage it?
* They cook with butter rather than olive oil. We have been told to eat less butter since a 1983 study suggested that saturated fats were bad for us, but that study has now been debunked and butter is back on the menu! For the Scandis, though, it never went away.
* They eat lots of oily fish, especially herring, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Pasture is expensive in many parts of snowy Scandinavia, so red meat usually costs a lot more than fish, which is plentiful and cheap.
* The exception to this is venison. In Sweden, deer are everywhere – the cars often have five front lights compared with our two so that you can avoid hitting one at night. Their meat is delicious, as well as high in protein and low in fat.
* They boil their potatoes. Chips exist, of course, but traditionally Scandinavian people prefer their potatoes boiled – and, of course, that’s the healthiest way of serving them.
* They eat red berries with everything. Lingonberries, in particular, are widely used, often served with meatballs and boiled potatoes. They are a good source of antioxidants, and are thought to help fight cancer: Swedish children are encouraged to have a spoonful of lingonberry jam with their porridge every morning.
* When the Scandinavians have a sandwich, it’s an open one, ie with just one thin (buttered) layer of (usually rye) bread on the bottom, and then piled high with healthy smoked fish and salad leaves.
* And when they have bread, it is always wholegrain. No unhealthy white sliced here. Danish bread is packed with fibre, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
* Eating out is expensive in Scandinavia. Denmark and Sweden are among the most expensive countries in the world in which to eat out, and cheap restaurants are hard to find. As a result, the locals tend to stay in and cook from scratch, which usually means healthier food for the family. – Daily Mail