The rise of the ‘atlantic diet’

Everybody has heard about the Mediterranean diet at this stage; fewer have heard it argued that there’s no such thing. However, what advocates mean by this diet is one that is largely plant-based with a certain amount of seafood, very little red meat, plenty of vegetables and a lot of olive oil.

It’s supposed to be what the people of southern Spain, southern Italy, and Greece eat. In fact, as anyone who has travelled in those parts will know, this is a rather narrow view. But there seems little doubt that, within conventional wisdom, the so-called Mediterranean diet is quite healthy.

However, there’s a new kid on the block: The ‘Atlantic diet.’ Before you despair, let me explain what this comprises. It’s based on what people have traditionally eaten on the northern coast of Spain and Portugal: Fish and octopus, strong on olive oil, with quite a lot of cheese. There’s not much in the way of cured meats, but some red meat is usually taken once or twice a week. Also, there’s plenty of cereals, bread, and pasta, with lots of vegetables and fruit. And wine. The Mediterranean diet, as experienced in real life, features some wine but, on account of the climate, a lot more beer.

Research

The University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela conducted a study in 2014-15 and found that what they dubbed the Atlantic diet reduced metabolic syndrome by one-third over six months. The lead researcher stressed that the diet involved not just hyper-local foods, but also a sense of conviviality. A butcher in Fisterra, northern Spain, told The Guardian: “It’s a way of living and a way of doing things: The Atlantic diet is a diet that relies on good quality ingredients,” he says. “We don’t rush things here.… When we sit down to eat, we sit down to eat. We don’t muck about.”

Mindful eating

That sounds like mindful eating to me. There are lots and lots of people who eat not for pleasure, but for simple sustenance. That means mealtimes are like a visit to the filling station for a car. The people of Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and Portugal regard eating as a ritual, a pleasure, a shared experience, not just a plate or two of food.

Most of us in Ireland have a more perfunctory relationship with food. Indeed, most of us eat in the front of the television (and I’m putting my hand up here; I do it most evenings). This doesn’t preclude joy, of course. You can eat a delicious meal while watching The Antiques Roadshow or The Simpsons and take mindful pleasure in it; however, it’s more likely that we’ll just shovel it in, with varying degrees of daintiness.

Personal preferences

If I lived closer to a good fish shop, I think I’d eat something like the Atlantic diet. I eat less in the way of potatoes (except at this time of the year when my own new season potatoes are coming on stream) and I have rice and pasta only as an occasional treat. My wife and I don’t keep biscuits in the house (unless we’re expecting visitors), but we usually have some high-cocoa solid chocolate about the place. Desserts are only for entertaining – there was an exquisite pavlova with lemon curd for a recent birthday bash. But we won’t see another one until we have our relations around for our 40th wedding anniversary during the summer.

As a result, we rarely have to buy sugar. I reckon it must be a bag every three or four months. When people call and need sugar in their tea, it has usually clumped together and gone quite hard. We use sea salt, the fine sort in cooking to provide a very modest salinity, the flaky kind was an adjunct at the table (or, as I say, in front of the television!).

And we do eat plenty of cheese. I have upped my fruit intake since I brought Covid back from South America in early March and I have natural, unsweetened Greek yoghurt every couple of days. Wine is usually for weekends, tea punctuates the day, coffee makes an appearance twice in the working day and water is consumed fairly liberally. In a typical week we would eat some form of meat four times, maybe five.

If not particularly healthy, the contents of our store cupboard are not particularly unhealthy: Mustard; soya sauce; Worcestershire sauce; Heinz ketchup; cider vinegar; wine vinegar; sherry vinegar (we like vinegar); pomegranate molasses; nam pla fish sauce; Sriracha; and peanut rayu. The fridge always has butter, usually cream, homemade mayonnaise (using olive oil), yoghurt, and parmesan.

In terms of determining what one eats and doesn’t eat, I’m somewhat agnostic these days. I will avoid ultra-processed foods, but might have an occasional crisp or dry roasted peanut, both which are decidedly processed. I will try to avoid refined carbohydrates, at least during the week. I consume plenty of olive oil, speaking of which, it’s time to start hoarding the stuff as prices are rocketing – and they are the only two fats that I use in cooking.

I like Prof Tim Spector’s advice to eat 30 kinds of plant in the week. An aubergine, for example, would count as one, but so would some cayenne pepper, or the basil you tear into a salad. This advice is not evidence-based, but like the equally unscientific ‘five-a-day’ for fruit and vegetables, it sounds sensible, and that’s good enough for me, frankly.

The other thing that has yet to receive scientific recognition – as far as I’m aware – is the value of eating together around a table. Not only does it sound good, it makes people feel better. And you know what? I think food that is shared tastes better.