What you should eat to feel well and maintain your weight
You should eat a varied diet based on nutritious and preferably minimally processed foods to meet your body's needs for vitamins and minerals while maintaining a stable energy balance over time.
To maintain your weight, it is essential that your average energy intake does not exceed the amount your body uses. By basing your meals on nutritious and less processed foods, you can reduce your intake of energy-dense foods, added sugar and saturated fat, which are often found in ultra-processed foods. This type of eating pattern can contribute to energy-dense foods and a lasting feeling of fullness, reducing the risk of impulsive snacking.
Eating more vegetables, wholegrain products and pulses is among the important dietary recommendations for getting enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. By eating less salt, you can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, while a lower intake of added sugar can contribute to a healthier diet. Choose healthy foods that contain plenty of nutrients to give your body the nutrition it needs.
The body needs vegetables and fruit
According to current dietary recommendations, at least 500 grams of vegetables, fruit and berries per day is recommended to ensure an adequate intake of fibre, important vitamins, bioactive compounds and antioxidants that help protect the body's cells.
Vegetables and fruit provide a very large volume of food in relation to their calorie content, which is an important factor in increasing feelings of fullness. When the stomach is physically stretched by fibre-rich food, signals are sent to the brain that you are full. In addition, fibre from plant foods provides essential nourishment for the beneficial bacteria in your large intestine. A healthy gut microbiome is important for a stronger immune system and metabolism, among other things, and may also have a positive effect on your mood. A simple way to reach the recommendation in everyday life is to always fill half your lunch and dinner plate with a variety of colourful vegetables.
Why fish and seafood are good for you
Fish and seafood are protein-rich foods that are low in calories and also provide heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acids, particularly from oily fish, as well as important nutrients such as iodine, selenium and vitamin D.
Eating fish two to three times a week is a cornerstone of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. The high-quality protein in fish helps ensure that your body can preserve muscle mass when you are in a calorie deficit. As muscles contribute to the body's energy expenditure and physical function, this is particularly important for your basal metabolic rate. At the same time, the polyunsaturated fats found in oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, help improve the balance between good and bad cholesterol in the blood. Fish also contains many vitamins and minerals that are important for the body.
Should you avoid red meat completely?
You do not need to exclude red meat completely, but consumption should be limited to a maximum of 350 grams of cooked meat per week to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease, among other conditions, and reduce the impact on the environment.
Red meat (beef, pork and lamb) contains valuable nutrients such as iron and zinc, but a high intake has been scientifically linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease. This is particularly true of processed meats such as sausages, bacon and liver pâté, which also often contain large amounts of saturated fat and salt. By choosing poultry, fish, eggs or plant-based protein sources such as beans and lentils more often, you can protect your long-term health. Try cooking with more vegetables and pulses, such as beans and lentils, to make your diet healthier and more nutritious.
How diet affects inflammation and health
A diet rich in antioxidants and unsaturated fats from fish, olive oil and vegetables is associated with lower levels of the chronic low-grade inflammation in the body that is often worsened by overweight, obesity and other metabolic factors.
Low-grade inflammation is a long-term, low-level activation of inflammatory processes in the body, which over time damages blood vessels and reduces the cells' sensitivity to insulin. By reducing your intake of refined sugar and choosing wholegrain products, pulses and nuts instead, you can improve your metabolic health. Eating fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrain products can help you feel fuller and maintain a healthy body weight.
How medical weight loss can help
When you undergo medical obesity treatment, your appetite decreases significantly, making it physiologically essential that the smaller portions you eat have a very high nutrient density to prevent malnutrition.
Modern weight-loss medicines can reduce hunger, cravings and so-called "food noise" by affecting the brain's regulation of appetite and reward. The medicine creates mental and physiological breathing space, making it practically possible to calmly establish new, healthy eating habits. However, you still need to actively choose foods that provide your body with enough protein, vitamins and fibre to protect your internal organs, preserve muscle mass and nutritional status, and maintain your energy levels during treatment.
Frequently asked questions about healthy food
What diet helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease?
An eating pattern similar to a traditional Mediterranean or Nordic diet has strong scientific support for cardiovascular health. This means a high proportion of vegetables, pulses, wholegrains, oily fish, nuts and olive oil, combined with a low intake of sugar, salt and saturated fat from red meat.
Does eating fat make me gain weight?
Fat itself does not make you overweight, but because it is the most energy-dense nutrient (9 kilocalories per gram), it is easy to consume a lot of calories from relatively small amounts. Some fatty acids are essential, and unsaturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet, including for the brain and hormone production, but they should be eaten in moderate amounts when you want to adjust your weight.
Are carbohydrates bad for your health?
No, carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body. However, there is a big difference between refined carbohydrates (such as white sugar, fizzy drinks and white bread) and complex carbohydrates (such as oats, beans and root vegetables). Complex carbohydrates provide fibre, which can contribute to more stable blood sugar levels and has several positive health effects.
Can you eat too much fruit?
For otherwise healthy people, it is very difficult to eat too much whole fruit because the fibre and water content quickly signal fullness. However, if you squeeze fruit into juice, the fibre is filtered out, meaning it contains less fibre than whole fruit and generally provides less satiety, making it easier to consume larger amounts of energy.
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