Three Countries with Healthy Diets

3 minutes

Generally, a country's culinary traditions tend to be healthy and balanced, given that they're the result of many years of cultural experiences. Still, there are countries with healthy diets that stand out from the rest.

Last update: 18 September, 2018

We’ll take a look at countries with healthy diets. You’re invited to travel around the world with us to get to know three countries with healthy diets. Discover the star ingredients of each region to incorporate them into your diet to improve your health and reduce your risk of disease.

Japan

Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world and the lowest rates of obesity. This is mainly due to diet. Japanese food is characterized by its variety, the consumption of fresh ingredients, and its healthy and natural food preparation.

Although the ingredients used in Japanese cuisine are varied and they differ from region to region, we’d like to highlight the following:

Brown rice. Brown rice is the staple of any Japanese diet. Brown rice contains B vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and proteins. Few foods offer as many benefits and are as complete, so it’s important to include brown rice in your diet.
Green tea. If we add the properties of green tea to the healthy Japanese diet, it’s not surprising that Japan has the longest living citizens in the world. Green tea helps to improve the nervous system, facilitates digestion, and is rich in antioxidants.
Soy. Soy is such a versatile food that the Japanese consume it in sprouts, sauce, oil, miso, and flour. It provides vitamin B, phosphorus, calcium, as well as omega 3 and 6.
Apples. The Fuji apple stands out among all of the fruits that the Japanese eat. It has gone international and can now be found around the globe. This is no coincidence; the Fuji apple is a source of vitamin C and fiber.

What makes the Japanese some of the healthiest people in the world, isn’t just the food. Their daily habits also contribute significantly to their wellbeing.

Of all of their healthy habits, we’d like to emphasize the small portions that they eat. The Japanese make several light meals a day and cook them carefully and healthily. Along with frugal meals, long walks are another trick to maintaining their health.

Spain

Thanks to the Mediterranean diet, Spain is one of the countries with a very healthy diet. The base for any Spanish dish includes fresh ingredients, such as: fish, meat, and vegetables. The Spainish diet is world-famous since it’s healthy, varied, and balanced.

Despite this, fast food and pre-cooked foods have gained popularity in recent years. This has directly affected the health of the Spanish and especially that of younger individuals. Spain has some of the highest overweight and obesity levels among young people in Europe.

It’s hard to imagine that Spain doesn’t have one of the best diets in the world. Below are the foods that make the Spanish diet one of the healthiest:

Olive oil. This liquid gold is the essential ingredient of any Spanish recipe. Whatever the dish, always start by adding a little of this beneficial ingredient, as it’s rich in oleic acid.
Fruits and green vegetables. Spain and especially the community of Andalusia have an impressive variety of produce. Throughout the year, they eat healthy ingredients, that are fresh, organic and locally grown.

Greece

Greece is undoubtedly another winner on our list of countries with healthy diets. Its exceptional location by the Mediterranean Sea, results in a wide variety of fresh products and fish. For this reason and due to its temperate climate, salads and cold dishes are very popular. The following are some of the main ingredients in Greek cuisine.

Feta cheese. While it’s true that they have a large variety of cheeses, feta is the one that stands out. Made from sheep’s milk – sometimes goat’s milk – it provides protein, calcium, and is low in fat.
Fish. Due to the Greek coastline, fish is a daily staple in Greece. This is usually cooked in a very healthy way – without coating it in batter – and fish is accompanied by vegetables or light sauces.
Greek yogurt. The most typical dessert in Greece is also tasty and healthy. It has little to do with the Greek yogurt that you can buy at any supermarket. The secret is that they remove the whey following the fermentation process.