Science

Cross-cultural anti-inflammatory eating

Different geography, different ingredients, the same underlying logic showing up again and again.

Traditional dietary patterns from very different parts of the world — developed independently, over centuries, for entirely different reasons — converge on strikingly similar underlying principles.

Mediterranean

Olive oil, fish, legumes, vegetables — see our dedicated comparison.

Traditional Japanese (Okinawan)

Soy, seaweed, fish, and a wide variety of vegetables, historically eaten in smaller portions with less processed food.

Nordic

Rye, oats, berries and cold-water fish — see our dedicated comparison.

Traditional Indian

Legume-heavy dals, a wide range of vegetables, and turmeric and other spices used daily rather than occasionally.

The common thread

Whole grains or legumes as a staple, fish or plant protein over heavily processed meat, generous vegetables, and traditional preparation methods over industrial processing — different ingredients shaped by geography, but a strikingly similar underlying logic.

This convergence is a big part of why THE FAD's Food signal isn't tied to any single named diet — the same underlying principles show up, independently, across very different food cultures.

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