TikTok’s Balkan breakfast trend is healthy, you just need to watch out for the salt and sausage, experts say

In August, a TikTok user named Dayi posted a video of himself enjoying a breakfast of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, all eaten raw and dipped in salt. The video immediately went viral, inspiring hundreds of TikTokers to post their own interpretations of a “traditional Balkan breakfast.”

For example, in a video that has already been viewed two million times, TikToker Anna Antonje eats her way through raw onions, carrots, cheese, peppers, cucumbers, salt and whatever else looks like it pindjura traditional Balkan dip made from roasted tomatoes and red peppers.

However, users were quick to note that Antonje’s take on a “Balkan breakfast” wasn’t entirely authentic. “This is not a Balkan breakfast, this is a Balkan dad breakfast,” commented one user. Another added: “We’ve come a long way from eating like this.”

Home to the Balkan Mountains, the Balkans are an area of ​​southeastern Europe that includes several countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, and Montenegro. Culinary traditions, including breakfast choices, vary from country to country.

In Bulgaria, for example, a traditional breakfast option is an egg-based pastry called banitsawhile in Greece the first meal of the day often consists of yogurt, pastries, fruit and bread. In Montenegro, Cicvaraa type of porridge made from cornstarch and cottage cheese, is a popular choice.

While TikTok’s trend is a clear generalization, it’s not entirely off base. Balkan diets typically follow a Mediterranean dietary pattern and are rich in plant-based foods, including the many fruits and vegetables seen in the trending videos.

This means that the popular “Balkan breakfast” trend does have some health benefits. However, there are a few things you should consider before you start eating raw, salt-soaked vegetables for breakfast.

Anna Antonje

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The health benefits of the “Balkan Breakfast” TikTok trend.

Of the eleven countries in the Balkans, seven – including Greece, Albania, Croatia and Slovenia – are also considered Mediterranean countries. In this region, the diet is typically rich in whole foods such as vegetables, beans and fresh fruits, which are rich in important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. For this reason, they are considered one of the most important healthiest in the world.

At the beginning of this year, for example The US News & World Report released its annual list of the healthiest diets, and the Mediterranean diet ranked number one for the seventh consecutive year.

“The Mediterranean diet focuses on the quality of nutrition rather than a single nutrient or food group,” said the publication at the time, which compiled its list with the help of more than 40 nationally recognized nutritionists. “Numerous studies have shown that it reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, while promoting longevity and improving quality of life.”

Luce Hosier

In the world’s Blue Zones, the five longevity hotspots where research shows people tend to live healthier and longer lives than many in the U.S., many also tend to follow very similar eating patterns to those in the Mediterranean. Their diet is rich in whole foods and low in foods like red meat and highly processed snacks.

However, in the US, the Standard American Diet (SAD), also known as the Western Pattern Diet, diets are typically high in saturated fat, refined sugar, red meat and packaged snacks. In 2021, the results of a study from the NYU School of Global Public Health that measured highly processed food consumption over nearly two decades were released. This shows that in 2018, most people got almost 60 percent of their calories from highly processed foods.

“The overall composition of the average U.S. diet has shifted toward a more processed diet. This is concerning because consuming more highly processed foods is associated with poor diet quality and a higher risk of several chronic diseases. “The high and increasing consumption of highly processed foods in the 21st century may be a major driver of the obesity epidemic.” – Filippa Juul, a postdoctoral researcher at the NYU School of Public Health and lead author of the study, in a statement

That’s why many dietitians are excited about the trend toward healthier choices on TikTok, including the “Balkan Breakfast” trend.

“The Balkan breakfast trend is a really great example of how cultural food traditions around the world can add variety and nutrition to our diets,” said Kelly LeBlanc, RD TODAY. “It’s a great reminder that breakfast around the world doesn’t always look the way Americans imagine.”

For example, in the United States, bacon and eggs are a popular breakfast staple. However, bacon is a processed meat and its regular consumption is linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Some of the trending “Balkan breakfast” TikTok videos also contain sausages (which are also popular in many Balkan countries) and a lot of salt, which is not that healthy, LeBlanc adds. “I would hope that people who are trying to make their own Balkan breakfasts don’t suddenly end up eating more sausages than they used to,” she said.

You can find more information about a healthy, plant-based Mediterranean diet here. Here you will find delicious recipe inspiration and instructions.