After enjoying a relaxing break over the European summer, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark has resumed military training.
But there’s one surprising detail about his daily routine on duty that has caught the attention of royal watchers: the contents of his lunchbox.
It’s a long-running tradition for European royal households to have a future heir to the throne undertake military training.
Christian, 19, has followed suit after first completing four months of military service with the Guard Hussar Regiment at the start of this year.
Now, the Danish prince has enrolled in the Danish Armed Forces’ Lieutenant’s Training Course at Antvorskov Guard Hussar Barracks in Slagelse.
The royal turned up on his first day of training on August 14 in full camouflage military kit.
And amid important considerations about keeping his uniform pristine, perfecting his marching and undertaking weapons prep, the teen prince told Danish press that he also had to consider his lunchbox.
Despite being a future monarch, the young prince doesn’t have a staff or royal help on hand to cook him meals while in training.
After enjoying a relaxing break over the European summer, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark has resumed military training
Instead, Prince Christian, like all other trainees, must pull out his self-made lunch at noon.
So what exactly does a royal pack in his lunchbox?
Christian revealed that he likes to keep it simple with a traditional Danish favourite: a humble rye bread sandwich.
‘The Crown Prince sticks to what every Dane can nod in recognition of: rye bread, cold cuts and a packed lunch that he has made himself,’ BT reported.
The revelation about Christian’s lunch should hardly come as a surprise given that his mother Queen Mary has also been reported to have a passion for the Danish staple.
In fact, the royal mother-of-four has long adhered to this typical Danish diet.
Also referred to as a ‘Nordic diet’ or ‘Scandi diet’, this eating approach favours locally-sourced high-quality natural foods, which includes a preference for quality whole grains.
Australian accredited dietitian Jessica Spendlove told FEMAIL that a ‘Nordic diet is an evidence-based way of eating that aligns closely with what we know supports energy, metabolic health and longevity’.
And amid important considerations about keeping his uniform pristine, perfecting his marching and undertaking weapons prep, the teen prince told Danish press that he also had to consider his lunchbox
Australian dietitian Jessica Spendlove shared her insights on the benefits of a Nordic diet
The mainstays of a Nordic diet are quality protein sources like fish, nuts, seeds and cheese, along with plant-based foods like fruits and root vegetables, as well as dark breads and whole grains.
‘It’s nutrient-dense but still flexible and enjoyable,’ she said.
And at its heart is a championing of rye bread.
The inclusion of whole grains and specifically Danish-beloved rye bread sets the Nordic diet apart from others.
Rye bread is among Jessica’s top whole grain picks because it ‘offers fibre, B vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants, and a slower-release energy source’.
Australian accredited dietitian Jessica Spendlove told FEMAIL that rye bread is a top choice of whole grain due to its ‘higher soluble fibre content’
In Queen Mary’s adopted homeland of Denmark there’s been a decades-long government-backed initiative to encourage increased consumption of whole grains amongst the broader population
‘Rye along with barley and oats tend to offer superior benefits due to their higher soluble fibre content and impact on blood sugar control,’ Jessica explained.
In Queen Mary and Christian’s Danish homeland of Denmark there’s been a decades-long government-backed initiative to encourage increased consumption of whole grains amongst the broader population.
The move encouraged a return to the whole grain-led Nordic eating approach in response to the early 2000s popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, like the Atkins diet and the carnivore diet.
The mainstays of a Nordic diet are fish, nuts, seeds, cheese, fruits, root vegetables and whole grains like rye bread
In the years since Danish health authorities repositioned quality whole grains as a vital part of everyday meals, they have seen improved health outcomes – including Denmark having one of the lowest obesity rates in Europe.
‘Denmark’s success reinforces what we see clinically: removing whole grains often leads to poorer outcomes, not better,’ Jessica said.
However, she added the proviso that selecting the right ‘type and quality’ of whole grains is essential for maximising health benefits.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .