The best diets are rated annually by physicians, nutritionists, and nutritionists for US News and World Report(1). There are many factors that go into ranking such as: B. Heart and Diabetes Rating, Weight Loss Potential, Ease of Compliance, and Best Plant-Based Diet. These different ratings are combined to get the overall rating.
One of the first things you notice when looking through the list is that the trending diets are at the bottom. Here is a list of the top and bottom five diets:
The worst:
The Fast Diet–weak on dietary guidance when not fasting
Atkins– good for weight loss, not for diet or heart health
raw food– 3rd for weight loss, but too difficult to follow
You can–not proven with a lot of rules
paleo–unproven and ignoring certain food groups, hard to fathom
The best:
DASH diet – (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) This started with lowering blood pressure but has a high profile for its safety, nutritional integrity, and prevention of diabetes and blood pressure.
TLC Diet – (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) was developed by the National Institutes of Health. It is described as a complete diet and is particularly heart-healthy. It’s a do-it-yourself diet, so just get organized with meal planning.
Mayo Clinic – Clinically developed to make healthy eating a lifestyle. It has great nutritional balance and safety, but not necessarily as a weight loss diet.
Mediterranean cuisine – This diet is heavy in vegetables and fruits, olive oil, fish, nuts and grains. It’s a longevity diet, but not necessarily for weight loss.
weight watchers The only commercial diet in the top 5. It’s a nutritionally healthy diet that’s easy to follow and group-supported to promote weight loss.
I found it interesting that cancer prevention was not part of the ranking criteria since cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US (heart disease ranks first). A plant-based diet is good for cancer prevention, as are many of them, but you may want a more specific diet. For example, we know that onions, mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables offer more protection against cancer than other vegetables. Therefore, a cancer-specific diet is better than an overall good diet.
After examining the details of these diets, I find that the DASH and Mediterranean diets are similar with their heavy emphasis on whole grains and vegetables. I personally follow the Mediterranean diet because I have a cerebrovascular (stroke) history in my ancestry and I like the freedom it offers. I encourage you to choose a diet that is also based on your genetics. So take a little time to research your family medical history to help guide your direction. Make your diet specific to your genes. L.Johnson
(1) US News staff. Jan 2015. “Best Diets Overall” Retrieved 9/14/15 from website: health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets
Thanks to H Lee Johnson
