If your goal is to manage your weight long term and eat healthfully, try one of these science-backed diets that work. Each earns top marks from our panel of leading medical and nutriton experts, specializing in diabetes, heart health and weight loss. Our panelists reviewed each diet and rated them for healthiness, safety, ease of following and promoting a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional way of eating in the 21 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Italy and Turkey. Although the people who live in this diverse area eat different types of food, their diet primarily consists of plant-based foods, whole grains, beans, nuts, seafood, lean poultry and unsaturated fat from extra-virgin olive oil – all of which have been shown to be highly beneficial to overall well-being.
It's a simple yet effective approach. The Mediterranean diet focuses on quality rather than a single nutrient or food group. Numerous studies have shown that this dietary model reduces the risk of certain chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, while promoting longevity and improving quality of life.
The DASH diet, which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension, is a flexible, balanced and heart-healthy eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to do exactly that: to stop (or prevent) hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure. The DASH diet is also one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets of 2023.
The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy, which are high in blood pressure-lowering nutrients, like potassium, calcium, magnesium and fiber
The Flexitarian diet is a marriage of two concepts: flexible and vegetarian. The term was coined more than a decade ago by registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner in her 2009 book, "The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life."
With a flexitarian diet, also known as a semi-vegetarian diet, you don't have to completely eliminate meat to reap the health benefits associated with vegetarianism. Instead, you can be a vegetarian most of the time, but still enjoy a burger or steak on special occasions. By eating more plants and less meat, studies show that people who follow the diet may not only lose weight but can improve their overall health by lowering their rate of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. And because it reduces meat consumption, it’s considered planet-friendly. Today, the message remains consistent.
References
