The Best Diets are ranked by doctors, nutritionists and dietitians for US News and World Report(1) annually. There are many factors that go into the ranking, such as your heart and diabetes scores, weight loss potential, ease of follow-up, and the best plant-based diets. These different ratings are combined to get your overall rating.
One of the first things you notice when reviewing the list is how fad diets are near the bottom. Here is a list of the five best and worst diets:
Worst:
the fast diet–weak in dietary guidance when not fasting
atkins–good for weight loss, not for nutrition or heart health
raw food–3rd for weight loss, but too hard to follow
Dukan–not tested with a bunch of rules
paleo–untested and ignores certain food groups, hard to follow
The best:
Board diet – (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) This began to lower blood pressure, but ranks high for its safety, nutritional integrity, and prevention of diabetes and blood pressure.
tlc diet – (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) was created by the National Institutes of Health. It is described as a complete diet and is especially healthy for the heart. It’s a do-it-yourself diet, so you just have to get organized with meal planning.
Mayo Clinic – Developed in the clinic to make healthy eating a lifestyle. It has a great nutritional balance and safety, but not necessarily as a weight loss diet.
Mediterranean diet – This diet is rich in vegetables and fruits, olive oil, fish, nuts, and grains. It’s a longevity diet, but not necessarily for weight loss.
Checkweigher- The only commercial diet in the top 5. It is a nutritious diet that is easy to follow and is supported by a group to promote weight loss.
I found it interesting that cancer prevention was not included as part of the classification criteria considering that it is the second leading cause of death in the US (heart disease is 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 provide more protection against cancer than other vegetables. Therefore, adapting a specific diet for cancer is better than a good general 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. Personally, I follow the Mediterranean diet because I have a history of cerebrovascular disease in my ancestry and I like the freedom it provides. I encourage you to choose a diet based on your genetic predispositions as well. So take some time to find out your family medical history to help determine your direction. Make your diet specific to your genes. johnson
(1) US News Staff. Jan. 2015. “Best Overall Diets” Retrieved 9-14-15 from website: health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets
