Happy New Year! These are the “Best Diets for 2019”
The holidays are officially over, and although you may still be picking at leftovers and what’s left in the office cookie tin, it’s time to start thinking about how to make THIS year a healthy year… again!
U.S. News & World Report, which calls itself “the global authority in rankings and consumer advice,” has just published its annual assessment of the year’s Best Diets. The platform offers pretty much all the information you could possibly ask for on more than 40 diets.
For 2019, the Mediterranean Diet was ranked the best for the 2nd year in a row for the 45 million Americans who diet each year. The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) held the #1 spot for 2017, and tied with the Mediterranean Diet for 1st Place in 2018. For 2019, the DASH Diet ranks #2 on the extensive list.
The Mediterranean Diet, which has been shown to extend your life and prevent many chronic diseases, was also ranked 1st in other, specific categories:
- Easiest Diets to Follow
- Best Diets for Healthy Eating
- Best Diets for Diabetes
- Best Diets for Heart Health (tie)
This year, the Nordic Diet has been gaining more attention by nutritionists and health experts, earning itself the #3 spot for U.S. News & World Report’s Best Plant-Based Diet. The Keto Diet – a low-carb, high-fat eating pattern – rose from #13 in 2018 to #2 on the Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet list.
Angela Haupt, Assistant Managing Editor of Health at U.S. News, said:
“Whether you’re trying to lose weight or manage your cholesterol, the 2019 Best Diets rankings provide each person a chance to evaluate what eating plan will work best for them and their particular needs.
By profiling and providing in-depth data on more than 40 diets, as well as sample meals, consumers can rely on U.S. News for the tools they need to feel empowered to make well-informed lifestyle and wellness changes.”
Methods and Rankings
U.S. News convened an expert panel of the leading nutritionists, dietary consultants, and doctors specializing in diabetes, heart health, and weight-loss to calculate the rankings. Each specialist completed a survey in which they scored 41 diets in 7 areas. Among other things, the specialists took into consideration:
- Ease of compliance
- Likelihood of losing significant weight in the short-term/long-term
- Effectiveness against diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Expert panelist Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, and author of The Truth about Food, said:
“While the fundamentals of healthy eating remain constant year to year, new research and insights help continuously evolve best practices over time.”
He added that the rankings:
“rely on diverse expertise to respond to what’s new and diverting in nutrition, while highlighting healthy eating principles that are time-honored, evidence-based, and reliable.”
You can find the full lists and descriptions of the various diets on U.S. News’ website, but here the top diets from a few of the more notable lists.
Best Diets Overall:
- Mediterranean Diet – #1
- DASH Diet – #2
- The Flexitarian Diet – #3
Best Weight-Loss Diets:
- Weight Watchers Diet – #1
- Volumetrics Diet -#2
- The Flexitarian Diet, Jenny Craig Diet, Vegan Diet – #3 (tie)
Best Diabetes Diets:
- Mediterranean Diet – #1
- DASH Diet, The Flexitarian Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, Volumetrics Diet – #2 (tie)
Best Heart-Healthy Diets:
- Mediterranean Diet, Ornish Diet – #1 (tie)
- DASH Diet – #3
Best Plant-Based Diets:
- Mediterranean Diet – #1
- The Flexitarian Diet – #2
- Nordic Diet, Ornish Diet – #3
It’s important to realize that the diet that is “best” is what works best for you. It isn’t enough to merely pick up one of these diets until you are ready to delve deep into the lifestyle that comes with it so that life is enjoyable as possible.
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