Diets come and go, but what diets will eventually stay this year? Find out from the United States News & World Report's list of various diet trends ranked based on health benefits and efficacy.
The magazine asked the expertise of nationally acclaimed experts in diet, nutrition, cardiology, food psychology, diabetes, and weight management. Each of the experts studied and separated each diet regimen in seven categories.
The diets were ranked depending on nutritional completeness, efficacy in providing short-term or long-term weight loss, and safety. They were also evaluated based on how easy they were to follow and their ability to prevent and manage chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The experts evaluated 38 of the most popular diet regimens today.
"Our rankings put hard numbers on the belief that no one diet is ideal for everybody, but the best food plans overall are sustainable," Angela Haupt, senior health editor at U.S. News, says in a statement.
"Besides the rankings and data, each diet has a detailed profile that includes how it works, evidence that supports or refutes its claims and a nutritional snapshot - tools that, along with the advice of a physician or nutritionist, can help consumers invest in diets that suit their lifestyles and further their health and wellness goals," she added.
Best Diets Overall
For six straight years, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet topped the list of the best overall weight-loss regimens for 2016. It is specially designed to prevent or treat hypertension by reducing sodium content and encouraging the consumption of a variety of foods rich in blood pressure-reducing nutrients like calcium, magnesium and potassium. It is a very easy-to-follow diet regimen because it mainly recommends people to eat from a selection of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and vegetables.
On the other hand, the diet asks its proponents to avoid foods they've grown to love like sweets, red meat, and other calorie-rich and fatty foods. However, the most important thing in this diet is cutting back on salt.
Trailing behind DASH diet is another healthy diet regimen dubbed as the MIND diet. This diet aims to prevent Alzheimer's disease through brain-healthy foods. By following this diet, one's risk for mental decline is decreased.
Also in second place is the TLC diet, which aims to lower the bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein (LDL) by 8 to 10 percent in 6 weeks. Endorsed by the American Heart Association, this regimen can drastically help reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
The next four diets, namely the Fertility diet, Mayo Clinic diet, Mediterranean diet and Weight Watchers diet, shared the same ranking.
Developed to boost and improve fertility among women, the Fertility Diet is based on experts' claim that changes to one's eating and exercise habits can boost ovulation and help women get pregnant faster.
The Mayo Clinic diet uses a food pyramid to promote weight loss of 6 to 10 pounds in 2 weeks and 1 to 2 pounds a week continuously until one reaches his/her ideal weight. It mainly deals with breaking bad habits and changing them with good, positive and healthy ones.
The Mediterranean diet aims to promote weight loss, along with brain and heart health. It also aids cancer prevention and diabetes management. The diet promises people to lose weight, keep it off, all while staying healthy.
Lastly, the Weight Watchers diet, promotes healthier eating patterns by assigning points to various food items based on their nutritional value. The diet promises a 2-pound-a-week weight loss given people stick to their daily points target.
"Best Diets 2016 cuts through the clutter of claims. Now on its sixth year, Best Diets delivers the facts about and ranks 38 diets on a range of levels, from their heart healthiness to their likelihood to help you lose weight," the U.S. News and World Report says in its website.
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