When attempting to become a little more healthy, a change in the food you eat can help in a big way. Dietitians recommend lifestyle changes based on the outcome you want. Whether it be muscle growth, fat loss, or changing your stress levels, diet can benefit you in a big way. And some are better than others. There are so many to choose from, and it can kind of make our head spin. We’ve compiled a list from some registered dietitians that rated some popular diets. Here are the latest rankings of the best diets, that feature everything from the Mediterranean Diet to the popular Ketogenic Diet. Find the top plan for you.
The 15 Best Diets as Rated by Dietitians For Brain Health, Illness Avoidance, and More
1) Mediterranean Eating
If you’ve ever heard of centenarians, many of them follow this path! This diet follows the traditional cuisine of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It’s high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Fish, healthy fats, limited intake of meat favor this diet. Having daily exercise and that occasional glass of wine is also part of it!
2) DASH Diet
The DASH Diet is popular for lowering sodium and helping heart health. It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This is a lifelong diet that can treat high blood pressure. You should consume between 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
3) Flexitarianism
This one is just what it sounds like. No rules or recommended calories govern this diet. Eat whole, healthy foods. Limit fast food. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains all the time. Eat plant protein instead of an animal protein, but you can include animal protein from time to time. Read more here.
4) Weight Watchers
This is one that has been around for a long, long time. Weight Watchers works by looking at a person’s age, weight, height, and gender. Then they determine how much food they need to eat to lose weight at a safe rate. You then count food as points, making sure not to go over a certain amount, while rewarding yourself. Read more about it here.
5) Veganism
Veganism is the full abstaining of the use of animal products, especially in the diet. They are known as vegans. There are different sectors of veganism, such as raw veganism, which you can read about below. Read more about veganism here.
6) Mayo Clinic Program
This diet, developed by the Mayo Clinic focuses on having foods that contain a smaller number of calories in a large volume of food, like fruits and vegetables. This main principle of this diet is to feel full on fewer calories, so weight loss is possible. Read more here.
7) Ketogenic Kiet
This diet focuses on replacing carbs with fat, for the most part. The typical model goes like this: 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs (usually from vegetables). Basically, by drastically reducing carb intake, you put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Here, your body burns fat better than ever for energy, so weight loss is great. Then ketones in your liver supply energy for the brain.
8) Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig is a super popular weight loss program that focuses on managing calories, fat, and portions. They supply the meals and recipes for you, as well as your workout schedule and how your lifestyle should be. It’s all about balanced meals, and you can read more about it here in detail.
9) Therapeutic Lifestyle Change
The Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Diet was created by NIH (hi Dr. Fauci!) with the goal of helping cut cholesterol for a healthy heart. It involves eating many vegetables, fruits, cereals, pasta, and lean meats. Read more about it here.
10) Nordic Diet
The Nordic Diet follows the seasonal dishes of foods from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. It’s very similar to the Mediterranean Diet but emphasizes different whole grains such as barley, rye, berries, oats, and vegetables. Lots of fatty fish are included in this diet. Read more about it here.
11) Ornish Diet
Very similar to other weight-loss diets, this was created in 1977. Here you eat a lot of beans, legumes, fruits, and grains to get plenty of protein. Similar to vegetarianism, on this diet, you avoid all meat, oils, and sugars, in an effort to cut down on those things. Read more about it here.
12) MIND Diet
The MIND Diet is a combination of the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet, but its goal is not to lose weight! This diet is all about keeping brain health up and going so that we stay mentally strong as we age. Read more about it here!
13) Raw Veganism
This diet is veganism, but with a twist. Like veganism, no animal products are eaten in this diet. The difference is that food is eaten completely raw or heated below 104 degrees. It is believed to help against illness and was actually first promoted by a minister in the nineteenth century! Read more about it here.
14) Atkins Program
The Atkins program has existed for quite some time and is super popular for those who face heart issues. It mainly focuses on being low-carb. Read more about it and it’s four-step phase here.
15) Whole 30
This is more of a reset than a diet. For those of us who are stressed, logarithmic, or want more energy, Whole 30 is for you. It’s a clean-eating program designed to revamp your eating habits by cutting out certain foods. Dairy, sugar, legumes, and alcohol are gone. Clean protein and veggies in. Read more about it here.
