In an effort to help Americans weed through a seemingly endless array of weight-loss plan options, U.S. News recruited a panel of 22 health experts (nutritionists and specialists in weight loss, diabetes, heart health, and human behavior) to rank 20 of today’s most popular diets. “The goal of the Best Diets rankings is to help consumers find authoritative guidance on healthful diets that will work for them over the long haul,” according to U.S. News Health News editor Lindsay Lyon in a press release.
The results include the the best weight-loss diets, the best diets overall, the best heart-healthy diets, the best diets for diabetes, and the best commercial diets.
Atkins Diet:
The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate plan that emphasizes protein and fats, with a minimum of carbs during its initial phase. Select carbs are added back into the diet after an “induction” period of two weeks. No. 7 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best commercial diet plans, No. 18 best diabetes diets, No. 19 best diets overall, No. 19 best heart-healthy diets
DASH Diet:
Recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet aims to control hypertension and promote overall health through foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and lean proteins. Dieters are encouraged to eat nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, lean meats, lean poultry, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. No. 1 best diets overall, No. 1 best diabetes diets, No. 3 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets
Eco-Atkins Diet
The vegetarian version of the Atkins Diet, this weight-loss plan still focuses on eating high-protein foods, but it replaces the high-fat animal protein with vegetable protein from such foods as soy and gluten. No. 8 best weight-loss diets, No. 10 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets
Glycemic-Index Diet
Also known as the GI Diet, the Glycemic-Index Diet focuses on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index, which is a measure of how long your body takes to break down food. The longer foods take to digest, the less likely they are to spike blood sugar. Eating low-GI foods can help you feel full and may be helpful for diabetes. No. 12 in best diabetes diets, No. 16 in best diets overall, No. 18 in best heart-healthy diets, No. 19 in best weight-loss diets
Jenny Craig
Known for its support system and customized meal program, the Jenny Craig diet includes three prepackaged meals and one snack each day, supplemented with your own fresh fruits and vegetables. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 2 best commercial diet plans, No. 7 best diets overall, No. 11 best heart-healthy diets, No 11 best diabetes diets
Mayo Clinic Diet
Created by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, this diet is based on achieving long-term weight management. The key principles focus on healthful eating and portion sizes, physical activity, realistic weight-loss goals, and motivation. No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 5 best diets overall, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best weight-loss diets
Medifast Diet
The Medifast Diet includes eating small pre-made meals. Dieters follow a "5 & 1" plan: They eat five Medifast "meals" (shakes, bars, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pudding, and soup) and one self-prepared meal. No. 7 best commercial diet plans, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 16 best heart-healthy diets, No. 16 best diets overall
Mediterranean Diet
Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is protective against heart disease and can improve the way your body processes blood sugar and insulin, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This diet emphasizes eating healthy fats (think omega-3 fatty acids) as well as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 4 best heart-healthy diets, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets
Nutrisystem Diet
On this low-calorie weight-loss program, dieters eat pre-made meals that deliver a certain amount of daily calories based on their age and sex. Meals contain 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 20 percent fat. No. 4 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best diets overall, No. 12 best diabetes diets, No. 16 best weight-loss diets, No. 17 best heart-healthy diets
Ornish Diet
This extremely low-fat, high-fiber diet developed by Dean Ornish, MD, has been shown to lower heart risk factors like high blood pressure. With fewer than 10 percent of calories coming from fat, this veggie-heavy diet excludes meat, fish, and fowl. No. 1 best heart-healthy diets, No. 2 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best diets overall, No. 11 best weight-loss diets
Paleo Diet
Also called the Caveman Diet, this high-protein, low-sodium plan relies on cutting out processed foods and eating like our ancestors did 10,000 years ago: lots of meat, fish, poultry, fruits, and veggies, and no refined sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains. No. 19 best heart-healthy diets, No. 20 best diets overall, No. 20 best weight-loss diets, No. 20 best diabetes diets
Raw Food Diet
A strictly vegetarian diet, the Raw Food Diet restricts food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Advocates believe that the typical American diet of processed and pasteurized foods, animal products, and foods that include chemical additives contributes to diabetes and high blood pressure. No. 2 best weight-loss diets, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diabetes diets, No. 18 best diets overall
Slim-Fast Plan
On this low-calorie meal plan, dieters eat one “sensible meal” and swap out the others with meal-replacement products: shakes, snack bars, meal bars, smoothies, cookies, and powders that are reconstituted by mixing with skimmed milk. No. 3 best commercial diet plans, No. 5 best weight-loss diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 10 best diets overall, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets
South Beach Diet
Created by Florida-based cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, this heart-healthy weight-loss plan includes three phases and involves cutting out processed carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit — as a way to lose weight, get healthy, and reduce cravings. No. 5 best commercial diet plans, No. 11 best weight-loss diets, No. 12 best heart-healthy diets, No. 13 best diets overall, No. 16 best diabetes diets
TLC Diet
The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low-fat diet recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a way to lower cholesterol. The diet focuses on reducing saturated fat — less than 7 percent of your daily calories come from saturated fat — by limiting meat and milk products. No. 2 best diets overall, No. 2 best heart-healthy diets, No. 8 best diabetes diets, No. 11 best weight-loss diets,
Vegetarian Diet
As a general rule, a vegetarian diet involves not eating meat; but there are several sub-types of vegetarian diets including lacto-ovo vegetarians , lacto-vegetarians, vegans, and semi-vegetarian. People on vegetarian diets have been shown to consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have lower body mass index (BMI) than people who eat meat regularly. No. 5 best diabetes diet, No. 6 best heart-healthy diets, No. 9 best diets overall, No. 15 best weight-loss diets
Volumetrics Diet
Created by renowned nutrition researcher Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, Volumetrics is a weight-loss plan based on avoiding high-density foods that are high in calories. The plan says that foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthier because they have lower energy density, or number of calories in a specific amount of food. No. 4 best weight-loss diets, No. 5 best diets overall diet, No. 5 best diabetes diets, No. 8 best heart-healthy diets
Zone Diet
Developed by Barry Sears, PhD, the Zone Diet is a high protein, low-carb plan — 30 percent of calories come from protein, 30 percent come from fat, and 40 percent come from carbohydrates — designed to reset one’s metabolism and prevent chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. No. 6 best commercial diet plans, No. 13 best heart-healthy diets, No. 14 best diets overall, No. 18 best weight-loss diets, No. 19 best diabetes diets
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