Mediterranean diet named best diet for 2021

ATLANTA (CNN) – The gold medal for best diet 2021 went to the Mediterranean diet for the fourth year in a row, according to rankings announced by US News & World Report on Monday.

The DASH diet, which represents dietary approaches to stopping hypertension, and the flexitarian diet, which encourages being vegetarian most of the time but is flexible enough to allow for a burger every now and then, were tied for the money. .

What do all of these diets have in common? They insist on reducing or eliminating processed foods and focus on meals rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

The Dukin and Keto diets, which emphasize eating foods high in protein or fat with minimal carbohydrates, came last and second last in the diet rankings. These diets are generally poorly rated by experts because they are extremely restrictive, difficult to follow, and eliminate entire food groups, which is not recommended by dietary guidelines.

To judge diets, a panel of experts in heart disease and diabetes, nutrition, diet, food psychology, and obesity reviewed research on dieting in medical journals, government reports, and other resources.

“We’ve assembled a panel of 24 experts who live and breathe diet, weight loss and obesity,” said Angela Haupt, health editor at US News & World Report.

“They rate each diet on a number of different measures: how easy it is to follow, how likely it is to cause long-term weight loss, how healthy and safe it is, and how effective it is in preventing or managing chronic disease. diabetes and heart disease, ”she says.

More top honors for the Mediterranean diet

In addition to capturing the best diet, the analysis of 39 diets also gave the Mediterranean diet the first place in the category of best plant-based diet. The flexitarian diet took second place, followed by the Nordic diet, which promotes the consumption of local foods with a low glycemic index.

The Mediterranean Diet has also partnered with the DASH Diet and the Ornish Diet for top honors in The Best Heart Healthy Diet. The Ornish Diet was created in 1977 by Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the not-for-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in California. Ornish calls the diet the only scientifically proven program to reverse heart disease in a randomized clinical trial without drugs or surgery. Experts, however, said the diet was restrictive and difficult to follow.

The Mediterranean diet was also linked to the flexitarian diet for the first place in the best diet for diabetes; and with WW (Weight Watchers) for the easiest diet to follow and DASH for the best diet for healthy eating.

Such distinctions are not surprising, as numerous studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression, and breast cancer. Meals from the sunny Mediterranean region have also been linked to stronger bones, healthier hearts, and longer lives.

The diet includes simple plant-based cooking, with the majority of each meal focusing on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds, with a few nuts and a heavy focus on extra virgin olive oil. . Say goodbye to refined sugar and flour except on rare occasions. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are rarely, if at all, consumed.

Meat can make a rare appearance, usually just for flavoring a dish. Instead, meals can include eggs, dairy, and poultry, but in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet. Fish, however, is a staple.

“It’s more than a diet, it’s a way of life,” said Atlanta registered dietitian Rahaf Al Bochi, who teaches clients about the Mediterranean diet, in an earlier interview with CNN. “It also encourages eating with friends and family, socializing during meals, consciously eating your favorite foods, as well as mindful movement and exercise for a healthy lifestyle and full.

Best overall diet for weight loss

For this category, the expert group looked at the short and long term weight loss success of dieting, weighing the two equally. The popular WW (Weight Watchers) has partnered with the flexitarian diet for top honors.

“Research shows that vegetarians tend to eat fewer calories, weigh less, and have a lower body mass index (a measure of body fat) than their carnivorous peers,” according to the Flexitarian Diet Analysis. “If you focus on the plant component of this diet – eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains – you will probably feel full on fewer calories than you are used to.”

Weight Watchers, which also won first place in the Best Commercial Diet category, has one important element needed for any successful diet: support. In addition to in-person meetings and optional individual consultants, the plan offers an online community.

“Programs like WW that offer emotional support and group meetings lead to better adherence than a do-it-yourself diet,” the analysis says.

New plans assessed

Four new diets were added to the rankings this year, Haupt said: the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP) diet, the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet, the modified keto diet, and the Noom diet.

“Of all these, Noom did the best – No.12 overall, which is impressive for a newcomer,” Haupt said.

Based on a food logging app, Noom wants you to log every meal, snack, and physical activity, as well as your daily weight. Noom encourages foods that are “low calorie density”, high in water and low in calories by volume.

Similar to WW, Noom provides support groups where dieters can “help each other with everything from how to reduce the distraction of eating to how to make old water more fun,” Haupt said.

The Modified Keto Diet, also known as Keto 2.0, is a little less restrictive than its parent, Classic Keto. For example, keto modified dieters consume around 82% of their daily calories from fat compared to 90% in the traditional keto diet, 12% from protein instead of 6%, and 6% from carbohydrate instead of 4%, according to the report.

However, the new version has been reviewed by experts, ranking 35th, just slightly better than the traditional keto ranking of 37 out of 39 diets.

Keto 2.0 “allows a little more leeway over what you eat, but experts said it’s still way too restrictive,” Haupt said.

The Auto-Immune Protocol Diet, also known as the Auto-Immune Paleo Diet, was developed to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases. It forces people to eliminate food for at least a month and watch for symptoms when food is reintroduced. Experts called the diet restrictive, suggesting it needs more research to justify the benefits.

The Intestinal Psychological Syndrome Diet, or GAPS, is intended for people with a strange spectrum of conditions: severe digestive and immune problems, learning disabilities, and severe neurological disorders.

GAPS was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who “believes that the foods, beverages and products people consume play a profound role in their brain function,” according to the US News & World report. Like the keto diet, GAPS comes second to last among the best diets.

Best diet to lose weight fast

The Fast Weight Loss category is for the person who needs to shed a few pounds for a special occasion, as the diets have only been evaluated for a two month period. It is not intended to be recommended as a long-term diet or lifestyle, according to US News & World Report.

HMR, or the Health Management Resource Program, took first place, with WW and the Atkins diet tied for second.

The HMR program is a weight loss and lifestyle change program designed to reduce calories through meal replacements that include added fruits and vegetables. The starter kit costs just under $ 200 and includes 70 servings of HMR shakes and entrees, support materials, weekly group coaching, and free shipping.

The Atkins Diet, created in 1972 by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins, consists of four phases of meal plans, starting with very few carbohydrates and adding more as the diet progresses. However, “low-carb dieters may eat too much fat, which raises health concerns,” the analysis found, ranking the diet 33 out of 39.

Lisa Drayer, a dietitian, contributor to CNN, is concerned about any type of diet that is too restrictive in food choices and worries about the role of ready-to-eat meals, shakes and snacks.

“They don’t necessarily teach you how to eat healthy on your own and make healthy choices,” she told CNN in a previous interview, adding that she had seen this happen too often in her. own clients.

“They were so severely limited, and they didn’t know how to incorporate other foods into their diet in a reasonable way,” Drayer said. “So not only did they put on the weight, but they put on even more weight than where they started, which is really painful.”

Getting started on the Mediterranean diet

Want to make the Mediterranean diet one of your goals this year? Start by making a meal each week of beans, whole grains, and vegetables, using herbs and spices to add oomph. When one night a week is a cinch, add two and cook your meatless meals from there.

Grains that have changed little over the centuries, called “ancient grains”, are also a key feature of the Mediterranean diet. Quinoa, amaranth, millet, farro, spelled, Kamut (a grain of wheat believed to have been discovered in an Egyptian tomb) and teff (an Ethiopian grain the size of a poppy seed) are some examples of ancient grains.

When you eat meat, eat small amounts. For a main course, that means no more than 3 ounces of chicken or lean meat. Better yet: use small pieces of chicken or slices of lean meat to flavor a vegetable-based meal, such as stir-fry.

And rethink the dessert. Mediterranean cultures end their meals with seasonal fruits.

If you tire of eating raw fresh fruit, get creative. Poach the pears in pomegranate juice with a little honey, reduce the sauce and serve over Greek yogurt. Grill the pineapple or other fruit and drizzle with honey. Make a sorbet with fruit, including avocado (it’s really a fruit). Stuff a fig or date with goat cheese and sprinkle with a few nuts. Create an apple crisp of brown rice or even a whole wheat fruit pie.

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