ATLANTA (CNN) – The gold medal for best diet 2021 went to the Mediterranean diet for the fourth consecutive year, according to the ranking announced Monday by the US News & World Report.
Tied with silver was the DASH diet, which means dietary approaches to stop hypertension, and the Flexitarian diet, which encourages being vegetarian most of the time, but is flexible enough to allow for a hamburger from time to time.
What do all these diets have in common? They emphasize reducing or eliminating processed foods and focus on meals filled with fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
The Dukin and Keto diets, which emphasize eating foods rich in protein or fat with minimal carbohydrates, came in last and penultimate in the ranking of diets. These diets are generally poorly evaluated by experts because they are extremely restrictive, difficult to follow and eliminate whole food groups, which is not recommended by dietary guidelines.
To judge diets, a panel of experts in heart disease and diabetes, nutrition, diet, dietary psychology and obesity reviewed dietary research in medical journals, government reports and other resources.
“We have assembled a panel of 24 experts who live and breathe diet, weight loss and obesity,” said Angela Haupt, chief health editor for the US News & World Report.
“They score each diet on a number of different measures: how easy it is to follow, how likely it is to lead to long-term weight loss, how healthy and safe it is, and how effective it is in preventing or controlling chronic conditions like diabetes and illness. heart disease, “she said.
More honors from the Mediterranean diet
In addition to capturing the best diet, the analysis of 39 diet plans also gave the Mediterranean diet the first place in the category of best plant-based diet. The flexitarian diet was in second place, followed by the Nordic diet, which promotes the intake of foods of local origin and with low glycemic index.
The Mediterranean diet is also associated with the DASH diet and the Ornish diet for the honors of the best heart-healthy diet. The Ornish diet was created in 1977 by Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the nonprofit Institute for Preventive Medicine Research 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 say the diet is restrictive and difficult to follow.
The Mediterranean diet is also linked to the Flexitarian diet for the first place in the best diabetes diet; and WW (Weight Watchers) for an easier-to-follow diet and DASH for a better diet for healthy eating.
These compliments are not surprising, as several studies have found that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer. Meals in the sunny Mediterranean region have also been linked to stronger bones, a healthier heart and a longer life.
The diet features simple plant-based cooking, with most of each meal focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds, with some nuts and a strong emphasis 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 consumed.
Meat can have a rare appearance, usually just to add flavor to a dish. Instead, meals may include eggs, dairy and poultry, but in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet. Fish, however, are a staple food.
“It’s more than a diet, it’s a lifestyle,” said nutritionist Rahaf Al Bochi of Atlanta, who teaches the Mediterranean diet to his clients, 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 conscious movements and exercises for a totally healthy lifestyle.”
Best general weight loss diet
For this category, the panel of experts analyzed the success of a diet in weight loss in the short and long term, with equal weight. The popular WW (Weight Watchers) tied with the Flexitarian diet in the highest 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 colleagues,” according to the analysis of the Flexitarian Diet. “If you emphasize the vegetable component of this diet – eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains – you will probably be satisfied with fewer calories than you are used to.”
Weight Watchers, who also won first place in the category of best commercial diet, has an important component needed in any successful diet: support. In addition to face-to-face meetings and optional individual consultants, the plan offers an online community.
“Programs like WW, which offer emotional support and group meetings, lead to greater adherence than a do-it-yourself diet,” said the analysis.
New diets evaluated
Four new diets were added to the ranking this year, Haupt said: the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet, the modified keto diet and the Noom diet.
“Of all of them, Noom performed best – No. 12 overall, which is impressive for a newcomer,” said Haupt.
Based on a food logging app, Noom wants you to record all meals, snacks and exercise activities, as well as your daily weight. Noom encourages “low calorie density” foods, which are rich in water and low in calories by volume.
Similar to WW, Noom provides support groups where dieters can “help each other in everything from how to curb distracted eating to how to make plain old water more fun,” said Haupt.
The modified ketone diet, also known as keto 2.0, is slightly less restrictive than its mother, the classic keto. For example, people on a modified keto diet consume about 82% of their daily calories from fat versus 90% on the traditional keto diet, 12% protein instead of 6% and 6% carbohydrates instead of 4%, according with the report.
However, the new version was criticized by experts, reaching 35th, just slightly better than the traditional keto rating of 37 out of 39 diets.
Keto 2.0 “allows a little more room to maneuver on what you eat, but experts say it is still very restrictive,” said Haupt.
The Autoimmune Protocol diet, also known as the Autoimmune Paleo diet, was developed to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases. It requires people to eliminate food for at least a month and monitor symptoms when food is reintroduced. Experts consider the diet restrictive, suggesting that more research is needed to prove any benefits.
The Intestine Syndrome and Psychology diet, or GAPS, is for people with a strange spectrum of conditions: severe digestive and immunological problems, learning difficulties and severe neurological problems.
GAPS was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who “believes that the foods, drinks and products that people consume play an important role in the functioning of the brain,” according to the US News & World report. Like the ketone diet, GAPS comes last in the best diets.
Best diet for quick weight loss
The fast weight loss category is for those who need to lose a few pounds for a special occasion, since the diets have been evaluated for only two months. It should not be recommended as a long-term diet or lifestyle, according to the US News & World Report.
HMR, or the Health Management Resources Program, came in first, 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 $ 200 and includes 70 portions of shakes and HMR tickets, support materials, weekly group training and free shipping.
The Atkins Diet, created in 1972 by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins, involves four phases of meal plans, starting with very few carbohydrates and adding more as the diet progresses. However, “those on a low-carb diet can eat a lot of fat, increasing health concerns,” concluded the analysis, ranking the diet at 33 out of 39.
Lisa Drayer, a CNN contributor, a registered nutritionist, is concerned with any type of diet that is very restrictive in food choices and is concerned with the role of ready-to-eat meals, shakes and snacks.
“They are not necessarily teaching how to eat healthily on their own and how to make healthy choices,” she told CNN in a previous interview, adding that she had seen it happen very often in her own clients.
“They were severely restricted and did not know how to incorporate other foods back into their diets in a reasonable way,” said Drayer. “So they not only regained their weight, they gained even more weight than they did at the beginning, which is really distressing.”
Introduction to the Mediterranean diet
Do you want to make the Mediterranean diet one of your goals this year? Start by cooking one meal a week based on beans, whole grains and vegetables, using herbs and spices to add punch. When one night a week is a breeze, add two and prepare your meatless meals from there.
Grains that have changed little over the centuries, known as “ancient grains”, are also a fundamental feature of the Mediterranean diet. Quinoa, amaranth, millet, farro, spelled, Kamut (a grain of wheat that is said 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 the main course, this means no more than 85 grams 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 a stew.
And rethink the dessert. Mediterranean cultures end their meals with seasonal fruits.
If you get tired of eating fresh raw fruits, be creative. Cook the pears in pomegranate juice with a little honey, reduce the sauce and serve over Greek yogurt. Grill the pineapple or other fruits and drizzle with honey. Make a fruit ice cream, including avocado (it’s really a fruit). Stuff a fig or a date with goat cheese and sprinkle with some nuts. Create a brown rice crisp or even a whole wheat fruit pie.
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