It’s common sense that what we eat regularly is very important to our general wellbeing. Among the vast plethora of different diets, aside from them being different nation-wise, region-wise, local, and so on, there are also many planned diets that are practiced globally based on both proven and not-so-proven scientific facts. Some diets are, in fact, nothing more than ‘fad’ diets that people practice in the hope of losing weight and being more fit. Anyway, here’s a refresher about some well-known diets that have a wealth of scientific evidence behind them, and these are the best overall diets according to US News & World Report:

BEST OVERALL DIETS

1. The Mediterranean Diet

This widely popular diet is said to be the best in the world. It is not particularly targeted towards weight loss, which is what most people are looking for when selecting a diet to follow, but it is rather, more of a diet for total well-being. The emphasis is on plant-based foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and plant-based oils (olive oil immediately comes to mind, an essential part of the Mediterranean diet). And, naturally, since the Mediterranean Sea is what the region is named after, seafood is integral to the diet, too. Lean meat is also part of it, though in moderation.

Here’s what you eat when following this die

Vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, herbs, spices, seafood, eggs, poultry, cheese, and yogurt with occasional sweets and red meat. And, here’s what you drink—red wine, which contains resveratrol, something that appears to add years to life. Besides being associated with healthier aging, this diet helps to lower risks for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers. Unlike most other diets, the Mediterranean Diet has no specific calorie reduction target and no limitations on servings or food groups, or on salt, and it has more of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, rather than harmful saturated fat. This diet is not only the best diet, but also the easiest one to adapt. And, please note: an active lifestyle is necessary along with this diet to gain the most benefits.

2. DASH Diet

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Numerous studies have proven that it reduces blood pressure in both hypertensive and non-hypertensive people. This diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein, which are rich in calcium, protein, and fiber that help in lowering blood pressure. Fatty meats, full-fat dairy products and tropical oils, which contain high amounts of saturated fats, as well as sugar-containing beverages and sweets are big no, no’s. Sodium intake is limited to 2,300 mg a day, which falls still lower as the diet progresses.

Here’s how the experts suggest you incorporate this heart-healthy diet into your daily dietary habit

Add one vegetable or fruit serving to every meal, introduce two or more vegetarian meals each week, substitute salt with herbs and spices to make food tastier, snack on almonds or pecans, use whole-wheat flour instead of refined flour, and take a 15-minute walk after lunch and dinner. In addition to its primary role in reducing blood pressure, the DASH diet has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and improve other cardiovascular risk factors, with some studies showing that it also reduces the risk of gout in men. Like the Mediterranean Diet, this diet is not particularly targeted towards weight loss.

3 Flexitarian Diet

While it is inspired by registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner’s 2009 book, “The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life”, the Flexitarian (flexible+vegetarian) Diet generally refers to any semi-vegetarian diet plan. The main point is that there is no need to forgo meat completely, and while you can be a vegetarian most of the time, you can still binge on a burger or steak once in a while.

Here’s what you eat when following this diet
Mostly vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits, more protein from plants than from animals, sometimes, meat and animal products, most natural (least processed) foods, and less of foods containing added sugar, like sweets. The Flexitarian book recommends calorie restriction when following this plan, with total daily intake of around 1,500 calories. This diet, like with other plant-based diets, has been shown to help in losing weight and improving overall health by lowering blood pressure and risks of heart-disease and diabetes. Some studies suggest that this diet could also help in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

4 WW (Weight Watchers) Diet

WW (Weight Watchers) diet, as the name suggests, helps in shedding excess kilos; however, at the same time, it also improves overall well-being by encouraging a healthier lifestyle. The WW program is based on a SmartPoints system, whereby each food and beverage is given a point value depending on its calorie, fat, protein, and sugar content. The system leads toward a low-calorie diet plan that is low in saturated fat and sugar, but high in protein. It is a flexible kind of diet, where you can eat anything.

Here’s how it works
There are several food plans having certain number of ZeroPoint foods, which include high-protein, low-calorie foods like fish, beans, tofu, eggs, skinless chicken, non-fat yogurt, non-starchy vegetables like greens, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, and peppers, healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, beans, whole-grain products, and healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts. The Green plan has more than 100 ZeroPoint foods, the Blue plan has more than 200 ZeroPoint foods, and the Purple plan has more than 300 ZeroPoint foods. The plan with the most number of ZeroPoint foods has the lowest SmartPoints Budget, while the one with the fewest number of ZeroPoint foods has the highest SmartPoints Budget. You can eat whatever you want, as long as you stay within your SmartsPoint budget, which is calculated based on weight, height, sex, and age.

5. Mayo Clinic Diet

As the name suggests, Mayo Clinic experts have designed this comprehensive healthy diet plan to help maintain a healthy weight, boost heart health, and reduce chronic disease risks. Although it has specific calorie reduction goals, it lays more stress on food servings, rather than on calorie counting. The calorie goal for men is between 1,400 and 1,800 calories per day, while for women, it is between 1,200 and 1,600 calories per day. This diet recommends low salt intake and foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and so on. Included in the program are customized meal plans, motivational tips, exercise advice, food journal, weight tracker, and habit tracker. This diet has a jump-start phase that enables you to lose more weight than a traditional diet.

Here’s how it works
Phase 1 is called Lose It! It starts your weight loss program with a bang, helping you to lose from 3 to 4.5 kg in two weeks. The daily plan consists of a healthy breakfast, lots of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and 30 minutes of physical activity. You will start getting rid of bad habits like snacking on unhealthy food, eating while watching TV, consuming additional sugar, etc. Phase 2 is called Live It! It will help you continue to lose weight at the rate of 0.5 to 1 kg per week. Following phase one rules, you’ll also start focusing on serving size of your meals. For instance, a serving will be the size of a tennis ball in the case of fruits, while for protein it will be the size of a deck of cards. Regular physical activity is an integral part of the plan. Once you reach your weight goal, you’ll be guided on how to maintain it in the future.

6 MIND Diet

The MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) Diet has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by about 35% to 53%, depending on how rigorously it is followed, and several studies have found it to have other brain-health benefits, as well. Combining the Mediterranean and DASH diets, it focuses on foods that specifically affect brain health, such as leafy greens, nuts, and berries.

Here’s what you eat when following this diet-
Three daily servings of whole grains, salad, vegetable, and a glass of wine; half a cup of beans every other day; poultry and half-a-cup of berries, especially blueberries, twice a week; and fish at least once weekly. Olive oil is preferred, and snacks mostly include nuts. These are the foods that are at the core of this diet. Green, leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, nuts, olive oil, whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice, fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and mackerel, beans, lentils, and soybeans, poultry like chicken or turkey, wine (both red and white wine may benefit the brain). And, these foods are to be avoided—butter and margarine, cheese, red meat, fried food, pastries, and sweets.

7 TLC Diet

The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) Diet’s is a heart-healthy diet that aims to reduce cholesterol. First you choose your target calorie reduction before starting on this diet. For instance, if lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) is your goal, then you aim for 2,500 calories (men) and 1,800 per day (women). If you also want to lose weight, then the target will be 1,600 calories for men and 1,200 for women. A major goal is to reduce saturated fat to less than 7% of daily calories and 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol every day. This means cutting down so high-fat dairy products and fatty meats. In case your LDL hasn’t reduced by 8 to 10% in six weeks, add 2 grams of plant sterols and 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber to your daily diet.

This is what you eat when on this diet
Plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, seafood, and skinless poultry.

BEST WEIGHT-LOSS DIETS

As far as best weight-loss diets are concerned, here are the top five as ranked by US News and World Report:

1. Flexitarian Diet
By eating more plant-based foods, and less meat, adherents to the diet will not only lose weight, but also improve their overall health and reduce cardio-vascular risks. There is no need to forgo meat completely, although you’ll be a vegetarian most of the time, eating vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits, and sometimes, meat and animal products. The recommended calorie target is 1,500 per day.

2. WW (Weight Watchers) Diet
The program assigns every food and beverage a point value based on its nutritional content. Although a flexible diet program, where no food is excluded, it aims towards a low-calorie diet plan that is low in saturated fat and sugar but high in protein. There are three programs, each having a certain number of ZeroPoint foods, and you follow one in line with your SmartsPoint budget, which is calculated based on your weight, height, sex, and age.

3. Vegan Diet
This diet excludes all animal products, even dairy and eggs. Here’s what you eat when on this diet: vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And, here’s how it works—six daily servings of grains; five servings of legumes, nuts, chickpeas, tofu, peanut butter, or soy milk; four daily servings of vegetables; two servings of fruit; and two servings of healthy fats like avocado, coconut, or sesame oil. For dessert, you can have vegan ice cream or butter- and eggs-free bakeries.
4. Volumetrics Diet
In this diet, food is divided into four groups: 1. very low-density foods like non-starchy vegetables and fruits, non-fat milk, and broth-based soup, 2. low-density foods like starchy vegetables and fruits, legumes, breakfast cereal, grains, spaghetti, and low-fat meat, 3. medium-density foods like meat, cheese, bread, pretzels, pizza, french fries, salad dressing, ice cream, and cake, and 4. high-density foods like chips, crackers, chocolate, cookies, nuts, butter, and oil. Obviously, you’ll eat more of categories one and two, and less of category three and four.

5. Jenny Craig Diet
This diet program provides prepackaged meals and recipes designed to manage calories, fat, and portions, the three basics of any weight-loss program. There are four programs, Classic, Rapid Results, Jenny Craig for Type 2 (for those with type 2 diabetes), and Jenny Craig’s DNA Decoder Plan (which matches individual genetic markers to optimal nutritional program).