With so many diets available, it’s impossible to know enough about each one to make an well informed, educated choice. That’s where U.S. News and World Report magazine comes to the rescue.
The publication used an independent panel of 22 experts (including dietitians, nutritionists, cardiologists etc.) to review 20 popular diet profiles in seven categories: its nutritional completeness, short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss, how easy it is to follow, its safety, its ability to prevent or manage diabetes, and its ability to prevent or manage heart disease.
Below are the results of the Best Diet Overall category.
The top overall diet winner for 2011 is the DASH diet with a 3.9 (out of 5) ranking. The diet which was developed by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) to help fight high blood pressure also ranked #1 in Best Diabetes Diet, 3rd in Heart-Healthy Diets and 8th in Best Weight Loss diets.
Free DASH guide to download complete with a few daily menus
The DASH Diet for Hypertension
Three diets tied for 2nd place, all with a 3.8 rank, listed alphabetically:
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating a lot of fresh produce, whole grains, beans, olive oil and nuts while limiting red meat, sugar, and saturated fat.
A non-profit organization (Oldways) has a downloadable Mediterranean diet pyramid to lead dieters in the right direction.
2. TLC Diet
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet (TLC) which was created by the National Institutes of Health’s National Cholesterol Education Program is endorsed by the American Heart Association also came in second in heart-healthy diets.
A free 85 page guide to lowering your cholesterol with the TLC diet
American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 3rd Edition: Delicious Recipes to Help Lower Your Cholesterol American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 3rd Edition: Delicious Recipes to Help Lower Your Cholesterol
Weight Watchers has been around for over 40 years and according to these results there’s a good reason. Not only did they tie for second in the Best Overall Diet category but scored the gold in both Best Weight Loss Diet and Best Commercial Diet plan.
Weight Watchers Take-Out Tonight! : 150+ Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home--All 8 POINTS or Less
Two diets tied for 5th , just a tenth of a percent of a difference. The duo that attained a 3.7 score (listed in alphabetical order) are:
This diet has an easy to follow food plan (food pyramid emphasizing fruits and vegetables) and is also one of the few diets that includes physical activity into the daily routine.
The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook: Eating Well for Better Health
The diet divides food into four groups (based on their density levels), having dieters try to eat mostly from the lower rated categories which in theory, should make one fill fuller and therefore eat less.
The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories
7. Jenny Craig
Well known for it’s celebrity clients ads and HIGH prices of their food , Jenny Craig came in 7th with a 3.6 rating. The diet also scored 2nd in both in Best Weight-Loss Diets and Best Commercial Diet plans behind Weight Watchers.
The Jenny Craig Story: How One Woman Changes Millions of Lives
8. Ornish Diet
Even though the diet was rated low in the ease to follow category the Ornish got scored in the top ten in three areas: 1st in Best Heart-Healthy Diets, 2nd in Best Diabetes Diet and 8th (with a 3.5 score) in Best Diets Overall.
Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish: 150 Easy, Low-Fat, High-Flavor Recipes
Vegetarianism which continues to gain popularity hit three of the top ten lists: #9 in Best Diets Overall, #6 in Best Heart-Healthy Diets and #5 in Best Diabetes Diets. The greatest part of this diet is the ability to grow a lot of the items in your own garden.
Quick-Fix Vegetarian: Healthy Home-Cooked Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
The Slim Fast diet rounds out the top ten Best Overall Diets with a 3.2 score. The shakes also took 3rd in Best Commercial Diet Plans, 5th in Best Weight-Loss Diets and 8th in Best Diabetes Diets.
Slim-Fast 3-2-1 Plan, Ready To Drink Shake
The ratings of the last ten diets and their score rates out of 5 with ties listed in alphabetic order ~
11. NutriSystem (3.1)
NutriSystem Nourish: The Revolutionary New Weight-Loss Program
12. Vegan Diet (3.0)
13. South Beach Diet (2.9)
The South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook: 200 Easy Solutions for Everyday Meals
14. Eco-Atkins Diet (2.8) A newer ‘healthier’ version of the Adkins diet
New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great.
14. Zone Diet (2.8)
Zone Meals in Seconds: 150 Fast and Delicious Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
16. Glycemic-Index Diet (2.7)
The Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies
16. Medifast Diet (2.7)
The Secret is Out: What Physicians Have Always Known About Weight Loss (The Medifast Program)
18. Raw Food Diet (2.4)
Raw Food: A Complete Guide for Every Meal of the Day
19. Atkins Diet (2.3)
Dr. Atkins' Quick & Easy New Diet Cookbook: Companion to Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
20. Paleo Diet (2.0)
The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
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