For the seventh consecutive year it won for “best diet”, but also came first for “simplest, best diet for the family, for healthy eating, for diabetes, for bones, joints and for the heart”
For the seventh consecutive year, the Mediterranean diet has won the title of «best diet» everaccording to 2024 ranking of the American magazine US News & World Report (already known for the annual ranking of the best universities and best hospital facilities).
The evaluation (CNN reports it) was made with a commission of experts: 43 nutritionists specializing in diabetes, heart health and weight loss. The criteria took into account nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability and evidence-based effectiveness. We also considered the strengths and weaknesses of each diet examined and the specific objectives that each diet could help to achieve more effectively.
The series of victories of the Mediterranean diet is impressive, but above all that it also won first prize as: simpler diet to follow, better diet for the familybetter diet for healthy eating and best diet for diabeteshealthy nutrition for bones and joints and for the heart.
Competition defeated, as the experts interviewed also point out, thanks to scientific evidence which have accumulated over the years regarding the benefits of this diet which boasts studies showing that it can reduce the risk of diabeteshigh cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer and is connected to stronger bones, healthier heart and longevity.
In recalling the peculiar characteristics of the (true) Mediterranean diet (plant-based centered on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and seeds, with extra virgin olive oil used as a condiment), the experts recalled that it is not just a dietary regime but a lifestyle, so much so that it includes social interactions during meals and physical exercise in its recommendations. We talked about it at length in this article: «What is the true Mediterranean diet and how to do it».
In second and third place in the “best diets” ranking (out of 30 competitors) two other plant-based diets: the DASH diet (indicated against hypertension) and the MIND diet (against dementia, we talked about it HERE
).
For the first time the commission evaluated the vegan dietwhich ranked third in the “best plant-based diets” ranking.
Among the known diets were keto, Dukan, Herbalife Nutrition and raw food.
The keto diet it came in 25th place out of 30 (we talked about it HERE
), but took first place in the “best quick weight loss” category. However, experts say the diet, which involves limiting carbohydrates to about 20% per day, is too restrictive to follow for long. It is also not suitable for people with heart, liver and kidney disease and some types of cancer and for children, adolescents, pregnant women and athletes.
The Dukan diet placed 28th out of 30, theHerbalife Nutrition in penultimate place.
Bringing up the rear among the 30 best diets was the raw food diet, which recommends eating food that has not been “cooked, processed, microwaved, irradiated, genetically modified, or exposed to pesticides or herbicides.” According to the nutritionists consulted, it is excessively restrictive from a nutritional point of view and may not be safe for some people because «cooking certain foods allows for greater variety and increases the intake of proteins and other essential nutrients» and on the other hand foods raw they are also included in many other diets including the Mediterranean one.
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January 10, 2024 (modified January 10, 2024 | 08:43)
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