Mediterranean diet is rated best fourth year in a row

Fortunately, US News and World Report have assembled a panel of experts to rank 39 common diets and name the best for 2021. The winner? The Mediterranean Diet for the fourth year in a row, CNN reported.

“It is generally accepted that people in countries bordering the Mediterranean live longer and suffer less than most Americans from cancer and cardiovascular disease,” said US News and World Report. “The not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight management, and a diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat and high in products, nuts and other healthy foods.”

Several previous studies have shown the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. (Although the cuisines of different Mediterranean countries differ significantly, they share an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, and olive oil, with seafood, poultry, and dairy products consumed in moderation.) Studies have shown that following this diet can reduce the risk of health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, memory loss and breast cancer, according to CNN. In fact, a 2018 study found that diet can reduce the risk of death from exposure to certain types of air pollution.

But it’s not the only eating plan recommended by US News experts. In second place in the ranking were the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the Flexitarian Diet.

Brooklyn dietitian Maya Feller told TODAY that the top three diets share common benefits, NBC News reported. They emphasize overall health over weight loss and are easy to follow because they encourage eating beneficial food groups rather than limiting certain foods.

“Those eating patterns are very reasonable, right? They’re sustainable. They’re adaptable. They allow for flexibility. They allow for religious and cultural variation,” said Feller. “For the average person trying to influence their metabolic health, there are likely to be great clinical results.”

Plus, it’s possible to follow all three without breaking the bank during a financially challenging time.

“The number of people with food insecurity has increased very dramatically since the start of the pandemic,” added Feller. “We’re going to have to think about accessibility. If you can get dry beans and if you have dry beans, you can make a million dishes and it falls into all three of those diets.”

The US News and World Report annual diet rankings are selected by nutrition and health experts based on scientific studies.

“We convened a panel of 24 experts who are living and breathing, diet, weight loss and obesity,” Angela Haupt, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, told CNN. 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 managing chronic conditions . such as diabetes and heart disease. “

The rankings also include lists tailored to more specific nutritional needs, including ‘Best Weight-Loss Diets’ (winner: the Flexitarian Diet),’ Best Fast-Weight-Loss Diets’ (winner: the HMR program) and ‘Best Plant -Based Diets (Winner: The Mediterranean Diet, again).

Last on the general diet list were the high-fat and low-carb Keto diet and the protein-based Dukan diet, which experts said were too restrictive.