Science-based eating style named best diet for 2024

The Mediterranean diet also took first place in the categories of “easiest diet to follow”, “best diet for the whole family”, “best diet for healthy eating” and “best diet for diabetes”, “healthy diet for bones, joints and heart”, the report says.

This exercise diet reduces dangerous belly fat and more, CNN notes, according to research.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Control Hypertension) diet came in second place for Best Diet, and the MIND (Mediterranean DASH Intervention to Slow Neurodegenerative Processes) diet came in third place on the list of 30 diets.

All three of these major diets are plant-based and focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds.

The awards committee, made up of 43 nutrition experts, judged the vegan diet for the first time, placing third in the Best Plant-Based Diets category. Other recently assessed diets for 2024 included the Dukan Diet; Herbalife Nutrition diet; HMR (Health Management Resources) and its sister brand Profile Plan.

“The world of diet and nutrition can be overwhelming and filled with misinformation and inaccurate health claims,” said Shanley Chien, senior health editor at US News.

“That’s why US News does the legwork for its users, gathering information from nationally recognized medical and nutrition experts to determine which diets are best for nutritional value, ease of adherence, and promotion of long-term healthy living,” adds Gretel Schueller, health editor-in-chief of US News & World Report.

Research has shown that a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer. The diet, which is more of an eating style than a restricted diet, is also associated with stronger bones, heart health and longer life.

The diet calls for simple, plant-based meals, with the majority of each meal focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds, with a small amount of nuts and a heavy emphasis on extra virgin olive oil. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are consumed rarely, if at all, and sugar and refined foods are saved for special occasions.

Red meat is used in moderation, usually only to add flavor to the dish. It is recommended to eat healthy fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while eggs, dairy products and poultry are eaten in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet.

Social interactions during meals and exercise are the main cornerstones of the Mediterranean eating style. Lifestyle changes that are part of the diet include eating with friends and family, socializing over meals, mindfully eating your favorite foods, and mindful movement and exercise.

Last on the list of the top 30 overall diets was the raw food diet, which recommends eating food that has not been “cooked, processed, microwaved, irradiated, genetically engineered, or exposed to pesticides or herbicides,” the report said.

While these qualities may seem beneficial, the diet is overly restrictive in nutrition and may not be safe for some people, according to the U.S. News & World Report website. In fact, cooking certain foods “allows for more variety and increases your intake of protein and other essential nutrients,” says Dr. Vanita Rahman, an internal medicine physician and clinical director at Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“The safest and healthiest way to enjoy raw foods is to eat a plant-based diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, as well as cooked lentils, beans, grains and vegetables,” Dr. Rahman emphasizes in the website review.

According to the report, the popular keto diet was ranked 25th overall, but ranked 1st in the Best Fast Weight Loss category. But experts say the diet, which limits carbohydrate intake to about 20 a day, is too restrictive to be followed long-term.

“I see a lot of people go keto when they want to lose weight, and then go off keto when they can’t do it anymore. It’s a difficult diet to stick to, and many people aren’t actually following a keto diet, but rather a low-carb diet,” states registered dietitian and panelist Amanda Sauceda in a review on the U.S. News & World Report website.

The report notes that people with heart, liver and kidney disease, as well as certain types of cancer, should not go on the diet. Children who have not been advised by a doctor to lose weight, pregnant people, and high-performance athletes should also not go on the keto diet.

A 2023 review of studies found concerns that staying on a keto diet for more than two years could lead to cognitive decline, nutritional deficiencies, kidney stones, heart disease and muscle loss.