10 best diets of 2023 –

Whether you’re focused on heart health, weight loss, or simply a more balanced eating plan, choosing the best diets can be a crucial piece of the puzzle in achieving your health and wellness goals.

But with the wide variety of diets available, which ones are the best?

US magazine Forbes consulted a panel of nutrition experts — including nutrition specialists and registered dietitians — to rank 19 diets.

Remembering that this is a general ranking that takes into account variations such as weight loss and heart health, but the best diet is always something individual, so it is ideal to seek an expert before changing your diet drastically. “The fact is that what we eat is one of the main determinants of our health, life expectancy and quality of life, which when well managed is a powerful tool in preventing and improving physical and emotional health. With nutritional medical follow-up, it is possible to have best diets and treatments for each specific case” says nutrologist Dr. Ronan Araujo.

Below are the top 10 diets, which received the highest scores. To learn more about them, just click on the name, and we’ll take you to content explaining each one in depth.

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mediterranean diet

Inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of southern Italy and Greece, the Mediterranean diet is considered “the gold standard in preventive medicine” due to its “harmonic combination” of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, according to a review of studies. Rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fish, this diet has health benefits, including increased life expectancy, reduced risk of chronic disease, and improved quality of life. Plus, the Mediterranean diet is easy to adopt thanks to its huge amount of features, ranging from support apps to meal delivery services.

“It’s not surprising that the Mediterranean diet came out on top,” says Jackie Newgent, registered dietitian, member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board, and panelist on our Best Diets Rankings. “First, it’s not a ‘diet’ as we think of diets; It’s a lifestyle. Following it means you’ll be selecting fresh, healthy foods – and you’ll have a lot of flexibility. Because it’s designed more like a food lifestyle, it doesn’t lead to a “yo-yo” diet. There are no lists of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods to choose from.”

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Vegetarian Diet

The classic vegetarian diet earns high marks for its safety and ability to improve heart health, as well as being a particularly healthy option for people with diabetes. Additionally, research found that a lifetime adherence to a vegetarian diet was associated with a 35% lower risk of developing diabetes, and those who adopted a vegetarian diet after not being vegetarian had a 53% lower risk of developing the disease compared to non-vegetarians.

“A vegetarian diet is a great approach to getting more plants into your eating plan, which is one of the main reasons it’s a winning diet,” says Newgent. “While there are several types of vegetarian diets, the most popular is the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, which includes dairy and eggs, making it easier to follow and meet nutritional needs than going vegan or 100% plant-based.

“For people who dine out or travel frequently, or who have a hectic work or family schedule, a vegetarian diet offers a lot of flexibility,” she adds. “There are no detailed food charts, mindless lists of foods to avoid or ‘rules’ or specific meal times to worry about. And pizza is included!

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DASH diet

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was designed specifically with heart health in mind.

It takes a low-sodium approach to eating, and studies show that the DASH diet effectively lowers blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol.

“You might find eating out on reduced sodium more difficult… and cooking without adding salt can be more challenging as well, but adding spices and herbs can make this diet even healthier,” he says. Melina Jampolisa board-certified nutritionist, a member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board, and a member of the Best Diets Rankings panel.

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Weight Watchers

The diet’s robust support network ranges from weekly meetings to a thriving online community. Rather than focusing on restricting certain foods, it emphasizes moderation, making it much more manageable than other diet programs.

“WW has evolved over the years with research,” says Amidor. “Their latest WW+ program provides individualized recommendations for diet as well as lifestyle factors including stress/mindset, sleep and physical activity. The diet portion includes all food groups and emphasizes healthy foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For people who like to track their points/food, it’s a potentially healthy program for them.”

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Noom (she is based on Mindful Eating principles)

Other commercial diets (such as Weight Watchers) have great weight loss effectiveness and safety. The weight management program emphasizes daily behavioral changes for long-term weight loss and uses a color-coded system that prioritizes foods by calorie density, assigning users a “calorie budget” based on their personal goals.

“This isn’t really a diet but more of a lifestyle, so it’s much more sustainable,” says Dr. Jampolis. “The program is based on behavior change, which is a key component of successful and permanent weight loss – they try to go beyond just calories in and out (exercise) and help the individual understand why they overeat or lose weight. make wrong choices. It also teaches them how to deal with challenging eating situations such as eating stress, emotional eating and social eating, and even assesses readiness for change, which is important.”

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vegan diet

Considered a subtype of the vegetarian diet, the vegan diet scored particularly well for supporting heart health and the health of people with diabetes. A 2020 study found that vegans had lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C compared to omnivores, as well as a reduced risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes and a lower BMI.

The vegan eating plan is a more restrictive form of vegetarianism. Typically, a vegan diet eliminates meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy, as well as any other animal-derived products. “A vegan diet is often left off ‘diet’ lists because it’s not considered a typical weight loss diet. But that’s exactly why it should be and it’s the best choice,” says Newgent. “And it’s perfect for people who want to express their kindness to animals and care about the health of the planet and how food choices affect climate change,” she adds.

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Pescetarian Diet

Another iteration of vegetarianism, the pescatarian diet — which is mostly plant-based with the inclusion of fish and other seafood — earned high marks in categories like ease of use and safety. A 2020 study found that those who adhere to this diet are less likely to live with obesity and have a lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as high BMI, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.

“Studies consistently show that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease and less weight gain/lesser weight than diets that include animal protein/meat, however they can be restrictive, so a pescatarian diet that includes fish is less restrictive. and can make a predominantly plant-based diet more livable,” says Dr. Jampolis.

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Ornish Diet

This diet earns the spot as the best diet for holistic health, as it emphasizes not only the foods you consume, but exercise and stress management as well. It is based on research that found that comprehensive lifestyle changes may be able to reverse coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions.

“The Ornish diet really emphasizes foods that support heart health, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes,” he says. toby amidor, registered dietitian, member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board, and member of the Best Diets Rankings panel. “It also promotes low fat, low added sugar and low refined carbs. The plan also emphasizes stress management and exercise, which are also important for a healthy lifestyle.”

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Mind Diet

Research has found that the MIND diet substantially slows cognitive decline with age. Furthermore, studies have also found that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functioning independent of common brain pathology, suggesting that it may contribute to cognitive resilience in older adults.

“This diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, so it’s heart healthy, and again, the moderate carbs may give you a little edge over the DASH diet for diabetes,” says Dr. Jampolis. “It might be a little more challenging to hit specific weekly eating goals, but if you do, your brain will definitely benefit.”

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Nordic Diet

The plant-focused Nordic diet is packed with nutrients, with numerous studies confirming its nutritional value. Specifically, research shows that the Nordic Diet may result in a lower risk of stroke, lower risk of disease and death in middle-aged and older men, improved blood lipid profile, better insulin sensitivity and lower blood pressure. . It also meets macro and micronutrient intake recommendations – all with ingredients readily available in supermarkets.

“Outside the home, it can be more difficult to follow, but it’s certainly a nutrient-dense, healthy diet,” says Dr. Jampolis. “My only concern would be eating too much high-mercury seafood, so I recommend you either avoid the high-mercury ones or simply eat a variety of fish on a regular basis.”