More than 40 percent of Americans will likely make a resolution to change something in their life for the new year of 2019. In 2018, the most common New Year’s Resolutions were saving money, getting more exercise, and eating healthier.1 Less than ten percent of people will follow through with those resolutions.2
As individuals are experiencing peak motivation to achieve their goals for 2019, U.S. News & World Report released their annual assessment of the year’s “best diets,” including rankings for various types of diets and discussions of more than 40 different diet plans.
For Best Diet Overall, the top three diets included:
- Mediterranean Diet
- DASH Diet
- Flexitarian Diet
These three diets were also the top three for the “Top 3 Easiest Diets to Follow” and the “Best Diets for Diabetes.”
The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.3 The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is composed of vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products, intended for both people with and without hypertension (high blood pressure).4 A flexitarian diet includes only occasional meat and fish, focusing more on plant sources of nutrients.5
Methodology Behind Ranking
U.S. News & World Report conducted their analysis of the various diets by paneling America’s leading nutritionists, dietary consultants, and healthcare practitioners, specifically those with experience in diabetes, heart health, and weight loss. These leading experts assessed each diet for things like “ease of compliance,” “likelihood of losing significant weight” (short vs. long-term), and “effectiveness against cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”
Whole Food Advantage
Eating whole foods ensures nutrients will be consumed as they are found in nature, in a whole-food state that maximizes natural potency and efficacy during digestion. Eating more whole foods and less processed foods guarantees that complex nutrients will be delivered as nature intended.
For more on U.S. News & World Report’s annual assessment of 2018’s best diets, click here.
Interested in learning more about transforming a New Year’s Resolution into a sustainable healthy lifestyle? Check out season 2 of the WholisticMatters Podcast Series, “Building A Healthy Lifestyle”, hosted by nutritionist and public health expert Meghan Hamrock, MS, MPH.
