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These are the top 3 diets of 2018, according to health experts

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Have you heard about any of these diets?
Have you heard about any of these diets?

So you wanted to start 2018 strong, but still unsure about which approach to food will suit you best? Then maybe this will help…

New annual rankings from the US News & World Report have revealed what the best diets for 2018 are – and we were just as keen as you to hear which eating plans had taken the top spots.

Read more: Exactly how to lose 2kg, 5kg or 10kg, according to a dietician

To ensure findings were as legit as possible, US News enlisted the help of a panel of food and health experts to rank 40 diets on a bunch of measures, like how easy it is to follow, whether it’s going to actually help you to lose weight (because past experience has proven that this is definitely not always the case), whether you lose weight in the short and long term, safety (a biggie!) and more.

Read more: This is when you should eat your lightest and heaviest meals of the day

So, which diets should we be taking seriously this year – and which are to be avoided at all costs?

Drumroll…

1. The DASH Diet

The primary aim of this diet is to prevent high blood pressure, but the pay-off is a whittled waistline. It’s simple, really: Just focus on eating the nutrient-dense foods you know are good for you (fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy) and avoid eats that aren’t, for example those high salt or saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy and tropical oils, and sugar-sweetened drinks and sweets.

2. The Mediterranean Diet

Tied for first place was another one we’ve always rated, because not only will you lose weight, but you’ll fend off a bunch of chronic diseases, like diabetes and cancer.

Read more: Watch out for these four phrases if you want to lose weight

The basic theory comes from the fact that those on the Med live longer and suffer far less from lifestyle disease than the rest of the world. Why? Because they stick to these simple eating guidelines: A diet low in red meat, saturated fat and sugar, and high in greens and nuts. Add to this an active lifestyle and it’s a guaranteed win.

3. The Flexitarian Diet

Created by a dietician, the flexitarian diet is based on the two words that make up its name: flexible and vegetarian. We love the word “flexible”, because no diet should be so militant that it becomes the stuff of recurring food nightmares. And everyone should be including more plants in their eating plans, obviously.

Read more: Can you eat peanut butter every day and still lose weight?

So this one just makes sense. Eat your greens, knowing you can indulge in the occasional meaty meal, and you’ll cut kilos, stave off disease… and live longer!

And the losers?

Sorry for you Keto and Dukan… (These guys tied for last place.) The Keto Diet advocates dramatically cutting carbs and filling up on fats to help the body enter of state of “ketosis”, where it literally breaks down fat. Sounds kind of hectic, right?

The Dukan is complicated by “stages” (one where you need to dose up on protein) and way too full of a rules to be sustainable in real life.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za

Image credit: iStock

 
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