Worst Diets for Health 2020

So many people choose to go on a diet to lose weight.  And this can be a good thing.  However, dieting is not so good for one’s health when people chose to go on a fad diet, a diet that may help one lose weight but takes a toll on their health at the same time.  Watching TV, I heard a newscaster say, “I am going on the Whole30 diet.  I do it every January.”   Sad for her as she is choosing to go on a diet ranked as one of the “Worst Diets” by U.S News & World Report.  Last week we talked about weight loss diets that will help you lose weight and are good for your health including:  Weight Watchers, the Volumetrics Diet and the Jenny Craig diet.  Whether you want to eat healthy or lose some weight there are healthy ways to do so.  Unfortunately, some people choose diets that are actually bad for their health like the newscaster I heard on TV.  Why?  Maybe they are looking for a quick weight loss fix.  Maybe they are duped into thinking a diet is healthy when it is actually bad for their health.  Whether at the gym or at work you will hear people talking about being on a low-carb diet, or going on the Whole30 diet, or some latest fad diet.  These may be fads but also can be quite unhealthy diets.  When the US News & World Report ranks the Best Diets for health, they have diets that fall at the bottom of their rankings.  What diets are ranked the lowest and why?  Let’s review some of the 2020 ranked not-so-good for you diets and provide you with some pros and cons of these diets.  What diets are ranked “bottom of the barrel” and diets you want to stay away from in 2020?

Whole30 Diet

This diet is popular once again.  Even though it was created in 2009, many people are currently trying the Whole30 approach.  Whole30 claims it will “change your life”.  How?  Their website claims that by eliminating certain foods from your diet, the “gut-disturbing, inflammatory food groups for 30 straight days and see what your life, body, and self-confidence could look like.”   
  
What foods do you eliminate on this diet?

For 30 days, they tell you to avoid a number of foods.  This diet claims that certain food including sugar, grains, dairy and legumes are the foods that negatively impact your health.  Grains are a food group on MyPlate that provide many essential nutrients we need in our diets.  Whole grains are especially healthy and this diet tells you to avoid them.  Not a healthy “rule” to follow.  

What foods does the Whole30 diet eliminate for 30 days?
  • No added sugar whether real or artificial.  Forget the maple syrup on your pancakes, the sweetener for your ice tea, the Diet Coke. Not even sugar less gum is allowed.
  • No alcohol – no wine, beer or mixed drinks for you.
  • No grains – so no bread, no cereal, no toast, no bagels, no quinoa, no crackers
  •  No legumes/beans – this means no peanut butter, no kidney beans, baked beans, peas.  Forget the soy sauce – banned. 
  • No Dairy – no milk, yogurt, sour cream, no ice cream no cheese.  No cheese pizza for you.
What foods are permitted on this diet?
  • Protein foods = meat, seafood
  • Vegetables and some fruit
  • Herbs, spices and seasonings
The diet focuses on whole and unprocessed foods so you will be eating your meals at home.  Eating whole and unprocessed foods is a good, healthy thing to do.  But avoiding food groups like the grain and dairy food groups is not a healthy choice.
You don’t have to count calories.  Exercise is not a part of this diet plan but they do endorse moving more.  To the founders, it is diet not exercise that promotes good health. Thus, this diet is not really a lifestyle change approach to good health.

What ranking does US News & World Report give the Whole30 diet?  For 2020, the experts looked at 35 diets and ranked the Whole30 diet as #33 in Best Diets Overall and #34 in Best-Weight Loss diets.  So not a good endorsement of this diet, either for good health or for weight-loss.  Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, has also evaluated the Whole30 diet on her “Smart Nutrition” website. 
  1. The Whole30 diet is very restrictive.  Eating out at restaurants, eating out at other people’s homes would be quite difficult on this diet.
  2. Many healthy foods are eliminated:  Any diet that eliminates food groups like dairy and grains, also eliminates the nutrients that those food groups provide.  Whole grains are foods we want to add to our diet for fiber and many trace minerals.  Dairy provides much needed calcium and vitamin D to our day.  So many Americans are deficient in vitamin D that the last thing they should do is cut more vitamin D out of their diets. Beans, peanut butter, nuts are very healthy and we should be adding more of these to our diets, not cutting back on them or eliminating them for 30 days.
  3. Time-consuming – you will need to shop and prepare a lot of meals at home as the diet plan is quite restrictive.
  4. It is not a lifestyle change – it is not a plan that helps you learn how to eat healthier and exercise such as walks are mentioned but the change in diet is their key to good health.
  5. US News & World Report noted “Whole30 lacks scientific support and is severely restrictive, according to the experts.  Its short-term approach and long-term promises didn’t win over the panelists.”   Further, they note going on the diet would lead to “temporary weight loss”.  Who wants to spend the time and effort to lose weight and then gain it all back because the diet they choose promotes “temporary weight loss”?
What are the pros of this diet plan?
  1. The diet does emphasize minimally processed food. 
  2. The diet promotes eating more fish and more vegetables.
What other diets are ranked low on the Best Diets list?

Atkins Diet is ranked number 32 out of 35 diets for healthy eating, almost dead last.  Yet, people still go on the “Atkins Diet” to lose weight.  Why go on a diet ranked so low?    US News & World Report  states: “is not a good all-purpose diet, experts said.”  US News & World Report noted a meta-analysis study that indicated low-carb diets like the Atkins diet may increase the bad or LDL cholesterol which is a risk factor for heart disease.  

Body Reset Diet ranked #36 last year and wasn’t even on the list of Best Diets in 2020.  Last year the  US News & World Report called this diet a “gimmick” and an “unhealthy” diet for weight loss. 

Keto Diet – ranked #34 out of 35, almost dead last.  This diet is high-fat and low in carbs.  Among the health risks for this diet according to the US News & World Report is the diet can lead to muscle loss.  Odd, since many people on this diet are hoping to lose fat, not muscle.  It is also a diet not recommended for pregnant women, women who are nursing, or those with heart disease until they consult their doctor.  

Dukan Diet – dead last at #35.  Not only very restrictive but one of the panelists for U.S. News & World Report “described the diet as ‘idiotic”.  Needless to say, not a good diet to go on.  


So, if you are looking to eat better for good health in 2020, there are many good diet plans to choose from.  There are also a number of fad diets one should avoid.  As I noted a couple of weeks ago, healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up all the foods you like to eat, but adding some foods that promote good health like more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and more low-fat dairy to your day.

Sources:  Weight Watchers,  Volumetrics Diet,  Jenny Craig, US News & World Report,  Best Diets, Whole30, US News & World Report, Smart Nutrition,  noted,   US News & World Report,  idiotic   Image Sources:  Best Diets , Whole 30 Week 1  , atkins, Diet 

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