Worst Diets for Health 2022

Do you know anyone trying to lose weight?  Have you asked them what weight-loss diet they are on?  Many people look towards fad diets promising quick weight loss.  Some people go on a cleanse diet.  But is that fad diet healthy?  Is the fad diet missing food groups, missing nutrients your body needs?  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 (WW), the Flexitarian Diet and the Volumetrics Diet. 

If you are overweight, losing weight is a good choice.  But you don’t have to choose an unhealthy fad diet to lose weight.  Too many people want a quick fix and then choose diets that are actually bad for their health like the newscaster I heard on TV.  Why?  Many don’t want to face the challenge of learning to eat healthier and exercising more.  This week when you are at the gym or out and about, listen and you will undoubtedly hear about people going on the Whole30 diet, a low-carb diet, a keto diet.  As I noted last week, each year the US News & World Report ranks the Best Diets Overall for good health.  But in this ranking are diets that fall at the bottom of the list. What diets are ranked the lowest and why?  Let’s review some of the 2022 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 2022?

What ranking does US News & World Report give the Keto diet?  For 2022, the experts looked at 40 diets and ranked the Keto Diet as the worst diet to be on as it ranked at #40 out of 40 for Best Diets and as #19 out of 40 for Best Weight-Loss diets for 2022.  Why would someone choose such a poorly ranked diet?  Perhaps they are sold on the promise of quick weight loss.  Some relatives say they know people that successfully lose weight on the Keto diet but then end up not only gaining the weight back but gaining back even more weight than they lost. 

Keto Diet – This diet is high in fat and low in carbs.  Not just low in carbs, but very low in carbs restricting carbs to about 20 grams a day or about 80 calories a day from carbs.  Unfortunately for your health, the experts rank it near the bottom for health giving it 1.9 out of 5 points for “healthy”, 1.4 out of 5 points for Easy to Follow and 2.2 out of 5 points for long-term weight loss. Yes, you may lose weight short-term but this is a very hard diet to stick to long-term. 

What are the pros and cons of the Keto Diet?

Pros – some people are not as hungry on this diet as fatty foods are filling foods.  Some had better blood sugar levels as carbs were being so sharply curtailed.  Some studies have shown that people can lose a greater amount of weight on the keto diet vs other weight loss diets.  Other studies found that being on a keto diet may negatively affect physical performance. 

Cons – the diet is so low in carbs that it provides less carbs than nutritional experts recommend.  People do lose weight but researchers note to maintain this weight loss one may have to go on, off and then on the diet again to maintain that weight loss.  The keto diet may be hard to follow for anyone who likes their pizza, spaghetti, bread, and desserts.  I love bread and would not want to be on a diet that cut out all bread.  

Keto diet, high in fat, low in carbs.

Whole 30 Diet

Whole30 diet as #35 in Best Diets Overall and #35 in Best-Weight Loss diets.  So not a good endorsement of this diet, either for good health or for weight-loss. 

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 (and therefore you are not eating the nutrients this food group provides)
• No legumes/beans – this means no peanut butter, no kidney beans, baked beans, black-eyed peas.  Forget the soy sauce – banned.  And no soy, not even soy sauce.
• No Dairy – no milk, yogurt, sour cream, no ice cream no cheese.  No cheese pizza for you. Good bye calcium and vitamin D.

What foods are permitted on this diet?

• Protein foods = meat, seafood
• Vegetables and some fruit
• Herbs, spices and seasonings

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?

• The diet does emphasize minimally processed food. 
• The diet recommends no added sugar.  Most Americans get too much added sugar in their diets so cutting back on added sugar is a good thing.
• The diet promotes eating more fish and more vegetables.

What other diets are ranked low on the Best Diets and/or the Best Weight-Loss Diets’ list?

Atkins Diet is ranked number 37 out of 40 diets for healthy eating, near the bottom of the rankings.  For weight loss, the diet ranked 12 out of 40.  Many people still go on the “Atkins Diet” to lose weight.  Why go on a diet ranked so poorly for healthy eating?    US News & World Report  states: “is not a good all-purpose diet, experts said.”  A meta-analysis study in Nutrients in December 2020 noted that the Atkins Diet can result in weight loss and even improve HDL (the good cholesterol) but long-term the effects on raised LDL (the bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol were concerning.  An increase in LDL is a risk factor for heart disease. 

Alkaline Diet – ranked #38 out of 40 for Best Weight Loss diets, so near the bottom.  U.S. News & World Report stated this diet, performed the worst in overall weight loss, fast weight loss, diabetes, heart health and easiness to follow.  Why anyone would go on a diet to lose weight and then choose a diet that actually performed the worst for weight loss is mystifying to me.  This diet is not based on science but claims eating foods that form acid, like red meat, changes your pH and gets it out of balance.  But science has shown, the foods we eat really don’t changes our body’s pH.  So, since there is no science to back on the basis of this diet and it is rated the worst for weight loss, skip this diet.

Paleo Diet – so many of my students used to rave about being on the Paleo Diet.  But not so much anymore.  And that is a good thing.  The Paleo Diet is ranked number 31 out of 39.  This diet is based on such an odd premise that if cavemen didn’t eat it, you shouldn’t eat it.  They don’t bother to mention that cavemen didn’t live a very long life.  Similar to some other weight loss diets, this diet asks you to give up food groups like dairy and grains and also legumes.  Again, if you give up a food group, you are giving up on many important nutrients these food groups provide. It is very hard to take in enough calcium and vitamin D if one has no dairy in their diet.  Grains, especially whole grains, add important minerals to our diet, add fiber and phytonutrients.  Why choose to be on a diet ranked so low for good health?

So, if you are looking to eat better for good health and also drop a few pounds in 2022, there are many good diet plans to choose from.  There are also a number of fad diets one should avoid.  As I often note, 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 (WW) , Flexitarian Diet , Volumetrics Diet , US News & World Report , Best Diets Overall , US News & World Report , Keto Diet , Whole 30 Diet , eliminate , Smart Nutrition , noted , US News & World Report , Nutrients , stated , Paleo Diet  Image Sources:  Rules , keto diet , PJ  

 

Best Weight Loss Diets for 2022

Many people think about dropping a few pounds and look for a great weight loss diet.  Everywhere you look there are ads for quick weight loss diets or a diet pill that seems to magically take off weight easily.  Despite the claims, most of us know there is nothing easy about losing weight.  Yes, many diets will help you drop pounds quickly only to have those pounds return when you go off the diet.  What most people want is to lose weight and keep it off.  This requires more than a diet, but lifestyle changes like more exercise and more healthy foods.  A relative gained some weight over the holidays.  Rather than going on a fad diet, she joined Weight Watchers – now called WW.  When eating out with her recently, she pulled up the WW App on her phone to record her points.  She finds the WW plan easy to follow.  I have no doubt she is on her way to losing the 7 pounds she gained. 

Like this relative, if you do want to drop a few pounds or more, what are some healthy weight loss diets?  Too many diets promise the world but are not good for your health.  For example, one of the diets ranked the worst is the Whole30 diet (ranked 35 out of 39 diets).  U.S. News and World Report notes , Whole30 lacks scientific support and is severely restrictive according to the experts.  This, like so many fad diets, doesn’t work to help you change your lifestyle but offers some quick solutions that aren’t viable for the long term.  You may lose some weight but when you go “off” the fad diet, the weight piles back on. 

Another poorly ranked diet is the Alkaline Diet.  So, shun these poorly ranked diets and focus on one’s that have been proven to work.  The US News & World Report has once again ranked the weight loss diets in their Best Weight-Loss Diets for 2022. 

Why does US News & World Report rank a weight-loss diet a winner?  The experts ranking the diets not only look for fast weight loss, but also lasting weight loss.  They noted some diets did well in the short term, people lost weight on the diet, but long-term results, not so good.  A diet really isn’t successful if you gain all the weight back that you wanted to say good bye to. They found 11 diets that will help you lose significant weight and keep it off.  The top weight loss diets are covered here.

What Weight Loss Diets were ranked the best by US News & World Report?

Three diets tied for first place:  the Flexitarian Diet, the Volumetrics Diet and Weight Watchers (WW).  I really like WW as it helps you learn healthier eating habits and helps with lifestyle changes like adding in more exercise to your day. 

WW ranked as a Number 1 diet for weight loss.

1.   Weight Watchers  (WW)= Tied for Number 1 Diet for Weight Loss in 2022 (It was also number 1 for weight loss in 2021).  Weight Watchers scored the highest for overall weight loss and fast weight loss, and experts said it’s a smart, effective diet.  They note you will lose about 2 pounds a week on this diet. The experts note that WW is focused on inspiring healthy living and improving overall well-being.  That includes taking a holistic approach to help members eat healthier and move more.

a.    Pros:  WW not only focuses on long-term weight loss; it also focuses on healthier living.  In 2021, WW introduced a new points system, calls PersonalPoints Program.  My relative likes the ZeroPoint Foods list that is actually customized for you.  Some ZeroPoint foods may include non-starchy vegetables, oatmeal, chicken, whole-grain noodles, eggs.  My relative likes all the ZeroPoint fruits and vegetables, including avocados, on her WW plan.  Another big pro is WW has all the food groups and you can still enjoy a dessert. 

• PersonalPoints:  In WW, you count points, not calories.  WW uses its famous PersonalPoints system in which all the food and beverages you eat have points.  You can track these points on the WW app on your phone.  The WW app provides meal planning tools, has the food tracker for your points, has an activity dashboard to encourage you to move more, and has some coaching to keep you motivated.  This diet doesn’t just focus on counting calories but on making healthier food choices. Unlike many diets, WW doesn’t just focus on cutting calories.  It also helps you choose healthier foods, foods with less saturated fat, less added sugar and more protein.
• NEW:  WW now lets you add points for things like drinking more water and exercising.
• No Food is off-limits – unlike many weight-loss programs, WW doesn’t ban any foods.  Their website says, “Everything is on the menu.”  And they offer ZeroPoint foods that you can eat without worrying about tracking or measuring.  The ZeroPoint foods include many fruits and vegetables and may include lean proteins, and whole grains.  And you can have dessert as long as you save some points for the dessert.
•  Support – you can get support from in-person meetings, from virtual workshops, by working with a personal coach or go it alone and rely on their digital tools.    
• Healthier eating – in addition to promoting fruits and vegetables by giving many zero points, WW teaches you healthier eating habits.  Learning to eat healthier can lead to lifelong weight loss and not those lose weight quickly and gain it back diets.
• Move More – WW emphasizes being active but at your own pace. You not only count points for food, you also count points for exercise.  But not just going to the gym, cleaning your house adds points, mowing the lawn, walking the dog.  Basically, get moving points. WW has their own fitness tracker to track your exercise points.  And you can sync your fitness device like a watch to their activity tracker. So many weight loss programs focus only on giving up foods and not on adding exercise to your day. 

b.   Cons – some people don’t like all the counting of points but may find the WW PersonalPoints program easier to follow.  A student in my class said their mother was happy counting the points but their dad said he just wanted to eat when out in a restaurant and didn’t want to figure out the points for every food on his plate.  But WW offers a mobile app that has the points for over 285,000 foods and a “Menu Master” to guide you on how to eat healthy when eating out. My relative finds the WW app easy to use and likes “adding points” by drinking more water and exercising.  She can hold her phone to a food label and WW counts the points per serving of that food item.  However, when making a food with multiple ingredients, one has to enter all the items so a little more time consuming.   

Some people also like the face-to-face meetings and weigh-ins while others like my relative prefer the digital approach. 

Does it work?  Yes, according to the relative that is on it. Her goal was to lose the 7 pounds she gained over the holidays.  After 3.5 weeks of WW, she has lost 4 pounds.  However, her friend quit WW as they found working the App too hard to do. 

2.  Flexitarian Diet   This diet is tied with WW as a number one as a Best Weight-Loss Diet.  An odd name for a diet but it is a blend of being flexible and vegetarian as the diet emphasizes eating vegetables, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant-based protein but allows some meat. Not a new diet even though you may have never heard of it.  It actually is from a book published in 2009 called, “The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life”, written by a Registered Dietitian, Dawn Jackson Blatner.  For those who like their meat, this diet is a compromise as it promotes healthy food but also allows some meat on the diet.  Exercise is encouraged on this diet but the plan doesn’t offer the support of exercise tracking like WW offers. It focuses on a 3,4,5 plan: about 300 calories for breakfast, about 400 calories for lunch and about 500 calories for dinner with two 150 calorie snacks.  This is about 1500 calories a day.  (I would be very hungry at this low-calorie level, although the diet can be “tweaked” for slightly more calories.)

a.  Pros – the experts say is it flexible but meat lovers probably wouldn’t agree with this.  The diet provides a lot of recipes but that is for those who like to cook and make all their food.  Will you lose weight?  Probably but mainly because eating a mostly vegetarian diet you will be taking in less calories. 

b. Cons - For people who like meat, this diet would be hard to follow.  You begin by having 2 meatless days and week and then advance to 3-4 meatless days a week.  To become an “expert” you go without meat for 5 days a week. Many Americans like their meat and this may be too big a sacrifice.  And meat provides a lot of nutrients like iron and high-quality protein.  Additionally, the diet emphasizes lots of home cooking so may not fit everyone’s lifestyle.  If you eat out and are on the go, then this could be a hard diet to follow.  The experts also noted it is not a diet for people who don’t like fruits and vegetables.  

3.  Volumetrics Diet = Also tied for Number 1 Diet for Weight Loss in 2022 – Yes, they have 3 diets tied for the number 1 spot.  Volumetrics earned high marks for being safe and nutritious, and experts said it could have positive effect on heart health and diabetes.  

a.    Pros – this diet is focused on foods loaded with nutrients, not loaded with calories.  Thus, more fruits and vegetables which are low in calories but full of nutrients.  A nutrition professor from Penn State University, Barbara Rolls, is behind this diet.  She divides foods into 4 groups – not the basic four, but new groups based on energy density (or calorie density).  “Free” fruits and nonstarchy vegetables are number one or category one.  Then comes category 2 emphasizing whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean proteins.  In category 3, you can enjoy small portions of desserts, cheese, higher-fat meats, bread.  Most junk food ends up in the 4^th category – the chips, candy, cookies and nuts.  It is interesting that nuts are put in the 4^th category as nuts are a healthy food choice.  Cost is a pro as there are no expensive foods to buy.  You do need to buy a book to give you guidance on what to eat and cook on this diet. US News and World Report recommends “The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet” book that provides information on the energy density food groups. 

b.   Cons -  You have to keep track of what food is in what category.  If you choose a higher calorie food, you might be able to eat only a portion of it to fit into your daily allotment.  Thus, if you eat a large bowl of soup, you can then only eat 1/6^th of a cheeseburger. (WebMD).  Exercise is not a major focus although the diet encourages walking.  You add 150 steps a day with your first goal of 1,000 steps a day and then increasing your daily steps to 10,000 a day.  WebMD notes that on this diet, “you won’t lose weight in a hurry.”  You can read a lot more about each diet at the Best Weight-Loss Diets website. My con – if one has to buy a book to learn how to follow a diet, it is too complicated for me. But the book has recipes for those who like to cook and need guidance on following this diet plan.

4.  The Vegan Diet  ranked 4^th place for 2022.  But US News and World Report noted it is restrictive and hard to follow.  You can read more about it on the US News & World Report website.  But since it is so restrictive, we will move on to the diets ranked fifth.

5.   Jenny Craig Diet = The Jenny Craig Diet ranked number 1 in 2021 but is now ranked in 5^th place.     Jenny Craig drew praise for being easy to follow, nutritionally complete and safe.

a.    Pros – this program offers meals that come to you with calories already counted for you.  These prepackaged meals not only restrict calories but restrict fat and have smaller portions.  They also provide recipes so you can make foods that fit into their diet program.  In addition to the prepackaged foods, you can enjoy fresh fruits and veggies and low-fat dairy foods.  As shown in their commercials their foods include pizza, cake, spaghetti, and steak.  Like WW (Weight Watchers), Jenny Craig promotes an active lifestyle and healthier eating patterns.  According to a review, the program does not require but encourages exercise.  Studies do show you will lose weight on this program, about 1-2 pounds a week, as long as you stay on the program.  For those with Type 2 diabetes, they offer a Classic Diabetes plan focused on losing weight and improving blood sugar control.  The diet is nutritious and one will get enough protein, fiber, potassium and calcium following this diet plan.  Which is not true for many diet plans. 

b.    Cons – cost – you will pay for the pre-packaged food. ConsumerAffairs indicated the full-day plan costs about $25 a day not including shipping or about $170 per week.  You do get 3 meals a day and 2 snacks to eat.  So, this diet plan is not a cheap way to lose weight.  You can eat out occasionally, but the program is based on Jenny Craig foods delivered to you or for you to make.  A male student in my class chose this diet to lose weight for a future mountain climbing trip.  He lost weight, but said he was quite hungry at times and this made the diet hard to stick to.   

There are more weight loss diets in the Best Weight Loss Diets rankings including the Mayo Clinic Diet and the Ornish Diet.  The best diet is the one that works for you.  One you can follow and stay on.  One that not only results in weight loss but lifestyle changes that help you keep off any weight you do lose.  WW (Weight Watchers) teaches you how to eat healthy and encourages more exercise.  No wonder it is a number one diet year after year.  WebMD has good advice to follow: to prevent disease and stay active for life, you do need to exercise.  So be sure to add this into your new lifestyle!  Next week we will look at some of the worst diets for your health.  Those fad diets you should say “NO” to.   

Sources:  notes  , Best Weight-Loss Diets , Weight Watchers , experts , PersonalPoints , ZeroPoint Foods , PersonalPoints , WW app , website , ZeroPoint , Flexitarian Diet  , book , begin , Volumetrics Diet , The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet , WebMD , you won’t lose weight in a hurry , Best Weight-Loss Diets , Vegan Diet  , Jenny Craig Diet , foods , review , Classic , nutritious , costs , Mayo Clinic Diet , Ornish Diet   Image Sources:  weight loss , WW, Zero point

 

Best Diets for Health 2022

Best diets for health in 2022.

So many people talk about “eating healthier” and then go on a fad diet thinking it is good for their health.  What are some diets that are good for your health?   What does “eating healthy” mean?  In the last two blogs we discussed simple changes you can make to start eating healthier.  There are diets to follow, not for weight loss but for a healthier you.  In the class I teach, students are always recommending we should “eat healthy”.  But when I ask them what this means they often struggle to come up with specifics.  Instead of making a resolution to go on a “diet” this year, why not go on a “diet” to eat healthier?  Are there healthy diets to follow?  A diet not for weight loss or weight gain, but just a healthy eating pattern? Not a “diet” you go on for a week or two but a lifelong way to eating healthier every day.    

I was watching TV recently and saw the commercial for taking pills to get your fruit and veggies each day.  Rather than take pills, eat your fruit and veggies as a way to eat healthier in 2022.  How do you know what a healthy diet is?  A popular quote from Hulk Hogan is “Train.  Say your prayers.  Eat your vitamins.”  By “eat your vitamins” he means rely on food for your nutrients, not pills.   

Best Diets for Healthy Eating 2022:  Each year, for the past 12 years, the US News & World Report has evaluated the “Best Diets”.   For 2022, U.S News reviewed and ranked 40 different diets using a panel of health experts. They ranked diets for healthy eating based on: 

• How easy is the diet to follow?
• Is the diet nutritionally complete? Contains all food groups, not short of important nutrients, does it provide enough calories?
• Is the diet safe?

Overall, the Best Diets for Health promote healthy eating habits, are safe, easy to follow, provide good nutrition, and are best for overall health and fitness.  What do they look for?  The health experts rank diets on a number of parameters including how nutritious the diet is, how safe it is and whether the diet protects against diseases like diabetes and heart disease.  Just like 2021, the top spots for 2022 went to Number One:  The Mediterranean Diet, Number Two:  The DASH diet that tied with the Flexitarian Diet.     

Diets that ranked as the “Best Diets” for 2022

1. Mediterranean Diet – This diet gets a 4.2 ranking out of 5 points for being a Best Diet Overall, and 4.8 out of 5 points for “Healthiness Score”.  In the nutrition class I teach, we often talk about the Mediterranean Diet and why it is so good for one’s health.  This diet is based on the foods people eat in Greece and other countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Not only this diet rich in fruits and veggies, in Greece, they lead an active lifestyle.  Many nutritionists and health experts recommend this pattern of healthy eating.  Rather than giving up a food group, this diet recommends foods from each food group – but healthy foods from each group.  

a.       Why is this diet good for your health?  The Mediterranean diet is good for your overall health and can be used for weight loss, for good heart health by lowering cholesterol, for brain health, to prevent cancer and to prevent and help control type 2 diabetes.   Basically, a good diet pattern for a healthier you in 2022.  To get started, try the 30-Day Mediterranean Diet Challenge at Eating Well.  Rather than go on a poorly ranked diet like the Whole30 for 30 days, choose to try the Mediterranean Diet for 30 days. 

b.      Foods to enjoy:  fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, and fish.  

                                                               i.      Choose low-fat dairy – 2%, 1% or non-fat milk.  Choose low-fat yogurt.  Buy cheese that is made with low fat or skim milk like mozzarella cheese.  Real dairy is so important to your health.  Focus on eating real dairy foods at every meal. You don’t want to cut back on dairy foods on the Mediterranean Diet as you need the calcium and vitamin D real dairy foods provide.

                                                             ii.      Whole grains – as noted in a previous blog (Add some whole grains to your day), so many Americans have few or no whole grains in their day.  Find a way to add whole grains to your daily food intake and to your kid’s diet.  Starting the day with oatmeal or Cheerios is a good way to add whole grains to your day.

                                                           iii.      Fruit and Vegetables – 5 A Day is a start.  More than 5 A Day is even healthier. As noted in last week’s blog, bring a vegetable or piece of fruit with you for lunch every day.  Simple changes can be oh so good for your health.

                                                           iv.      Nuts – add a handful of nuts a day

                                                             v.      Olive oil – buy some Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and use it in cooking.  (See Which cooking oils are healthy?  Which oils are not so healthy?)   Olive oil is a heart healthy oil.

c.       Foods to cut back on: red meat, foods with added sugar and foods high in saturated fat.  But you don’t want to cut back too much on red meat as red meat is a great source of iron.  

How to eat the Mediterranean Diet way.

      2.  DASH Diet – this diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, thus the acronym, DASH. Although it was designed to help lower blood pressure, the diet is good for your health.  U.S. News & World Report notes the diet is praised for its nutritional completeness, safety, ability to control diabetes, and prevent high blood pressure (hypertension).  The focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and real low-fat dairy, loads the diet up with potassium, calcium, protein and fiber.  These nutrients help lower blood pressure and U.S News terms them “blood pressure-deflating nutrients”.  The DASH diet also lower risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart events.

a.       Nutrients – the diet emphasizes nutrients that help lower one’s blood pressure like potassium and calcium.  It encourages more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein and dairy – but low-fat dairy products.  Be sure to choose real dairy, not fake dairy.  Real dairy means cow’s milk, yogurt made with cow’s milk and cheese.

b.       Foods to limit are those higher in saturated fats like fatty meats, full-fat dairy foods, coconut oil, and foods high in salt.  Choose lean cuts of meat to lower saturated fat.  Also, cutting back on added sugar by cutting back on sodas, sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets high in added sugar.

c.       Cut back on salt in foods by using herbs and spices to flavor your food. 

d.       Fruit and Veggies – be sure to have at least one serving of fruit or a vegetable at every meal. And don’t count the fast-food French Fries as your veggie serving.

e.       Exercise – Aim for at least 30 minutes a day.  This could be a 15- minute walk after lunch and a 15- minute walk after dinner. 

f.        To get more guidance on the DASH diet from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, get a 20 page guide, DASH Eating Plan or a 6 page guide at Lowering Blood Pressure with DASH.  Try some DASH-diet recipes from the Mayo Clinic. 

U.S. News recommends some easy steps to take to start eating the DASH way.  Try one or more of these small steps:

•  Add a fruit or vegetable to every meal.  If you already have a vegetable at dinner, add a fruit.
•  Aim for 2 meat-free meals a week.  Enjoy some seafood in place of meat.
•  Instead of chips, enjoy a handful of nuts like peanuts, cashews, pecans.
•  Add some whole grains to your day, like whole wheat bread, a bowl of whole grain cereal.
•  Start taking a 15-minute walk after lunch or after dinner each day.

Although the DASH diet was designed for lowering high blood pressure, it is a good overall pattern of healthy eating.

       3.  Flexitarian Diet– Actually tied for 2^nd place in the Flexitarian Diet.  This sounds like it would be a “quack” diet, but it is actually a diet that emphasizes many healthy foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant-based protein.  It is a diet that combines vegetarian eating and flexibility.  This diet has been around since 2009 and was popularized by Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D. in her book, “The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life”.  The diet is mostly a vegetarian diet, the flexibility comes in because you can still enjoy a burger, a steak and other meat – but on occasion.  If you are interested in getting started on this diet, try the Beginner’s Guide. 

a.       You ADD these foods to your diet:

• Plant-based protein and eggs = tofu, beans, lentils, peas, nuts, eggs and seeds.
• Fruit – all kinds, focus on fresh fruit
• Vegetables - focus on fresh or frozen
• Whole grains – including brown rice, Quinoa, oats, buckwheat, barley
• Herbs and spices – spices are super healthy so a good addition to any diet,
• Oil – olive oil
• Protein – emphasis on fish and poultry
• Dairy – real dairy milk

b.       Foods to cut back on:  red meat, fried and fast food, butter, stick margarine (choose tub margarine) and foods with added sugar like sweets and soft drinks.

So rather than going on some crazy diet plan in an effort to eat healthier in 2022, choose one of the above diets to begin modeling your own eating after.  Healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up all the foods you like to eat, but adding foods that promote good health like more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and more low-fat real dairy to your day.  Rather than focusing on foods to cut from your diet to eat healthier, focus on what healthy foods you can add to your day.  I once had a student that followed my recommendation to eat at least 5 fruits and veggies a day.  After a few weeks, he said he lost 15 pounds.  When I asked what he did, he said he was so full from eating the 5 fruits and veggies a day that he didn’t have room for all the unhealthy snacks he used to eat.  This past semester a student started following the Mediterranean Diet pattern of eating.  She said she had more energy and just “felt better”. 

Sources:  quote , Best Diets for Healthy Eating 2022 , US News & World Report , Best Diets , Mediterranean Diet , heart health , Eating Well , mozzarella cheese , dairy foods , Add some whole grains to your day , Which cooking oils are healthy?  Which oils are not so healthy? , DASH Diet , DASH Eating Plan , Lowering Blood Pressure with DASH , DASH-diet recipes , Flexitarian Diet ,  Beginner’s Guide , Image Sources:  Best Diets   , Mediterranean Diet , DASH Diet