The Mediterranean Diet Voted “Best Diet” for Seventh Consecutive Year
For the seventh year in a row, the Mediterranean diet has been named the “best diet” by the American magazine US News & World Report. The 2024 ranking, which is known for its annual ranking of the best universities and hospital facilities, was based on evaluations from a commission of 43 nutritionists specializing in diabetes, heart health, and weight loss.
Criteria for the ranking included nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability, and evidence-based effectiveness. The Mediterranean diet was praised for its nutritional completeness, health benefits, and long-term sustainability.
In addition to being named the best overall diet, the Mediterranean diet also won first place in several other categories, including the simplest diet to follow, best diet for the family, best diet for healthy eating, and best diet for diabetes, healthy eating for bones and joints, and for the heart.
Experts attributed the diet’s continued success to the scientific evidence that has accumulated over the years regarding its benefits. Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, loss of memory, depression, and breast cancer, while also promoting stronger bones, healthier hearts, and longevity.
The Mediterranean diet, centered on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and seeds, with extra virgin olive oil used as a condiment, is not just a dietary regimen, but a lifestyle, according to experts. It includes social interactions during meals and physical exercise, making it a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Following the Mediterranean diet in the ranking were the DASH diet, indicated against hypertension, and the MIND diet, designed to protect against dementia.
For the first time, the commission evaluated the vegan diet, which ranked third in the “best plant-based diets” category. However, other popular diets like the keto diet, Dukan diet, Herbalife Nutrition, and raw food diet did not fare as well in the ranking. The keto diet took first place in the “best quick weight loss” category, but experts cautioned that it is too restrictive to be followed for long and may not be suitable for certain populations.
The Dukan diet and Herbalife Nutrition ranked near the bottom of the list, while the raw food diet, which promotes consuming uncooked, unprocessed foods, was rated as excessively nutritionally restrictive and potentially unsafe for some individuals.
Overall, the Mediterranean diet continues to reign supreme as the best diet for overall health, sustainability, and long-term success.