Have you been enjoying a few too many snacks during social isolation? Maybe you made your usual new year’s resolution to get healthier but failed to implement a plan. Great news! It’s never too late to start caring for your health. These five diets are considered the best of the best for 2020 and offer lots of variety based on your personal nutritional needs. Which one seems right for you?
1. The Volumetrics Diet
The Volumetrics Diet focuses on finding new and more interesting ways to get fruits, vegetables, and water into your daily routine. You’ll fill up on low-calorie foods, low-energy density foods. You don’t need to skip your favorites, though. Since there are no forbidden foods, you can have calorie-dense chocolate or your favorite pizza. Just remember to eat them as a treat once in a while and to keep within the daily caloric recommendations. Experts recommend using this diet in combination with a food and exercise journal to sustain long-term weight loss.
2. The DASH Diet
If your doctor has ever mentioned taking a “Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension,” he was talking about the DASH Diet. Research conducted by U.S. News suggests this diet as a favorite among health professionals because it focuses on low-sodium, heart-healthy options that are beneficial for dieters with a history of high blood pressure. DASH dieters eat plenty of lean meats ad healthy produce, as well as other foods that skip the salt in favor of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. A study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute showed that participants who followed the DASH Diet how lower blood pressure and lower bad cholesterol than those who ate their usual foods.
3. The Lectin-Free Diet
Despite the push to eat lots of fresh produce when dieting, not all vegetables are created equally. Some of them, including peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants, are high in a plant-based protein known as lectin. Lectin, which is also common in beans, seeds, and nuts, can disrupt cell communication in some people. This leads to inflammation that causes digestive problems such as bloating and diarrhea. According to the creator of the Lectin-Free Diet, Steven Gundry, MD, you can still eat plenty of healthy, flavorful foods while avoiding Lectin. Some lectin free recipes rely on avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil as replacements, and you can find recipes for everything from mushroom soup to your favorite dark chocolate cakes!
4. The Flexitarian Diet
If you’ve always wanted to go vegetarian or vegan but have trouble sticking to the strict rules of the diet, a flexitarian approach may be beneficial. The Plant-Based Flexitarian Diet targets certain meals as dairy- and meat-free with a goal of keeping your diet at least 50% plant-based. Some people choose to have dairy in the morning but eat plant-based the rest of the day. Others eat plant-based most of the week but allow dairy or meat on weekends, which makes it easier to enjoy get-togethers that may not be vegetarian-friendly. Just remember, even vegan food can be unhealthy when consumed too often. Impossible Burgers might be delicious and meat-free, but they’re also not going to slim your waistline if you eat them too often.
5. The Mediterranean Diet
Okay, so you may have heard of the Mediterranean Diet, but considering that U.S. News has touted it the best overall diet for three years in a row, there’s probably something to the formula. People who follow this diet have goals of limiting their intake of red meats, saturated fats, and sugar, and focus instead on whole grains, high-quality produce, beans, and nuts. The diet doesn’t use food-restrictive methods, which means you are free to enjoy your favorite dessert from time to time or have a glass of red wine with your dinner. The plan is easy to follow and research shows that long-time followers of the diet are healthier in their golden years.
Remember. dieting can have serious effects, positive and negative alike, on both physical and mental health. Never begin a new diet regimen without first taking to your doctor about the pros and cons. He or she can help you choose the right nutrition plan to meet your needs and help you get healthier.
