The healthiest diet for 2023 – discover the experts’ picks

What diet should you follow in 2023?

After analyzing all the criteria, the experts at U.S. News & World Report declared the Mediterranean diet to be the healthiest. The runners-up were the DASH diet and the flexitarian diet, which both took the second spot. The fourth place was taken by the MIND diet (focused on nutrition that improves brain performance and cognitive function), and the fifth by the TLC diet developed by the National Institutes of Health to lower cholesterol levels through a healthy eating plan.

Best diet #1: Mediterranean diet: the healthiest diet for 2023

Over the years, the Mediterranean diet has cemented its position as the healthiest diet in the world. The experts have named it as their number-one diet for the sixth time in a row. The diet was inspired by observations that people living in the Mediterranean region had a longer healthy lifespan and were less likely to develop chronic diseases. The concept of Mediterranean diet was developed to reflect the food patterns typical of the Greek island of Crete in the 1970s.

Main characteristics: The Mediterranean diet is based on vegetables and fruit that are often accompanied by olive oil. Other foods on the menu include wholegrain cereals, lean meat, nuts, herbs, dairy products, and a variety of fish. One-pot meals made from legumes, stewed vegetables and olive oil are a popular staple often eaten with freshly baked bread. In this dietary model, even up to 40% of total calories may come from fat, mostly in the form of healthy unsaturated fats.

Advantages:

• it can be followed on a long-term basis;
• it allows all foods in regulated quantities;
• it is based on non-processed foods;
• it has undeniable health benefits verified by many years of observation;
• it does not involve counting calories;
• it is varied and easily adaptable to individual preferences;
• it can be more calorie-rich or more calorie-restricted, so it works well both for those who are not very active and athletes.

Disadvantages:

• there are no strict guidelines and specific menus to ensure dietary success.

Best diet #2: DASH diet: a healthy diet for 2023

The DASH diet is a variation of the Mediterranean diet with an additional focus on reducing the intake of sodium (of which salt is the main dietary source) and increasing the intake of potassium, which is found in many vegetables and fruits. The diet has a proven beneficial effect on blood pressure by effectively and significantly reducing systolic and diastolic pressure (by an average of 6 mmHg and 3 mmHg, respectively). The DASH eating plan was developed by health professionals at the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in 1997 as a variant of the Mediterranean diet that is even better at supporting heart health and has a significant effect on lowering blood pressure. In their in-depth study, scientists at the National Institutes of Health found that a limited intake of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat promoted a lower blood pressure. This is how the DASH diet was born. DASH is an acronym that stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which reflects the focus of the diet on counteracting hypertension.

Main characteristics: The standard DASH diet limits sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day (a lower sodium version of DASH restricts sodium to 1,500 mg a day). It is not a vegetarian diet, but it can be made vegetarian, as it is primarily based on plant-derived foods. Instead of salt, generous use of herbs and spices is encouraged.

Advantages:

• it is the most effective diet for lowering blood pressure without pharmacotherapy;
• it is flexible in terms of recommended and non-recommended foods;
• it does not require counting calories or other macronutrients;
• it contains diverse foods and flavors.

Disadvantages:

• it calls for a reduction in sodium intake, which means giving up salt and many ready-to-eat and semi-finished products;
• it requires dieters to prepare meals themselves at home from unprocessed ingredients;
• it may provide too little sodium for people practicing endurance sports involving prolonged physical exertion (such as long-distance running, cycling).

Best diet #2: Flexitarian diet: a healthy diet for 2023

The flexitarian diet can be described as a flexible vegetarian diet that encourages reduced consumption of meat and animal products in favor of an increased intake of plant foods. The approach has a positive impact both on people’s health and our planet: any reduction in meat intake carries environmental benefits.

Main characteristics: The flexitarian diet was created for those who want to get the benefits of a plant-rich diet, but still enjoy meat from time to time. The diet’s flexibility means that you can create the rules yourself. For example, most flexitarians choose not to eat meat every day and limit their meat consumption to special occasions only, for example when traveling or during family get-togethers. Flexitarianism does not require any specific proportions of macronutrients and has no clear-cut rules on which foods should be restricted.

Advantages:

• it is very easy to follow, and no foods are banned;
• it can be adjusted to individual needs and preferences;
• it brings health benefits (may have anti-cancer properties);
• it is varied and diverse;
• even though meat consumption is limited, the diet can easily be adapted to the requirements of a more protein-rich diet, for example for athletes;
• it positively impacts the environment.

Disadvantages:

• there is a risk of nutritional deficiencies if the meals are not properly balanced.

The next place in the ranking, right after the top three, was taken by the MIND diet. It is a nutritional plan based on the principles of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, designed with a focus on supporting the brain and the nervous system. The MIND diet promotes a range of healthy foods including leafy greens, nuts, berries, and fish. The diet is aimed at reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

In addition to the overall ranking of the healthiest dietary models, 26 diets were evaluated in a range of subcategories.

Best diet for weight loss in 2023

If you have even a passing interest in weight loss strategies, you know that the only effective way to lose weight is to create an energy deficit by consistently eating fewer calories than your body burns. However, there are many paths towards this goal. Most clinical dietitians simply recommend a well-balanced diet tailored to the individual lifestyle and eating preferences. Some are advocates of the ketogenic (or ‘keto’) diet, claiming that an energy deficit is far easier to maintain with this dietary model.

Not convinced by any of these options? Here is the ranking of the healthiest diets for weight loss in 2023 selected by the U.S. News & World Report experts:

• The Weight Watchers (WW) diet is a commercial program for weight loss originally conceived by Jean Nidetch in 1963. It is particularly popular in the United States. The diet is based on a system of SmartPoints. Each food type and meal is assigned a point value, based on which a daily menu can be composed. Dieters may join the program by purchasing a subscription on a dedicated platform.
• DASH diet – an eating plan with proven health benefits for people with hypertension and those who want to lose weight. Just giving up processed foods and increasing the intake of fiber help promote post-meal satiety and reduce the urge to snack. However, simply applying the rules of the diet is not enough to lose weight: a well-thought-out calorie deficit is necessary.
• Mayo Clinic Diet – a weight loss program developed by the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education. The purpose of the diet is to help dieters break bad habits and set new healthy habits over a period of 12 weeks. The program uses a food pyramid that has vegetables and fruits as its base, while the consumption of carbohydrates, meat and dairy is more limited. The main goal of the Mayo Clinic Diet is to achieve weight loss by getting rid of five bad eating habits:

• choosing foods and drinks with added sugar;
• eating snacks other than fruit and vegetables;
• having overlarge servings of meat or dairy products;
• eating takeaway meals that break the rules of healthy eating;
• watching television while eating.

Best diet for a healthy heart in 2023

The top three diets recognized as the best options for supporting cardiovascular health are the same diets that topped the list of the Best Diets Overall for 2023. Only their order is changed:

1. DASH diet
2. Mediterranean diet
3. Flexitarian diet

Best diet for diabetics in 2023

If you suffer from insulin resistance, diabetes, pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes, and you need to pay attention to the effects of food on your blood glucose levels, you may be interested in the top three diabetic-friendly diets. The top three in this subcategory is also occupied by the winners of the main category:

1. DASH diet
2. Mediterranean diet
3. Flexitarian diet

Remember that all the diets listed here are just examples of healthy eating plans. You may compile your perfect diet by drawing inspiration from various eating patterns. Get plenty of vegetables and fruit from the Mediterranean diet, reduce your meat intake as flexitarians do, and replace regular salt with potassium-rich substitutes, as advised by the DASH diet. Get inspired by the top diets for 2023, but work out your own dietary plan that will give you the greatest benefits and, at the same time, be the easiest to follow long-term. This is the only approach to guarantee success and long-term health.

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_References:

_{1. www.health.usnews.com; Best Diets for Healthy Eating 2023; accessed on: 04.01.2023.}

_{2. Filippou CD, Tsioufis CP, Thomopoulos CG, Mihas CC, Dimitriadis KS, Sotiropoulou LI, Chrysochoou CA, Nihoyannopoulos PI, Tousoulis DM. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet and Blood Pressure Reduction in Adults with and without Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Adv Nutr. 2020 Sep 1;11(5):1150-1160. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa041. PMID: 32330233; PMCID: PMC7490167.}