Isn't there the best diet? Or maybe yes. Every year a panel of accredited experts (doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, experts in metabolic diseases, obesity and heart disease) compiles a ranking of the best diets of the past year for US News. The ranking is drawn up on the basis of the score from 1 to 5 that each expert attributes to the different types of diet for each of the following characteristics:
- How easy it is to follow.
- Effectiveness in short-term weight loss*.
- Effectiveness in long-term weight loss*.
- Nutritional completeness.
- Health safety*.
- Its potential to prevent and manage diabetes.
- Its potential to prevent and manage heart disease.
Each of us is different and each of us follows a diet for different reasons but obviously each diet also has pros and cons and before choosing which one to follow (always relying on a doctor/nutritionist) it is good to know what it consists of and why it could be the suitable diet for us.
In any case, here is the ranking of the 10 best diets of 2022 which, as mentioned, is drawn up on the basis of the sum of the points that each diet has obtained for all the characteristics mentioned above*:
1) Mediterranean diet
[Scores = overall: 4.2/5 - weight loss 3/5 - health 4.8/5]
1) DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to stop Hypertension)
[ Scores = general : 4/5 - weight loss 3.1/5 - health 4.7/5]
3) Flexitarian diet (semi vegetarian diet)
[Scores = overall: 4/5 - weight loss 3.5/5 - health 4.7/5]
4) MIND diet (to keep the brain young)
[Scores = overall: 3.8/5 - weight loss 2.7/5 - health 4.6/5]
5) Mayo Clinic Diet (ed. the Mayo Clinic is a very famous clinic in the USA)
[Scores = overall: 3.7/5 - weight loss 3.2/5 - health 4.3/5]
6) TLC Diet (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes)
[ Scores = general : 3.7/5 - weight loss 2.9/5 - health 4.4/5]
7) Volumetric diet (bulky but low-calorie foods)
[Scores = overall: 3.7/5 - weight loss 3.5/5 - health 4.4/5]
[Scores = overall: 3.7/5 - weight loss 3.5/5 - health 4.4/5]
9) Ornish Diet (Very Low Fat)
[Scores = overall: 3.5/5 - weight loss 3.2/5 - health 4.1/5]
10) Jenny Craig's diet (personalized diet created by the homonymous nutritionist which provides for the delivery of meals at home)
[Scores = overall: 3.4/5 - weight loss 3.2/5 - health 3.8/5]
Out of curiosity, I went to see where in this general ranking are the best-known and most popular diets in Italy at the moment:
20) Zone Diet
[Scores = overall: 3/5 - weight loss 2.7/5 - health 3.5/5]
30) Paleo diet
[ Scores = general : 2.4/5 - weight loss 2.6/5 - health 2.7/5]
32) Raw food diet
[ Scores = general : 2.3/5 - weight loss 3.2/5 - health 2.2/5]
33) SIRT Diet
[Scores = overall: 2.3/5 - weight loss 2.6/5 - health 2.5/5]
37) Ketogenic Diet
[Scores = overall: 2/5 - weight loss 2.9/5 - health 1.9/5]
39) Dukan diet
[Scores = overall: 1.9/5 - weight loss 2.4/5 - health 2/5]
*To draw up this ranking, the two items relating to short-term and long-term weight loss have been combined giving more weight to long-term weight loss, the best diets are those which allow you not to regain the weight lost once the diet is finished but which can in a lifestyle and allow you to maintain a healthy weight in the long term.
The safety / health item counted double, you should never follow a diet that can lead to health problems and too drastic or extreme diets can often have side effects of no small importance.
