DIET
Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing\r\n lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.
DIET
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However,\r\n the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.
Governments have a central role in creating a healthy food environment that enables people to adopt and maintain healthy dietary practices. Effective actions by policy-makers to create a healthy food environment include the following:
In November 2014, WHO organized, jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2). ICN2 adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (17), and the Framework\r\n for Action (18) which recommends a set of policy options and strategies to promote diversified, safe and healthy diets at all stages of life. WHO is helping countries to implement the commitments made at ICN2.
Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changinglifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However,the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.
In November 2014, WHO organized, jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2). ICN2 adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (17), and the Frameworkfor Action (18) which recommends a set of policy options and strategies to promote diversified, safe and healthy diets at all stages of life. WHO is helping countries to implement the commitments made at ICN2.
Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition
WHO Recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children
Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs
Guideline: sodium intake for adults and children
Guideline: potassium intake for adults and children
Preparation and use of food-based dietary guidelines
The classic vegetarian diet snags a spot on our ranking, earning high marks for its safety and ability to boost heart health, as well as for being a particularly healthy option for people with diabetes. Additionally, research has found that a lifelong adherence to to a vegetarian diet was associated with a 35% lower risk of developing diabetes, and those who adopted a vegetarian diet after being non-vegetarian had a 53% lower risk of developing the condition compared to non-vegetarians[3]Olfert MD, Wattick RA. Vegetarian Diets and the Risk of Diabetes. Curr Diab Rep. 2018;18(11):101. .
The DASH diet recommends meals rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy and limited in saturated fat. On the DASH diet, you use a chart to estimate your daily calorie needs, which are then used to figure out how many servings from each food group you should have.
Considered a subtype of the vegetarian diet, the vegan diet scored particularly well for supporting heart health and the health of people with diabetes. A 2020 study found that vegans had lower total cholesterol and LDL-C levels compared to omnivores, as well as a decreased risk of non-insulin dependent diabetes and a lower BMI[4]Radnitz C, Ni J, Dennis D, Cerrito B. Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet: Current Insights. Nutrition and Dietary Supplements. 2020;12:57-85. .
This diet earns the spot for best diet for holistic health, as it places an emphasis not only on the foods you consume, but exercise and stress management, too. Developed by Dean Ornish, M.D., this diet is based on research that found comprehensive lifestyle changes may be able to regress coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions[5]Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? The Lifestyle Heart Trial. Lancet. 1990;336(8708):129-133. .
For our best diets ranking, we surveyed seven nutrition experts, including board-certified physicians, registered dietitian nutritionists and a certified food scientist, who provided scores on 26 diets for the following metrics:
You might consider dieting if you want to lose weight, find yourself making unhealthy eating choices, want to address a certain health problem (such as high blood pressure or digestive distress) or want to increase your nutrient intake to combat health woes like sluggishness or brain fog.
Others who may be more inclined to follow a diet are athletes, who may want to keep their bodies in the best shape possible for optimal athletic performance, along with people who simply want to look and feel their best.
Following a healthy diet can be a crucial element in leading a healthy lifestyle, with one of the main benefits being lowering your risk of chronic disease, such as diabetes or cancer. Consuming a balanced mix of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean meats and fish can help lower that risk. Some of the unhealthy dietary practices to watch out for include a high intake of salt, sugars and saturated fats.
A healthy diet is also an important factor in maintaining a healthy weight. From 2017 to March of 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the prevalence of obesity in U.S. adults was 41.9%, making it a common condition[12]Adult Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 11/16/2022. .
The best diet plan for long-term weight loss involves y switching out unhealthy eating habits for healthy ones. It should focus on more natural, unprocessed meal choices and include a balance of fruit and vegetables, protein and healthy fats, while being low in sugar and salt.
A balanced diet includes a large focus on fruits and vegetables, followed by whole and intact grains, healthy proteins such as fish or poultry and healthy plant oils, like olive or soy oil, in moderation. Staying physically active and focusing on drinks like water, coffee or tea, rather than sugary drinks or an excess of dairy, also contribute to a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle.
The DASH diet includes foods that are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. These nutrients help control blood pressure. The diet limits foods that are high in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
Studies have shown that the DASH diet can lower blood pressure in as little as two weeks. The diet can also lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol levels in the blood. High blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol levels are two major risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
The standard DASH diet limits sodium to 2,300 mg a day. It meets the recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to keep daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day. That's roughly the amount of sodium in 1 teaspoon of table salt.
A lower sodium version of DASH restricts sodium to 1,500 mg a day. You can choose the version of the diet that meets your health needs. If you aren't sure what sodium level is right for you, talk to your doctor.
The DASH diet is rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. It limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
Created in 2003 by the cardiologist Arthur Agatston, this low-carb diet features three phases. The first phase is the most restrictive, limiting carbs such as potatoes and rice. Each subsequent phase becomes more lenient, and the diet emphasizes lean protein, unsaturated fats, and low-glycemic carbs such as nonstarchy vegetables. South Beach promotes lasting lifestyle changes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
If you want to kick intermittent fasting up a notch, you may consider the Dubrow diet, popularized by the husband-and-wife duo Terry and Heather Dubrow. On this diet, you'll fast for 16 hours and eat for eight, also called the 16:8 eating plan, a type of intermittent fasting. Over three phases, you will also limit calories, fat, and carbohydrates, which may aid weight loss, say registered dietitians.
The raw vegan diet is a more extreme version of the traditional vegan diet. In addition to eating no animal products (that means no cheese or dairy too), raw vegans do not eat any foods cooked above 118 degrees F, the idea being that nutrients may be lost during the normal cooking process, per a past article. While this diet can be difficult to stick with because it's so restrictive, it does offer the same health benefits of a vegan diet.
You can think of think of the flexitarian diet as a plan for part-time vegetarians. With this approach, plant proteins, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits and veggies will be staples, with the occasional meat dish thrown in. 041b061a72