Best Overall Diets 2023 Report

It comes as no surprise that the Mediterranean Diet once again did very well in this report, in fact, it is ranked first in Best Diets Overall, scoring 4.6 out of 5 for an overall score, 4.2 for overall weight loss, and 4.6 for its healthiness score. This diet is based on years of research suggesting that primarily eating plant-based foods while incorporating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seafood, lean poultry, herbs, spices, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and unsaturated fat for extra virgin olive oil is incredibly good for you. This filling, family-friendly, budget-smart, low-fat simple but effective planet-friendly approach focuses on quality rather than a single nutrient group, and there’s a literal mountain of evidence to support this. This diet also ranked 1st in Best Plant-Based Diets, 21st in Best Fast Weight Loss Diets, 1st in Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, 1st in Best Family Friendly Diets, 5th in Best Weight Loss Diets, 2nd in Best Heart-Healthy Diets, 2nd in Best Diabetes Diets, 1st in Best Diets for Healthy Eating and 3rd in Easiest Diets to Follow. 

The DASH diet claims the ranking of #2 in Best Diets Overall getting 4.4 out of 5 for an overall score, 4.4 for overall weight loss, and 4.5 for a healthiness score. This diet was developed as an approach to stopping hypertension which is also a flexible, balanced, and heart-healthy plan. This meal plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy while limiting foods that are high in saturated fats and caps sodium off at 2,300 milligrams per day. This filling, clearly defined, planet-friendly, family-friendly, budget-smart, low-fat diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet but gives more strict recommendations on actual amounts and limits for types of foods consumed. The DASH Diet also ranked 15th in Best Fast Weight Loss Diets, 1st in Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, 4th in Best Family Friendly Diet, 2nd in Best Weight Loss Diets, 1st in Best heart Healthy Diets, 1st in Best Diabetes Diets, 2nd in Best Diets For Healthy Eating and 3rd in Easiest Diets to Follow. 

The Flexitarian Diet was ranked 2nd in Best Diets Overall getting 4.4 out of 5 for an overall score, 4.2 for overall weight loss, and 4.3 for a healthiness score. Also known as a semi-vegetarian diet, this plan shows that you don’t have to completely eliminate meat to get the health benefits that are associated with being a vegetarian. While the focus is still on eating more herbs, spices, and plant-based foods you can be more flexible about eating meat, preferably moderately while avoiding saturated fats and processed foods. This low-fat, planet-friendly, family-friendly, budget-smart diet is more about adding food groups to your diet rather than eliminating them completely. This diverse and filling diet also ranked 2nd in Best Plant-Based Diets, 15th in Best Fast Weight Loss Diets, 3rd in Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, 1st in Best Family Friendly Diets, 5th in Best Weight Loss Diets, 3rd in Best Heart-Healthy Diet, 3rd in Best Diabetes Diets, 3rd in Best Diets for Healthy Eating and 1st in Easiest Diets to Follow. 

The MIND Diet ranked 4th in Best Diets Overall, getting 4.3 out of 5 as an overall score, 3.5 in overall weight loss, and 4.0 as a healthiness score. This diet combines the DASH and Mediterranean diets but focuses on food that can specifically help to improve brain health to potentially lower the risk of mental decline. This low-carb, planet-friendly, family-friendly, and budget-smart diet encourages eating less bad fats, processed foods, and sugars that can increase inflammation, oxidative stress, and amyloid beta deposits. This diverse, filling and clearly defined diet also ranked 3rd in Best Plant-Based Diets, 23rd in Best Fast Weight Loss Diets, 4th in Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, 4th in Best Family Friendly Diets, 11th in Best Weight Loss Diets, 5th in Best Heart-Healthy Diets, 5th in Best Diabetes Diets, 5th in Best Diets for Healthy Eating, and 7th in Easiest Diets to Follow. 

The TLC Diet ranked 5th in Best Diets Overall, getting 4.1 out of 5 for an overall score, 4.3 for overall weight loss, and 4.1 for a healthiness score. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet was designed with the goal of cutting cholesterol as part of a heart-healthy regimen calling for plenty of fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, pasta, and lean meats while limiting processed foods and saturated fats as a strategy for reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease. This filling, diverse, family-friendly, budget-smart, planet-friendly low-fat diet also ranked 22nd in Best Fast Weight Loss Diets, 7th in Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, 1st in Best Family Friendly Diets, 3rd in Best Weight Loss Diets, 5th in Best Heart-Healthy Diets, 6th in Best Diabetes Diets, 4th in Best Diets for Healthy Eating, and 1st in Easiest Diets to Follow. 

The Mayo Clinic Diet was ranked 6th in Best Overall Diet, tied with the Volumetrics Diet. The Weight Watchers Diet was ranked 8th, Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet was 9th, the Ornish Diet was ranked 10th, and Noom ranked 11th tied with the Pritikin Diet. The Zone Diet came in at 13th, the Nutritarian Diet placed 14th, and the Jenny Craig Diet was ranked 15th in Best Diets Overall tied with the Nutrisystem Diet and the South Beach Diet. The Keyto Diet ranked 18th, the Paleo Diet was 19th and the Keto Diet ranked 20th. The Atkins Diet came in at 21st, tied with OPTAVIA and the Slimfast Diet. This brings us to the Raw Food Diet round up the pack ranking 24th out of 24 in the Best Diest Overall in the 2023 Report. 

Top tips from this report on the best food to eat while on a diet include rice cakes, popcorn, celery stick, raw broccoli, and high-fiber crackers because they are low in calories but will fill up your stomach. While these foods will do a great job of physically filling up your stomach, keep in mind that this is not a guarantee that you will eat less because fullness is not the same as satisfaction. 

Decades of research highlight that there is no magic pill when it comes to weight loss, and there is no single approach that will work for everyone. When it comes to a diet you must take into account your personality and lifestyle, because no matter how good the diet looks or how good it might make you look, if you can’t stick with it for the long haul you will end up right back to where you started and probably will gain a few extra pounds. 

Weight loss requires some effort, which means that you must include physical activity/exercise along with diet as part of a healthy lifestyle, the two work together to promote optimal health. Physical activity is much like a diet in that you are more likely to stick with something that you enjoy. In your journey for improved health, you may hit a few bumps along the way, keep in mind that these are only temporary and they present an opportunity to learn from before continuing on. Setbacks do not mean failure, never give up, learn, adjust and carry on because you are worth all of the benefits that you will gain. If at first you don't succeed, pick yourself up and try again. You got this. Be well.