It seems that every year, a new “best diet” is discovered, and everywhere you turn, you are inundated with nutritionists and health ‘experts’ touting the latest & greatest diet plan: Lose weight! Prevent cancer! Stave off dementia! Live (almost) forever! We’ve probably all heard of the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Intermittent Fasting Diet, Paleo Diet – and let’s not forget the Nantucket Diet and the Mayo Clinic Diet. There are also plenty of commercial weight-loss subscription plans on the market – among the most well-known are Weight Watchers, Nutri-System, Optavia, and Jenny Craig.
The best diet plans, however, truly aren’t the ones associated with catchy titles or celebrity endorsements – even the concept of trying to follow a particular diet itself may be a recipe for failure. In the short term, yes, you may be able to restrict your eating and/or eliminate certain food groups, but many diets can be difficult to maintain long-term. They may also lead to nutrient deficiencies, increased cravings, and a negative relationship with food. For long-term sustainability, the healthiest diet plans are ways of eating that won’t make you feel deprived and are ones that you can incorporate into your lifestyle and maintain over time.
For longevity, heart health, and cancer prevention, the healthiest eating plans that consistently outrank all the others incorporate elements of a Mediterranean diet as well as the DASH eating plan. Let’s delve into these 2 types of diets in more detail:
The Mediterranean diet takes its inspiration from the traditional food cultures of the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon. Compared to the typical American diet, this diet incorporates more plant-based foods and healthy (monounsaturated) fats, along with fewer meats and carbohydrates. Staples of the Mediterranean diet include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. Poultry, eggs, cheese and dairy are consumed in lesser amounts, while red meat, sweets, and saturated fats are eaten sparingly.
In a 2013 study that studied over 6,000 American women and men, ages 44 to 84, for eight years, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a Mediterranean-style diet combined with regular exercise, a healthy weight, and not smoking protected against early heart disease, slowed the accumulation of plaque in artery walls, and reduced one’s risk for premature death by 80 percent.
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan is somewhat similar to the Mediterranean diet. This plan originated in the 1990s and is promoted by the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute) to help with blood pressure control. This plan recommends:
- Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
- Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
- Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets
Not only does the DASH diet lower blood pressure, but it has also been shown to improve cholesterol, promote weight loss, and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Unfortunately, the typical American diet consists of a high percentage of ultra-processed foods, along with added sugar, fat, and sodium and not enough consumption of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein.
You can start adopting a Mediterranean/DASH diet gradually, by focusing on incorporating more plant-based foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while reducing your intake of processed foods and red meats. For example, choose brown rice or whole-wheat bread instead of white rice and refined grains. Try to incorporate ingredients such as nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and chickpeas to your meals. Substitute a fish meal for red meat at least twice per week. And instead of reaching for sugar-sweetened beverages and sugary desserts, choose sparkling water and fresh fruit. Making small, gradual changes such as these that are sustainable over time, rather than trying to drastically overhaul your diet overnight, will be key to your success!