Best Diet Plans: Top-Rated Strategies For Weight Loss

The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the highest-rated diet plan for 2024 and 2025. It has been rated highly for its safety, ease of use and ability to produce long-term weight loss. The DASH Diet and MIND were also ranked highly in 2024.

The Mediterranean Diet

The diet is based on the traditional eating habits of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Italy, and Spain. It is characterised by a high intake of plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Healthy fats, such as olive oil, are also a key component, as well as a moderate amount of seafood and dairy. Red meat is limited and consumed only occasionally.

When following the Mediterranean Diet, it is important to focus on whole, unprocessed foods and to prioritise variety and moderation. This means including a range of different foods from the food groups mentioned above and avoiding excessive consumption of any one type of food. Physical activity is also an important component of the Mediterranean lifestyle, so incorporating regular exercise, such as walking or swimming, can further enhance the benefits of the diet.

The DASH Diet

The number of servings you can eat on the DASH diet depends on how many calories you consume. For example, on a 2,000-calorie diet, you would eat about six servings of grains, four servings of vegetables, and two or three servings of fruit per day.

The MIND Diet

The Mediterranean diet is the highest-rated diet plan, followed by the DASH diet and the MIND diet.

The Mayo Clinic Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is the highest-rated diet plan, according to U.S. News & World Report, which scored diets based on safety, ease of use and ability to produce long-term weight loss. The Mayo Clinic Diet is also mentioned as being in the top five.

The diet begins with a two-week period where five specific bad habits are replaced by five specific good habits. According to the authors, this should result in a 6- to 10-pound (2.5- to 4.5-kilogram) weight loss during that two-week period. The book includes step-by-step advice on key behaviour changes to promote weight loss, plus four weeks of daily menus and all-new recipes.

The Flexitarian Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is the highest-rated diet plan. However, the Flexitarian Diet is also highly rated and is a good option for those who want to eat more plant-based foods but don't want to cut out meat completely.

There are no specific rules or suggestions for the Flexitarian Diet, which makes it an appealing option for people who want to cut back on animal products. It focuses on whole, plant-based proteins and other minimally processed foods, while enjoying meat, dairy, eggs, and fish in moderation. This style of eating aligns with current dietary guidelines and focuses on nutrient-dense foods while limiting saturated fat, sugar, and salt.

Research on vegan and vegetarian diets is still helpful in highlighting how semi-vegetarian diets may promote health. It appears that eating mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and other minimally processed whole foods is important to reap the health benefits of plant-based eating. The strongest evidence for the Flexitarian Diet lies in its ability to reduce the risk of many modern health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Frequently asked questions