Mediterranean Diet Is Best Diet – Once Again
U.S. News rates healthy diet best for eighth year in a row
U.S. News rates healthy diet best for eighth year in a row
U.S. News & World Report recently weighed in on the best diets for 2025. The Mediterranean diet topped the scale as the best overall diet for the eighth consecutive year.
U.S. News rated the Mediterranean diet as the best in three other categories: best diet for diabetes, gut health and mental health.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating less red meat, sugar and saturated fat and incorporating more whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, herbs and spices into your daily diet.
“It’s extremely delicious and easy to follow and get started. It is very sustainable,” says David Felix, MD, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines and a champion of the Mediterranean diet.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
Dr. Felix is not surprised the Mediterranean diet is rated so highly every year and considers it a way of life.
“The Mediterranean diet is not a fad,” he says. “People who live in Italy, Spain and other countries in the Mediterranean region have eaten this way for centuries. It’s just a way of life. I grew up on it. My blood pressure is fantastic.”
The diet is easy to maintain and can be adapted to various cuisines. It encourages eating fish and seafood, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, consuming poultry and dairy products in moderation and limiting processed foods and red meat. The diet promotes healthy fats and the use of herbs and spices over salt for flavoring food.
What are the health benefits?
The Mediterranean diet can help lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease. This eating style helps manage risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and inflammation.
Like other diets, it also emphasizes getting plenty of exercise, especially if the goal is losing weight.
Other proven diets
In addition to the Mediterranean diet, there are many other proven diets to choose from.
The DASH diet helps lower high blood pressure. It is rated No. 2 for Best Diet Overall by U.S. News.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to help stop or prevent high blood pressure.
This diet is like the Mediterranean diet but limits sodium more strictly. It also limits sugary drinks, sweets and foods that are high in saturated fat. DASH is rated No. 1 for heart health.
The Flexitarian diet is rated No. 3 and focuses on plant-based foods like beans, lentils and whole grains, but does not completely cut out meat, fish or poultry. Instead, it reduces their intake. You can do this by swapping meat for plant proteins or by eating smaller portions of meat.
The MIND diet stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It is rated No. 4 for best overall diet. The MIND diet focuses on foods that help brain health. It can also lower the risk of mental decline. Key foods include green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries and whole grains.
Choose an eating plan wisely
The best diets fit your lifestyle and are easy to keep up with over time. Staying consistent helps you enjoy the benefits of a healthy diet.
Tips for maintaining healthy habits
The following tips are meant to keep you on a healthy path and move the needle on your scale in the right direction:
1. Drink, then eat
Water can help curb an appetite. People often mistake thirst for hunger and reach for a snack when a glass of water will do.
2. Move around
If you want to lose weight, you need to burn calories through exercise. It doesn’t have to be hard. Dr. Felix recommends using a free pedometer app like Stepz. Aim for 10,000 steps a day, if you can.
To reach your goal, stay consistent with your exercise routine.
3. Get a scale and use it
People can benefit from weighing themselves often. This helps them see trends and make changes when needed.
4. Slow down
When you eat quickly, you usually eat more. So, eat mindfully. Chew each bite 15 to 20 times. Enjoy the taste, smell and texture of your food. Another way to slow down your food consumption is to eat with your non-dominant hand.