2018’s Top Three Diets

Last week, US News and World Report listed their picks for the best diets for 2018.  The #1 spot was a tie between the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet.  3rd place went to the Flexatarian Diet.   All  top three diets listed by US News and World Report are lifestyle diets.  The top three diets challenge people to plan ahead their meals, cook more at home, and increase their intake of fruits and veggies.  Let’s take a closer look at each of the top three diets.

DASH Diet

The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.   It is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that is designed to help treat and prevent high blood pressure.   It encourages people to reduce their sodium intake by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and other foods that are rich in nutrients that help to lower high blood pressure such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Furthermore, the DASH dietary guidelines are also known to help prevent or reduce the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  Key emphasis is on consumption of veggies, fruits and low-fat dairy with moderate intake of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. (more…)