Healthiest Diets for 2021

Once again, the U. S News & World Report issued rankings of the best and worst diets for 2021. Their expert panel ranked 39 diets into 9 categories including: Best Diets Overall, Best Weight Loss Diets, Best Commercial Diet Plans, Best Diabetes Diets, Best Diets for Healthy Eating, Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets, Best Heart-Healthy Diets, Best Plant-Based Diets, and Easiest Diets to Follow.

For several years, the Mediterranean Diet has ranked in the top three for best overall diet. This year not only was it #1, but it scored first in best plant-based diets and easiest diets to follow. The Mediterranean Diet also tied for first place in the best heart-healthy diets, best diabetes diets, and best diets for healthy eating. The diet has no specific eating plan. Instead, individuals choose from a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans (legumes), nuts, olive oil, fish and seafood at least twice a week, and poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation. The typical Mediterranean diet allows one glass of red wine daily for women and two for men.

The Dash diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension), also a top three contender for the U. S. News & World Report survey, for many years ranked #1. In 2021, it tied for second place with the Flexitarian diet. The Dash diet includes daily servings of 4 to 5 each of vegetables and fruits, 6 to 8 grains, 2 to 3 dairy products, 6 or less one-ounce servings of fish, lean meat, poultry, and 2 to 3 fats or oils. It suggests 4 to 5 servings a week of nuts, seeds, and legumes and less than 5 servings per week of sweets. Initially developed to reduce hypertension (high blood pressure), the diet recommends that healthy adults consume no more than 2,300 mg/day of sodium. The Dash diet recommends elderly or those with certain health issues refrain from consuming more than 1,500 mg of sodium/day.

Dawn Jackson Blatner developed the Flexitarian diet, a blend of the words flexible and vegetarian. For 2021, this diet tied for first place in best weight-loss diets and best diabetes diets. It tied for second in the best overall diets, second for the best plant-base diets, and third for best diets for healthy eating and easiest diets to follow. The diet begins with a five-week meal plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Individuals have flexibility in substituting different foods within the same food category. Recommended calorie levels include 300 calories for breakfast, 400 calories for lunch, and 500 calories for dinner with two snacks of about 150 calories each for a total of about 1,500 calories (which for many results in weight loss). Calories can be adjusted for those needing additional calories.

In previous years, the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet ranked in the top three for best overall diet. For 2021, it tied with the Mayo Clinic Diet for #5. The MIND diet has 10 brain-healthy food groups and 5 unhealthy food groups. Brain-healthy foods include green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries (especially blueberries and strawberries), nuts, beans (lentils, white beans, etc.), whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and red wine (optional). Foods to avoid include red meat, butter/margarine, cheeses, pastries/sweets, and fried/fast foods.

The magazine evaluated the Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet, published in 2013 and revised in 2019, for the first time. Its purpose is to lower and stabilize blood sugar levels. Designed for people with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, it tied for #5 with the MIND diet in the category of best overall diets.

Any of the top-ranking diets constitute a healthy eating plan. Check the links to learn more about each diet. The year is still early, and one of the best ways to help keep your body healthy is through a wholesome diet.

A future blog will address rankings of diets on the lower end for healthy eating. These may include diets you have tried or considered for weight loss. Find out what the experts say.  

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Best Diets for 2017

Best Diets for 2017

The U S News and World Report recently published their annual assessment of the best 38 diets in 9 categories. For the past seven years, a panel of experts has selected the DASH diet as the best diet overall. The Mediterranean diet came in a close second while the MIND diet ranked third. What makes these diets healthy choices, and how do they differ?

DASH DIET (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension)

The DASH diet, originally establish to reduce high blood pressure, is nutritionally sound and promotes heart health. This diet includes the following daily servings; 4-5 each of  vegetables and fruits, 6-8 grains, 2-3 dairy products, 6 or less of fish, lean meat, poultry (one ounce is considered a serving), 2-3 fats or oils.

The diet suggests 4-5 servings a week of nuts, seeds, and legumes and less than 5 servings per week of sweets. For heathy individuals, the diet recommends limiting sodium to 2,300 mg/day or less. The elderly or those with certain health issues should not exceed 1,500 mg of sodium/day.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET

The Mediterranean diet is nutritionally sound with diverse foods and flavors. It represents the typical foods eaten by those living in the region around the Mediterranean Sea. That population tends to live longer and have fewer incidents of cardiovascular disease and cancer than is common to most Americans.

This eating plan may help with weight loss, improve heart and brain health, and reduce risks of cancer and diabetes. The Mediterranean diet doesn’t recommend specific amounts of foods. However, a typical diet consists of 7-10 servings of vegetables and fruits daily, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish (1-2 times per week) plus poultry and limited red meats. The diet avoids such foods as sausage, bacon, and other high-fat meats. This diet is  generous in nuts, and olive oil is used abundantly in place of other fats and oils.

MIND DIET (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay)

The MIND diet blends the Mediterranean and DASH diets plus specific recommended  foods. The aim of this diet is to delay memory loss and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It is categorized into 10 brain-healthy food groups and 5 unhealthy groups. Brain-healthy foods include green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries (blueberries/strawberries), nuts, beans (lentils, white beans, etc.), whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and wine. Foods to avoid include red meat, butter/stick margarine, cheeses, pastries/sweets, and fried/fast foods.

Researchers found that those who strictly followed this diet lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 53 percent. Even those who moderately followed the diet seemed to lower their risk by up to 35 percent.

BENEFITS

These three diets demonstrate that foods do make a difference in our mental capacity as well as our physical health. When followed faithfully, both the DASH and Mediterranean diets may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. However, unlike the MIND diet which can help divert the disease with moderate following, the DASH and Mediterranean diets must be followed closely to affect memory or neurodegenerative disease. The DASH diet decreases risk of cardiovascular disease, especially as related to blood pressure. The Mediterranean has been shown to decrease risks of cancer. If memory, dementia, and Alzheimer’s are a specific concern, follow the MIND diet.

Our health is in our hands. While other factors influence wellbeing, diet is a major contributor in maintaining quality of life.

 

 

 

 

 

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What’s on Your Mind?

 If you thought the title referred to your opinions, think again. The more correct question should be what’s on your MIND Diet? That’s right. Although the diet has been around for a few years, we don’t hear much about it. But maybe we should.

Rush University Medical Center developed a diet to slow cognitive decline, namely Alzheimer’s disease, in older adults. The diet combined the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets and was referred to as the MIND Diet―Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.

How significant is finding a diet to thwart this leading neurodegenerative condition―Alzheimer’s disease? More than five million people over age sixty-five are affected. The MIND diet may lower the risk of this disease by more than 50 percent. Even those inconsistent in following the diet can cut their risk by 35 percent.

The MIND diet has fifteen dietary components with ten brain-healthy groups and five unhealthy-brain food groups. See how closely you follow this diet to keep your brain functioning at its peak.

Healthy foods                                                           

• Green leafy vegetables: Six servings or more per week of foods like spinach, kale, and salad greens.
• Other vegetables: At least one-half cup cooked or one cup raw once a day.
• Nuts: Five servings per week. One-third cup equals a serving.
• Berries: Three servings per week. Blueberries and strawberries are the best choices for a positive impact on the mind.
• Beans: Three or more servings per week. These include one-half cup of cooked lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and similar varieties.
• Whole grains: Three or more servings per day. Look for labels that say “100 percent whole grain.”
• Fish: At least once per week. Salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines are preferred choices.
• Poultry: Two or more servings per week. Remove skin and bake, broil, grill, or roast. Avoid frying.
• Olive oil: Use as the main choice for cooking oil.
• Wine: No more than one glass a day.

Unhealthy foods       

• Red meats: Less than four servings a week. Use lean cuts and trim fat from those you do eat.
• Butter/margarine: Less than a tablespoon daily.
• Cheese: One serving each week. Most cheeses are high in fat and sodium. Swiss cheese is low in both and can add more cheese servings per week.
• Pastries and sweets: Less than five servings a week. These contain high levels of sugar, fat, and sodium.
• Fried or fast food: Less than one serving a week.

While this diet has many beneficial qualities that may lower the risks of many health issues―hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other maladies present as we age―there are drawbacks. Due to high levels of potassium and phosphorus, those with kidney disease should avoid this diet. Increased consumption of whole grains and other higher calorie foods may be inappropriate for those with diabetes.

For most of us, efforts to closely follow this diet may keep minds sharp and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. For this eating plan to become a part of our lifestyle, keeping a chart for several weeks helps. Below is one example.

To borrow from part of a cliché, the mind is a terrible thing to let waste away. Keep it healthier with the MIND Diet.

 

 

 

 

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