Rating the Best Diets for 2025

U.S. News & World Report, working with leading medical and nutrition experts, reveals a list of the best diets for overall health and specific conditions.

If eating healthier is one of your 2025 goals, a new review of the most popular diets may help you choose the right one for you.

Each year, U.S. News & World Report works with a panel of leading medical and nutrition experts to rate dozens of diets. Here are their 2025 winners.

The best overall eating plan, according to the panel, is the Mediterranean diet, which includes:

Plenty of

•    Vegetables

•    Fruits

•   Whole grains

•        Beans

•        Nuts and Seeds

•       And Olive oil

Low to Moderate amounts of:

•       Dairy

•       Eggs

•       Poultry

•       Seafood

And Little or No:

•       Red meat

•       Added sugars

•       Processed foods

•       Refined carbs and

•       Saturated fats

Evidence shows the Mediterranean diet helps lower the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes and dementia.

Coming in a close second was the DASH diet, which is designed to help prevent and treat high blood pressure. 

It includes foods rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and protein; foods low in saturated fat; and foods low in salt.

This grocery list includes:

•       Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies

•       Whole grains

•       Fat-free or low-fat dairy

•       Nuts, seeds and beans

•       Lean meats, poultry and fish

•       And healthy fats and oils

Not on the list:

•       Sweets

•       Sugary drinks

•       High-sodium snacks

•       Full-fat Dairy and

•       Fatty meats

Next up is the Flexitarian diet. The idea here is to increase the number of plant-based foods in your diet over time and to consume less meat, dairy and eggs.

The end goal is to eat vegetarian 5-7 days a week and allow meat 1 or 2 days.

The flexitarian diet has been shown to reduce the risk of some types of cancer and heart disease. 

Rounding out the list is the MIND diet, which is designed to help prevent cognitive decline as you age.

The emphasis is on eating:

•        Whole grains

•        A variety of fruits and berries

•        A variety of vegetables (especially green leafy ones)

•        Healthy fats, such as olive oil

•        Fish and

•        Poultry

Once again, little to no sweets, cheese, fried foods, butter or meat.

All 4 of these top-rated diets were also ranked among the best for diabetes, heart health, gut health, brain health, inflammation, menopause and mental health.

Source:

U.S. News & World Report

Panel Experts

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