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
