With countless popular ‘eating lifestyles’ competing for supremacy, choosing a diet is more complicated than ever. So don’t.
“When you look at all these diets together, you see that they all have commonalities that make them good,” says Los Angeles-based Andrea N. Giancoli, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Here’s how to take the best lessons of each diet and eat healthier today.
PALEO
“I think what’s in common with all of these diets, and the best things to take out of them, are the plant foods,” Giancoli says.
From the paleo diet, Giancoli says people can learn to eat more nuts and fish. She says,“Everyone should be eating fish a couple of times a week, regardless of the diet they choose. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for eye health, heart health and is one of the lean proteins, which the body needs.”
VEGAN
Vegans get much of their nutrition from beans and lentils, Giancoli says, and “combining them with greens, brown rice, barley and quinoa is very good for you.”
She adds,“Some of the whole grains in the vegan diet are foods that are healthy for us anyway, even if you don’t want to go vegan.”
Giancoli also speaks highly of soy foods like tofu, which is a good source of protein.“Soy products are also a good way to go because they have all the aminos your body needs,” she says.
VEGETARIAN
“Whenever there are a lot of plant foods in the diet, that’s a good thing. It’s not that we have to go vegetarian or vegan by any means,” Giancoli says.
Vegetarians can supplement their plant-based diet with dairy and eggs.“That makes for a lot more flexibility,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian and author of “Read It Before You Eat It” (Plume 2010).“I’m a fan of veggie burgers that are more natural, where you can see the vegetables that are in there.They have many that are made with beans and those are very tasty, and you can melt a slice of cheese over there and it would give you calcium, fiber and protein.”
MEDITERRANEAN
“The Mediterraneans didn’t sit around and say,‘Let’s make a diet.’This is more of a lifestyle,”Taub-Dix says.“The basis of the diet is fish, whole grains, nuts, lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado and olive oil and wine. Don’t forget the wine.”
GLUTEN-FREE
Keep in mind that the gluten-free diet is “meant for people with allergies to gluten or who have celiac disease who have to avoid gluten,” Giancoli says.
“The good part of the gluten-free diet is eating more beans and concentrating more on grains that are gluten-free, like quinoa, brown rice and buckwheat,” she says.“Going gluten free is tough unless you have a diagnosed allergy. Otherwise, it’s not something I would recommend.”
FLEXITARIAN
“What I love about this diet is that it allows a lot of different things so that you don’t have to call yourself a vegetarian or a carnivore,”Taub-Dix says.
“The heart of the diet is based on more of the vegetarian diet, like beans and grains,” she explains.“But if you want to have the occasional hamburger, go ahead and eat meat.The world is open to you.”
Taub-Dix adds,“It is a diet that could help you lose weight. It’s good for your heart.”
The key is lean protein sources like beans, tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds and lentils, says Amy Jamieson-Petonic,Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson in the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. “These are packed with B vitamins, dietary fiber and a slow, steady source of carbs for maintaining health blood sugars,” she says.
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Top diets: Yay or nay?
U.S. News recently came out with its Top Five Diets. We asked nutrition expert Amy Jamieson-Petonic to weigh in on this list.
“My first recommendation for any lifestyle change is to meet with a registered dietitian before you begin,” she says. “The RD can really help you determine a road map to learn how to get the best outcome with the safest guidelines from any program. The RD can also be your coach along the way, which can really increase the likelihood of success now and in the long term.”
1 DASH
“Safe, healthy and offers a number of healthy options to choose from while reducing sodium, fat and increasing fiber and potassium, which many people do not get enough of from their diets,” Jamieson-Petonic says.
2 TLC
“This program offers a plan to reduce cardiovascular disease risk and provides more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, soluble fiber and plant stanols, if needed,” she says. “It provides vital nutrients as well as fiber to help improve lipid profiles. As for cons, it be more challenging to follow this long term if you are unsure of how to continue with additional meal plans.”
3 MAYO CLINIC DIET
“This offers a number of healthy guidelines on how to lose weight and keep it off. The diet includes fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and lean proteins,” she says. “It also offers to help change behaviors by reducing unhealthy habits that tend to lead to weight gain (How many people really snack on carrot and celery sticks with a glass of water watching TV?) as well as increasing exercise each day to at least 30 minutes. They suggest habits that will help promote long-term weight management, which is really important. As for cons, it may be difficult to follow in the beginning, and people might have a difficult time counting servings of various food groups.”
4 MEDITERRANEAN
“I love the idea of eating foods based on a healthy lifestyle, including fresh foods, extra virgin olive oil (which has amazing anti-inflammatory benefits) and enjoying a small piece of dark chocolate with a glass of wine,” Jamieson-Petonic says. “There are many foods on this diet which reduce inflammation at the cellular level. The Mediterranean lifestyle teaches us to eat more family meals, buy local, fresh ingredients and take time to slow down and enjoy your food.”
5 WEIGHT WATCHERS
“A very safe and healthy program that offers a wide variety of foods that promote health and satiety,” she says. “Long-term research supports the fact that people who follow this program lose weight and tend to keep the weight off better than other commercial programs. The group support and accountability can also have a very positive impact on helping people meet their goals. As for cons, there is a cost with program, and this may or may not be a barrier for people as well. The group environment may not be the best method for everyone, but Weight Watchers also offers an online program for these folks.”
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