For some individuals, a simple flip of the calendar seems to hold magical powers. Millions of Americans enter each new year with a renewed sense of resolve to level-up some area of their lives—be it financial, physical, emotional or otherwise. For many of us, our resolutions relate to health in some way.
But it doesn’t need to be January 1 for folks to focus on how they fuel. In fact, 52% of adults who took part in the International Food Information Council’s 2023 Food & Health Survey confirmed that they followed a specific eating pattern or diet at some point during the past 365 days. Yet, “dieting” can be really challenging, regardless of your goal—weight loss, longevity, heart health, diabetes management. And despite their splashy promises and the before-and-after photos you might see all over social media, nearly all fad diets don’t work.
Deciding which diet to try (and shifting through which to skip due to potential health harms) can be a truly daunting process. But you need not go it alone, as US News & World Report has just revealed its list of the best diets, a ranking released each January.
Now in its 14th year, a panel of 43 experts, including doctors, registered dietitians and epidemiologists, helped US News & World Report review and score 30 diets to help people make more informed choices about which diets are safe and sustainable—and which diets are best to steer clear of.
Related: The #1 Mistake People Make When Starting a New Diet, According to a Dietitian
This year, the panelists considered the usual suspects (paleo, DASH, MIND, Zone, Atkins), then reviewed and ranked six new diets, which were chosen based on increasing popularity:
Just like there’s no universal “best” way to exercise, the best diet for each individual may vary. That being said, the panel focused on the following benchmarks to separate the best from the rest:
- Nutritional completeness
- Health risks and benefits
- Long-term sustainability
- Evidence-based effectiveness
Before we divulge the diet rankings, let’s walk down memory lane and look at the results from recent years:
The Best Overall Diet in 2024
For seven years straight, the Mediterranean diet takes home the trophy as the Best Diet Overall thanks to the diet’s overall quality, its lack of restrictions and its long-term sustainability.
The Mediterranean diet also took home the No. 1 spot in several other categories, including Best Diet for Diabetes, Best Heart-Healthy Diet, Easiest Diet to Follow, Best Diet for Bone and Joint Health, Best Family-Friendly Diet and Best Diet for Healthy Eating.
Inspired to give it a try? Load up your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood and healthy fats. If you drink alcohol, sip on a glass of red wine every so often. Limit processed foods and added sugars. Lifestyle habits like sharing food with others and incorporating activity into your daily life are also an important part of the Mediterranean diet. These delicious Mediterranean diet recipes are the best way to get started.
The blood-pressure-minded DASH diet comes in second for Best Diet Overall this year, and the brain-boosting MIND diet clocks in at No. 3.
The Worst Diets of 2024, According to Experts
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Raw Food Diet, Herbalife Nutrition and Dukan were selected as the three worst diets of the year due to their restrictive nature or reliance on processed shakes and bars (which are, in addition to being expensive, not a way to teach sustainable healthy eating habits for a lifetime).
There are some outliers who rank poorly overall but still earn top marks in certain categories. Case in point: the Keto diet, which is 25 out of 30 in the general category, does result in swift short-term scale shifts. As a result, it tops the rankings for Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet.
Related: Does a Healthy Keto Diet Plan Even Exist?
All of the Best Diet Winners
- Best Diets for Healthy Eating: Mediterranean diet
- Easiest Diet to Follow: Mediterranean diet
- Best Heart-Healthy Diet: Mediterranean diet
- Best Weight-Loss Diet: Weight Watchers (WW)
- Best Diet Program: Weight Watchers (WW)
- Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet: Keto diet
- Best Family-Friendly Diet: Mediterranean diet
- Best Diabetes Diet: Mediterranean diet
- Best Plant-Based Diet: Flexitarian diet
- Best Diet for Bone and Joint Health: Mediterranean diet
A Deeper Dive into the Mediterranean Diet
We’re such huge fans of the Mediterranean diet that we’ve already tapped dietitians to create primers about how to start, to walk us through a 30-day Mediterranean diet challenge, to create a Mediterranean diet food lineup we can use as a shopping list and beyond.
All of this is brilliant for background, but how does this lifestyle look IRL? We caught up with Suzy Karadsheh, who was raised in Port Said, Egypt, and now calls Atlanta home. Karadsheh is the founder of The Mediterranean Dish and author of The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat. The mother of two daughters and two dogs spends her days trying to inspire other busy humans to hop on the Mediterranean train.
One of the biggest myths she loves to bust: The Mediterranean isn’t just Greece and Italy—it encompasses 21 countries. “The Mediterranean way goes far beyond Southern Europe,” Karadsheh says. “That’s a lot of different cuisines to explore.”
Karadsheh believes that this diversity and the fresh flavors “are the secret to why it is the top diet to follow. Yes, it is a satisfying and nutritious way to eat, but when you eat this way, you will never be bored!” Plus, there’s no hard and fast list of do’s and don’ts, and you don’t need to count calories or macros, as some other fad diets might require you to. Bonus: Most of what you need to eat the Mediterranean way is already available in your local supermarket!
For the easiest way to incorporate a more nutritious eating pattern, Karadsheh recommends thinking plant-forward, and EatingWell’s Senior Nutrition Editor Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia agrees. “The Mediterranean diet encourages us to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and seeds. And it still makes room for dairy products and lean animal proteins,” notes Haddad-Garcia. “Additionally, it’s important to remember that although this diet was first conceptualized based on traditional cuisines in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, its principles can easily be adapted to any cuisine and food preferences,” adds Haddad-Garcia.
Related: The 12 Best Mediterranean Diet Foods on a Budget, According to a Dietitian
How to Determine the Best Diet for You
No matter your desired end game—lower risk for diabetes or heart disease, stronger bones, weight loss—the best diets of 2024 have a handful of features in common:
- They don’t include a long list of foods that are deemed off-limits
- They promote nutrient-packed foods, including fruits and vegetables
- They suggest reducing intake of added sugars and ultra-processed foods
The Mediterranean diet was chosen as the best bet again this year, but you need not follow it to a T to rack up some serious health and longevity benefits. Adding an extra serving of antioxidant-rich vegetables to your usual dinner menu or choosing heart-healthy canned salmon more often than deli meat for your daily sandwich doesn’t need to be part of any specific “diet”—they’re just smart ( and tasty!) lifestyle tweaks.
The best diet for you, according to EatingWell dietitians, is one that includes all of your favorite foods in moderation. No labels or restrictions required.
Related: I Tried Every Diet Ever to Lose Weight—Here’s What Happened