The Flexitarian Diet was ranked as #2 in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report’s Top 5 Plant-Based Diets. With the help of panel of health experts, the report (now it is fifth year) evaluated and ranked 35 diets looking at different factors such as how easy is it to follow; how nutritious it is; how safe it is; how effective for weight loss it can be and how well it can protect against diabetes and heart disease.
There were 11 Diets in the “Best Plant-Based Diets” category. Here are the top five:
#1. Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is based of low consumption of red meat, sugar and saturated fat. Check out Oldways’ Mediterranean diet pyramid that emphasizes “fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil and flavourful herbs and spices; eating fish and seafood at least a couple of times a week; enjoying poultry, eggs, cheese and yoghurt in moderation; and saving sweets and red meat for special occasions”.
#2. Flexitarian Diet
The Flexitarian diet came close to being number 1. Experts gave it top marks for nutrition, safety, heart-health and easiness to follow. One expert described the Flexitarian Diet as “A sensible eating plan” and “A realistic approach to achieving a healthier style of eating.” On the Flexitarian Diet you will eat plenty of fruits and vegetables plus nuts, beans, pulses, wholegrain while indulging from time to time with meat.
#3. Ornish Diet
The Ornish diet includes a lot of complex carbohydrates (such fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains) and very little fat which can make it hard to follow.
#4. Traditional Asian Diet
High in grains, fruits and vegetables with limited amount of animal proteins (fish, eggs and white meat are optional each day while red meat is only allowed once a month), a traditional Asian Diet has been credited to keep cancer, heart disease, and obesity at bay. Check out Oldways’ Asian Diet pyramid.
#5. Vegetarian Diet
A popular approach to vegetarianism is the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet excluding fish and meat and including eggs and dairy. While it is nutritionally sound (as long as you do not indulge too often on cheese) some will find it challenging to keep up in the long-term which is why U.S. News & World Report ranks it only at #5.
Choosing a new diet can be challenging. Make sure you choose an eating plan that is good for your health and your lifestyle. And don’t forget that a healthy diet goes hand in hand with exercise.
Personally, I find the flexitarian diet easy to follow as a family. At home, I cook vegetarian and vegan meals with organic meat and fish as add-ons for the kids. My husband and I eat meat or fish on rare occasions mostly when we are eating out. The flexitarian diet has helped my digestion and rheumatoid pains. I have also reduced the amount of cheese in my diet because let’s face it I was eating too much of it!
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