US News & World Report ranks the DASH Diet Plan as BEST overall diet plan. If you’ve never heard of the DASH diet, you’re not alone.
The CNN “The Chart” blog reported that although the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet, which was “created by the National Institutes of Health,” does not have the “marketing firepower that commercial diets with now-svelte celebrities have,” it took the “top stop” in US News and World Reports’ best diets rankings.
The New York Daily News notes that DASH “adheres to principles that seem simple, yet aren’t widely followed during this era of convenience food and expanding obesity: balance, specifically of protein, good carbs, and fats,” US News said in a press release.
The diet’s menus feature “vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products, as well as whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. Limited portions of red meats, sweets and sugary beverages are allowed as well.”
Notably, it has been shown to “help girls keep excessive weight off during their teen years.”
The full list is here, and that includes rankings for the best commercial diet, weight-loss diet, diabetes diet and heart-healthy diets.
Here is a summary of the rankings:
Best Diets Overall

1. DASH Diet
2. Mediterranean Diet

Best Weight-Loss Diets

1. Weight Watchers
2. Jenny Craig

Best Diabetes Diets

1. DASH Diet
2. Mayo Clinic Diet

Best Heart-Healthy Diets

1. Ornish Diet
2. TLC Diet

Best Commercial Diet Plans

1. Weight Watchers
2. Jenny Craig