Letters

I am writing in response to Froma Harrops column in the Jan. 5 Herald about Veganuary, the month-long commitment to plant-based eating that she calls a cultish mindset. Harrop may eat whatever she chooses, but more than a few moments thought are needed to understand the point of a vegan diet.

No cult was involved in my choice to forego all animal products 12 years ago. Like many vegans, it began with my love of animals. It was solidified by scientific evidence of environmental and personal health benefits.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently issued a special report in which 107 scientists from more than 50 countries declared plant-based food and fuels as key to the climate change fight.

The National Institutes of Health published a study concluding vegetarian diets represent an effective means for the prevention and treatment of cardio-metabolic diseases and benefits seem to be greater with vegan than lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets.

Consumer Reports reported two-thirds of chicken meat they analyzed was infected with salmonella and/or campylobacter due to filthy conditions at factory farms.

Humane Society International states an animal-based diet causes immense animal suffering from practices ranging from factory farming and intensive confinement to inhumane handling and slaughtering. The Washington Post, The New Yorker and others have exposed cruelty at factory farms.

Please give a plant-based diet more than a few moments thought. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website (pcrm.org) provides links to clinical studies on nutrition and health, as well as free recipes and a 21-day meal plan.

Valerie Edmunds

Mill Creek

More here:
Harrop column wrong about the reasons for a vegan diet - The Daily Herald

Scientists are increasingly certain that Alzheimers and other dementias are caused by many factors. Genetics certainly play a major role, but researchers are increasingly focusing on other issues such as inflammation, blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, among others. Even conditions such as untreated depression and anxiety are believed to contribute to the likelihood of developing dementia.

Thats why a new review that confirms that your diet can significantly influence mental health and well-being is drawing attention. Published in the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, the review found increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Among the reviews specific findings:

A high fat and low carbohydrate diet (also known as a ketogenic diet) can help children with epilepsy.

A vitamin B12 deficiency can contribute to fatigue, poor memory and depression.

A Mediterranean diet, high in vegetables and olive oil, provides some protection against depression and anxiety.

But the reviews lead author Suzanne Dickson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden cautions that studies about specific conditions are often spotty at best. With individual conditions, we often found very mixed evidence, she said in a news release.

There is a general belief that dietary advice for mental health is based on solid scientific evidence, Dickson continued. In reality, it is very difficult to prove that specific diets or specific dietary components contribute to mental health.

One independent scientist who reviewed the study said that despite high-quality research (mostly involving animals), much remains to be discovered about the connection between nutrition and mental health in humans.

This comprehensive review sheds light on hypes and hopes, facts and fictions in the new field of nutritional psychiatry, Andreas Reid, a professor at University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, said in the news release.

The potential societal impact of this rapidly developing field is enormous, Reid cautioned. We must be scientifically sound in making our recommendations.

While researchers cannot point to one specific diet as the key to lessening depression, scientists are increasingly certain that getting evaluated and treated for depression can improve or maintain cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is considered to be the first stage of Alzheimers.

In addition, older adults with depression are believed to be twice as likely to develop dementia, and 65 percent more likely to develop Alzheimers.

Researchers are also increasingly certain that eating better and reducing weight to address issues such as type 2 diabetes, blood pressure and other so-called lifestyle conditions can make a difference in lowering risk for dementia. Boosting exercise is also seen as key.

The World Health Organization published a report on ways to prevent dementia, including undertaking 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise, eating a balanced diet and drinking in moderation (or not at all).

Continued here:
Can Diet Improve Mental Health? Examining the Link Between the Brain and What You Eat - Being Patient

NewsHealthDr Michael Greger, author of the new book How Not to Diet, explains how minor changes in your lifestyle can aid you in shedding pounds

Tuesday, 7th January 2020, 7:00 pm

There are specific foods that double as fat blockers and fat burners, for example, and starch blockers and appetite suppressants. And did you know that the different timing, frequencies and combinations of foods can also matter?

Here are 21 tips that can supplement broader advice on losing weight. You dont have to complete the full checklist every day you dont have to hit any.

Its easy to knock off a bunch at a time, however. For example, starting a meal with a tomato salad sprinkled with some black cumin, garlic powder and balsamic vinegar ticks off five boxes straight away.

1 Preload with water

Cold water boosts your metabolism. Have two cups before each meal to also help you feel more full.

2 Preload with 'negative calorie' foods

Just changing the order in which you eat your foods can have meaningful metabolic impact. Starting each meal with an apple, light soup or salad may also later reduce your appetite for other, high-calorie-density foods.

3 Enjoy undistracted meals

Dont eat while watching TV or playing on your phone.

4 Follow the 20-minute rule

Studies have demonstrated that boosting the amount of time food is in our mouths can result in lower caloric intake, so extend meal duration to at least 20 minutes. Choose bulkier, harder, chewier foods and take smaller, well-chewed bites.

5 Incorporate vinegar

Flavour meals or dress a side salad with two teaspoons of vinegar, as it has been found to assist in weight loss.

6 Cumin

A half teaspoon of regular cumin at lunch and dinner has been shown to help lose weight.

7 Black cumin

Trials have found that a quarter teaspoon of black cumin powder every day also appears to reduce body mass index.

8 Garlic powder

Studies have found that a daily quarter teaspoon of garlic powder can reduce body fat.

9 Ground ginger and cayenne pepper

Trials have found that teaspoon to 1 teaspoons a day of ground ginger decreased body weight. It can be as easy as stirring the ground spice into a cup of hot water. Alternatively, adding a half teaspoon of red pepper powder into your daily diet can also help burn fat.

10 Nutritional yeast

Two teaspoons of brewers, bakers, and nutritional yeasts contains a type of fibre called beta-glucan and trials have found it can facilitate weight loss.

11 Green tea

Drink three cups a day between meals (waiting at least an hour after a meal so as to not interfere with iron absorption). During meals, drink water, black coffee, or hibiscus tea mixed 6:1 with lemon verbena.

12 Stay hydrated

Have nine cups of unsweetened beverages a day for women which would be taken care of by the green tea and water preloading recommendations or 13 cups a day for men. (If you have heart or kidney issues, dont increase fluid intake without first talking with your doctor.) Avoid diet fizzy drinks they may be calorie-free, but their artificial sweeteners are associated with increased weight gain and abdominal fat over time.

13 De-flour your diet

Whole grains are better than refined grains when were trying to lose weight. But eating intact whole grains - such as muesli, brown rice and solid beans - rather than those that have been powdered, is also beneficial in feeding our good gut bacteria with starch. Instead of buying boxed breakfast cereals, make oatmeal out of whole, intact oats.

14 Front-load your calories

There are metabolic benefits to distributing more calories to earlier in the day, so make breakfast (ideally) or lunch your largest meal of the day.

15 Time-restrict your eating

Confine eating to a consistent daily window of under 12 hours in length.

16 Optimise exercise timing

Ninety minutes of moderately intense activity a day is also the optimum exercise duration for weight loss. Anytime is good, but there may be an advantage to exercising at least six hours after your last meal, so typically before breakfast, before a late lunch, or before dinner if youve had an early lunch.

17 Complete your implementation intentions

Change your existing bad habits to good ones, or establish new good habits, using implementation intentions. Instead of vague self-promises to do our best, these are specific if-then plans. For example: If I get hungry after dinner, I will eat an apple.

18 Weigh yourself twice a day

Regular self-weighing is considered crucial for long-term weight control.

19 Fast after 7pm

Because of our circadian rhythms, food eaten at night is more fattening than the exact same food eaten earlier in the day.

20 Get sufficient sleep

21 Experiment with mild Trendelenburg

Try spending at least four hours a night lying with your body tilted head-down six degrees, towards the "Trendelenburg position" by elevating the posts at the foot of your bed by eight inches, as this pulls more blood into the heart and encourages it to release a fat-burning hormone. Ask a GP first about trying this do not attempt it if you have any heart or lung issues, acid reflux, or problems with your brain or eyes. And be careful when you get out of bed as it can make you feel light-headed.

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Nutritionist's 21 tweaks to boost your healthy diet and help you lose weight - inews

Keto doesnt have to be so serious.

Thats the premise behind the new cookbook, The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook (Adams Media), out Tuesday. It features 100 recipes by Stephanie Laska, a California mother of two, and is co-authored by her husband of 16 years, William.

Ive always struggled with my weight, says Laska, 46. I actually thought I was being healthy, eating low-fat muffins, drinking skim milk, having dried fruit and granola bars.

Laska says that shes an emotional eater. Despite weighing close to 300 pounds in her 20s and early 30s, she still thought she was doing everything right. She was active and had no blood-pressure issues, so she was totally in denial.

But the reality of her situation started dawning on her. The first time I realized there was a problem was when I was flying for a job interview and I couldnt get the seat belt to snap, Laska says.

Then, she had a harrowing experience on a ride with her son at Disneyland, when her stomach prevented the safety bar from closing all the way down, leaving a huge gap.

He had no protection at all, and I panicked, thinking this is rock bottom, Laska says. Its one thing to feel embarrassed about a seat belt, its another thing to feel like I put my child in danger.

When she got home, she talked to a formerly heavy friend who had recently lost a lot of weight.

He told me about eating higher fat foods, moderate protein and lower-carb, basically keto, Laska says. So I started researching and experimenting in the kitchen. I like to eat and needed a diet that allows food.

After some extreme trial and error in the kitchen, she lost 10 pounds in a month, and the weight kept coming off. A year and a half later, she had lost about 140 pounds. Laska has maintained her weight loss for seven years.

Dirty keto means breaking the rules, Laska says. It means youre more flexible. When I say lazy keto, its a style of keto that means only counting net carbs. Im not using a bunch of graphs and calculators.

Laska says you can make vegetables delicious by romancing them with butter, cream and sauces.

At the end of a long day, I used to eat two bags of popcorn or handfuls of trail mix, Laska says. Now, I eat a giant bowl of salad or sweet potato boats. Ill eat whole platters of twice-baked potatoes with no shame.

Keep costs downYou dont have to get your ingredients at a fancy grocery store, Laska says. I use coupons at Walmart, she adds, noting that her food budget has not gone up since creating her lazy keto recipes.

Slice it upPre-cut produce makes for easier snacking and less waste. I keep chopped up veggies and cheese sticks in the fridge for easy snacking, Laska says. And I keep healthier foods at eye level in the fridge.

Prep with purposeIll make a giant Crock-Pot or Instant Pot of chicken or ground turkey on Sunday or Monday, and then use that all week to add to my salads and whatever else Im cooking, Laska says. Ill add it to soups, tacos or enchiladas. Those machines are little miracles to me.

Originally posted here:
How this mom of two lost 140 pounds on the keto diet - New York Post

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Are you one of the millions of Americans eyeing a new diet in the New Year?

One of the most searched for diets online in 2019 was the keto diet.

But just what, exactly, does a keto diet look like?

According to Cleveland Clinics Camille Skoda, RD, the keto diet involves reducing carbohydrate intake down to about five percent.

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, moderate protein, eating plan, she said. What is does, is it switches your bodys fuel source from the normal carbohydrates which is your glucose stores over to ketones. Your body produces ketones, and in turn, it can burn its own fat for fuel.

Skoda said the main goal of the keto diet, for many people, is to lose weight and improve their insulin-resistance. It is also used to help treat children who have epilepsy.

She said the biggest gain from going keto includes removing processed foods from the diet such as refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks.

However, she warns its not for everyone.

The keto diet is not recommended for those who have a history of eating disorders, are pregnant, or people with chronic conditions such as type-one diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or issues with fat mal-absorption.

Skoda said a typical day on the keto diet consists of moderate protein, such as chicken, and fish, but limits items such as beans, lentils, and soy protein, which are higher in carbohydrates.

More focus is given to healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, and olive oil.

Skoda said some pitfalls to avoid include over-eating processed foods, and not drinking enough fluids, which can cause an imbalance of electrolytes.

When the body switches over to using ketones for energy, it also changes the way it uses fluids. And if people are not properly hydrated, Skoda said its possible to feel flu-like symptoms as a result.

The keto flu is when youre switching into ketosis and you get some flu-like symptoms a lot of that is electrolyte imbalance so you have to make sure youre staying properly hydrated, she said. A lot of times you do need an electrolyte supplement, during at least the first part of your keto diet, just to make sure you are getting enough of the electrolytes in.

Skoda admits the keto eating plan can be difficult for people to follow, so its important for folks to listen to their bodies and pay attention to how theyre feeling.

Like any eating plan, she said its better to start under the guidance of a health professional.

People who are already on a restricted diet for other health issues, should consult their health team before trying it.

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What is the Keto Diet? - WZZM13.com

May 2019 was an exciting time for fans of both ancient history and starchy vegetables, as archaeologists announced they had discovered the charred remains of roasted plant starches inside a 120,000-year-old hearth at the Klasies River Caves near the southern coast of South Africa. Now, things have gotten even wilder: Archaeologists have announced the discovery of charred vegetable fragments that are 170,000 years old in the Border Caves in Eastern South Africa. Take that, Klasies River Caves!

The discovery, announced by Wits University and published in Science, further demonstrates that our early ancestors ate a balanced diet of both proteins and carbohydrates. Several dozen charcoal fragments were discovered inside the caves in 2016, buried in an ash layer that was left behind from the fires built by the caves ancient inhabitants.

The Border Cave inhabitants would have dug Hypoxis rhizomes from the hillside near the cave, and carried them back to the cave to cook them in the ashes of fireplaces, says Professor Lyn Wadley, a scientist from the Wits Evolutionary Studies Institute who co-authored the report. The fact that [these vegetables] were brought back to the cave rather than cooked in the field suggests that food was shared at the home base.

After several years of microscopic examination, the charred organic remains were finally identified to be the rhizomes (underground plant stems) of a plant from the genus Hypoxis, also known as the Yellow Star flower.

The large number of charcoal fragments discovered at the site suggests that roasted vegetables were commonly eaten by our ancestors, and that the modern perception of early humans as voracious meat eaters is inaccurate, likely skewed by the fact that animal bones are far more likely to survive for hundreds of thousands of years than plant matter. Between this and the discovery that humans were eating grains at least 32,000 years ago, the people behind The Paleo Diet have a lot of explaining to do to thousands of hangry dieters who just want a bite of mashed potato.

Original post:
Scientists discover the real paleo diet included lots of starchy vegetables - The Takeout

Before he hits the gym, Austin Mahone has some serious sartorial decisions. Like, which of his hundred pair of sneakers he wants to pair with high socks and basketball shorts. He could go with his Air Mags, those $50,000 plus, self-tying sneakers Marty McFly sported in Back to the Future Part II, but he doesnt want to scuff them. Same goes for his first edition Louis Vuitton all red Yeezys. (Mahones favorite piece of clothing, which is not a shoe: a robe gifted to him by Stefano Gabbana in Milan after a fashion show, which is just about as chic a sentence you can utter.) This time, he goes with his Air Jordan Futures.

The San Antonio native first blew up online in 2010, when he was fourteen. Mahone had started posting pop cover songs on his YouTube channel. Two years later, he released his own single and signed with the same record label as Taylor Swift. Then he toured with Swift. And now, at 23, Mahone is living that pop star/fashion ambassador life, which, in his case, apparently means splitting a Miami apartment with several other guys who cook each other eggs in the morning and drink chardonnay before bed. The high life.

We caught up with Mahone in Miami. His is the kind of beach view Miami apartment you walk around in wearing a tank top and holding a basketballwhich Mahone does, the entire time, as he shows us his kitchen, gym, and recording studio, where he's currently at work on his first full album.

Mahone says his dietary staples include Lean Body protein shake, eggs, steak, chicken, rice, protein bars, and fruits and ketchup. Because hes a San Antonio boy, Mahone says, ketchup goes on everything: eggs, tamales, even his Thanksgiving turkey.

The only diet hes done, he says, is adulatingswitching from being a boy and eating Fruit Roll-Ups and candy all the time to being a grown-up. When youre young, you just burn that off super quick. But once I got older I was like: now Im starting to see the effects of eating good and how it helps you, especially energy. Because when youre pushing 23, you really have to re-evaluate life like that.

The pop star said his bodyguard inspired him to drop the Fruit Roll-Ups. Once I hit eighteen, he was like, alright, bro, you gotta start tightening up; youre a man now.

Now, aside from a sugar conscious diet, Mahone says he picks shoes and goes to the gym 4-5 times a week, mixing weights and cardioincluding basketball (Im always just trying to ball with my bros).

Mahone says exercise gets his juices flowing, which helps both in the studio songwriting and with his energy on stage.

Of course, there are also aesthetic perks. And when one wakes up to look at a Miami Beach oceanfront every morning? Well, its important to pull off a tank topbasketball in hand or not.

Read more here:
Austin Mahone's Diet and Fitness Routine - menshealth.com

I am addicted to sugar.

That statement may seem pretty typical sugar is an addictive substance! But heres a statement thats not quite as typical to those who have known me my whole life: I no longer consume added sugars or sweeteners. And I do not have diabetes.

Back in the summer of 2018, I went from eating about a gallon of ice cream each day (and other desserts on top of that), to skipping dessert indefinitely. My main reason for the drastic change was because I was worried that Iwas developing diabetes from my unhealthy diet. I have always been really picky as someone on the autism spectrum, and sensory issues with certain foods havent helped either. But after watching a documentary called That Sugar Film, I decided to cut back on the sweets. And while the diabetic symptoms I was experiencing turned out to be due to a severe allergic reaction to a new medication I had tried, the benefits of reducing added sugar proved to be worth the challenge.

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At first, it was torture. I had to learn how to properly read nutrition information, and understand exactly which ingredients were considered to be added sugars. (The folks from That Sugar Movement were super helpful with this part!) I also worried that my already limited diet would essentially become non-existent. There are a lot of foods that contain added sugars! But instead of eating less and less, I actually found myself craving foods I never even liked before. Certain brands of natural peanut butter tasted better than ever. I tried new flavors of soups and started preparing simple meals at home. I had grown tired of yogurt as a teen. Now, for a treat, plain yogurt (flavored ones usually contain added sugars) has been like my new ice cream!

Not only has reducing added sugars helped to expand my palate, but it has also improved my mood. I know if I eat a large bag of flavored chips, for example, I will feel lousy over the next few days. My focus has improved a bit as well. Instead of sugar highs and crashes, I feel a steady, medium level of energy. Ive even cut out the need for my therapy lamp Ive used for clinical depression!

Related: Weighing Privacy vs. Transparency When I Talk About My Autistic Son

There are certainly still times I crave added sugars. If I see a cupcake, my mouth waters. On a hot summer day, its hard not to want a scoop of ice cream. I will probably always be addicted. And it wouldnt kill me to have a small bite. However, I feel much healthier and happier now that Im not giving in to those cravings. I feel more in control of myself mentally.

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How Reducing Sugar in My Diet Has Helped Me as Someone on the Autism Spectrum - Yahoo Lifestyle

Long life expectancy is found in certain parts of the world, with some countries boasting impressive health figures and others looking rather dismal. Life expectancy can fall due to problems like war, disease and poor health. A certain diet enjoyed by many countries has been proven to help increase life expectancy.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in heart-healthy olive oil, vegetables, and wine in moderation.

The diet has long been hailed as one of the most healthiest diets in the world and has contributed to Spains long-lived population.

With an average life expectancy of 82.8, the Mediterranean diet remains the gold standard for living longer and healthier.

READ MORE: Bowel cancer: Taking this popular medication could help stave your risk of the disease

The Mediterranean diet has proven beneficial effects not only regarding metabolic syndrome, but also on its individual components including waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol levels, triglycerides levels, blood pressure levels and glucose metabolism, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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What exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

The diet is commonly characterised by a high intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, healthy fats from nuts and olives, herbs and spices, along with seafood a few times a week, a moderate consumption of dairy, eggs and wine, avocados and a limited intake of meat and sweets.

What the science says about the diet?

One measure of longevity often cited in research is telomere length. In a nutshell, telomeres are caps found at the ends of chromosomes that protect DNA. When they become too short, a cell becomes old or dysfunctional.

This is why shorter telomeres are associated with a lower life expectancy and an increased risk of developing chronic diseases.

Research has shown that a greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet is linked to longevity through maintaining longer telomere length.

Other research has shown that for each one-point increment in the Mediterranean diet score (which measures adherence to the diet), the risk of death from any cause drops by four to seven percent.

To Mediterranean-ize ones meals, replace butter with nut butter or avocado on toast, and trade the fat for extra virgin olive oil to saut vegetables.

Snack on fresh fruit with nuts, olives, or roasted chickpeas, and keep meals simple.

A balanced Med-diet dinner may consist of fish served on a bed of greens tossed in extra virgin olive oil with a side of roasted potatoes or quinoa and a glass of pinot noir.

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How to live longer: The gold standard diet proven to increase life expectancy - Express

It's tempting to try the latest diet fad to lose weight, but it turns out sticking with the basics remains the best way for a healthier 2020.

For the third year in a row, the Mediterranean diet is the No. 1 overall diet according to U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best Diets. It also ranked highly in several other categories, including easiest diets to follow, best diets for healthy eating, best diets for diabetes and best plant-based diets.

There are really no surprises, Angela Haupt, managing editor of health at U.S. News & World Report told, TODAY. We can fully expect that the same diets that perform well traditionally to perform well again this year and those are the diets that are safe, sensible, backed by sound science.

When it comes to best overall diets, the Flexitarian and DASH diets tied for second. DASH which was developed by the National Institutes of Health to lower blood pressure had ranked in the top spot in previous years because of its focus on vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

The Flexitarian diet also emphasizes eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains with less meat, though it doesnt advocate completely giving up meat like vegetarian or vegan diets. The Mediterranean diet relies on similar foods as the DASH diet, but encourages the consumption of healthy fats, such as olive or vegetable oils, and permits occasional alcoholic beverages.

We were excited to see that the Flexitarian diet tied for No. 2 for best diets overall for the first time, Haupt said. The experts (liked) its flexibility about the idea that more plant-based eating is better.

When it comes to commercial diets, WW, formerly Weight Watchers, ranks No. 1 followed by Jenny Craig and Nutritarian. The ketogenic diet, a moderate protein, high-fat, low-carb diet, remains very popular, but it only ranked well in one category: best fast weight-loss diet.

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Our experts say, Yes, it works for fast weight loss. You will drop pounds in the short term if that is your goal, Haupt said. However, that doesn't translate to healthiness. Losing weight quickly does not mean you were doing it in a healthy manner and it certainly doesn't mean you can expect to keep those pounds off.

Regimens that provided benefits in addition to weight loss and maintenance ranked higher than those that did not. Research has shown the Mediterranean diet, for example, can add years to ones life and reduces the likelihood of developing some illnesses. The DASH diet helps lower blood pressure and the MIND diet, which tied for third in the easiest diets to follow, might bolster brain health.

The best diets may also have some other things going for them. They are easier to follow and incorporate some healthy eating habits and are value-added, Leslie Bonci, a nutritionist and owner of Active Eating Advice, told TODAY. Theyre helping us to live longer or for our brains to be healthier.

Well regarded diets also include foods rather than exclude them.

The Mediterranean diet is a really good example of the fact that dieting can taste good it doesn't have to mean bland or pre-packaged food, Haupt said. You're getting all those fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains and spices and herbs and olive oil.

Diets that eliminate a lot of food, such as the Dukan diet, keto and Whole 30, rank poorly in 35, 34 and 33 place, respectively overall. People struggle to adhere to so many rules.

(Restrictive diets are) difficult to follow, especially if they're cutting out an entire group of food, like no dairy, no wheat or to completely eliminate meat, Sarah Van Riet, a registered dietitian at University of Wisconsin Health, told TODAY.

Avoiding foods can cause health problems and bad behaviors, such as binge eating, she said.

The research shows that any sort of restrictive diets, Van Riet said, do not work and they actually cause harm.

Diets that rank highly are less of a quick fix and more of a lifestyle change.

Common sense is starting to prevail over nonsense, Bonci said. Consumers are starting to understand we want (eating habits) to last for the long haul.

Van Riet said that while the high ranking diets do include holistic modifications, a list may not help people understand truly how to eat.

I'm not sure that they're actually telling the average person much about healthy lifestyle, she said.

Still, she believes the list can provide somewhere to start for those who do not have access to a dietitian.

It's interesting to look at qualities of these different guidelines that overlap and learn a bit more about different dietary patterns, she noted.

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What is the best diet for 2020? Mediterranean, Flexitarian and DASH top list - TODAY