Are you a vegan? Vegetarian? What about Paleo? Find out where your diet measures up in the US News rankings.
In what’s a first for the publication, US News has designated a brand-new category for ranking plant-based diets – naming 10 that can help you shed pounds, feel great, and get healthy.
Naturally, plant-based isn’t 100% free of animal products – but it’s a great way to ease into a healthier lifestyle, break old eating habits, and just learn more about the food we feed ourselves everyday.
While you can jump over and read the full list here, those of the vegan world will be disappointed to see it ranked #7. From the article:
“The experts were lukewarm on veganism, despite giving it fairly high marks as a diabetes or heart disease diet. It’s more restrictive than other plant-based options, offers no built-in social support, and may skimp on important nutrients.”
The lack of built-in social support is an interesting critique – as there’s certainly a healthy social scene online built around veganism (the subreddit r/vegan comes to mind) – but yes, no Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers system. (Although I did stumble upon this vegan weight watchers blog for those interested…)
Caldwell Esselstyn’s Engine 2 Diet also scored poorly, though ahead of veganism at #6. From the site:
“Experts sent the Engine 2 Diet toward the bottom of the plant-based list. “The diet is too extreme,” one expert warned. “It’s difficult to maintain for any length of time.” Experts also questioned the plan’s elimination of vegetable oils, and said more research is necessary to determine whether that’s a beneficial move.”
Overall, the diet that scored the worst out of the myriad available is the Paleo.
“Experts took issue with the diet on every measure. Regardless of the goal—weight loss, heart health, or finding a diet that’s easy to follow—most experts concluded that it would be better for dieters to look elsewhere. “A true Paleo diet might be a great option: very lean, pure meats, lots of wild plants,” said one expert—quickly adding, however, that duplicating such a regimen in modern times would be difficult.”
What do you think of US News’ rankings? – Michael Destries
This article appears courtesy of Ecorazzi
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Image: SweetonVeg