01 MAR 2022

Here’s Three Top-rated Diets for Healthy Eating

A woman drizzling oil over vegetables she's preparing to roast. Spices and a glass of wine can be seen in the background.
Whatever plan you choose to follow, know this for sure: any increased focus on plant-based foods is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Do you have a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier but haven’t started? It’s never too late, according to Melinda Scholten, registered dietitian for NorthBay Healthcare. Since March is National Nutrition Month, Melinda recommends three of today’s most touted and nutritionally sound eating plans: the Mediterranean, the DASH and the Flexitarian diets.

  1. The Mediterranean diet

    The Mediterranean diet puts an emphasis on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and some lean meat and fish. It was No. 1 in a recent U.S. News & World Report poll.

    “What I like best about the Mediterranean diet is that it is easier to follow, includes a lot of flavor and is a pattern of eating that can be sustained long-term. It emphasizes what to choose, not what to take away,” Melinda noted, “and while followers of the Mediterranean diet may lose weight, the main benefit of it are the health benefits it offers, particularly for improvements in cardiovascular health.

    ”In the U.S. News & World Report poll, the DASH diet tied with the Flexitarian diet for second place.
  2. The DASH diet

    The DASH diet is designed to lower blood pressure by consuming more vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy along with whole grains, lean meats and nuts, seeds and legumes. It also follows sodium guidelines that will help reduce hypertension. “I love the fact that a pattern of eating can lower blood pressure, and it confirms the thought of ‘food as medicine.’ DASH helps people fill in nutritional holes, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and when that happens bodies can function at a higher level.”
  3. The Flexitarian Diet

    The Flexitarian Diet, a plant-based eating plan often called “semi-vegetarian,” came from a book written in 2010 by Registered Dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner.

    “It emphasizes plant-strong eating with the flexibility to include from nine to 28 ounces of meat or fish per week,” said Melinda. “People may find it easier to implement for families with a variety of eating styles, and it may also have benefits for the environment.”

Whatever plan you choose to follow, know this for sure: any increased focus on plant-based foods is one of the best things you can do for your health. Studies show that those who follow plant-based diets had lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, “bad” cholesterol levels and up to a 25 percent lower risk of dying.

The bottom line?

“Nutrition is a work in progress,” Melinda notes, “and every day we get a new shot at nourishing our bodies to the best of our abilities.”

If you’re interested in knowing more about these or other diets, start the conversation with your primary care physician. For additional guidance, you can schedule an appointment with a NorthBay nutritionist at (707) 624-7900.

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