Conclusion Real Food is Always Best
While there some diets out there that do come close to being the best, researchers still believe that just real food is best. If a diet has a set of rigid principles it is definitely not beneficial. No diet is clearly the best, but many diets share common elements of eating patterns that are beneficial to our health. Maintaining a diet of minimally processed foods, mostly plants, and directly associated with health promotion and disease prevention.
The Mediterranean diet, which is defined by a high intake of fiber, moderate alcohol and meat consumption, antioxidant, and polyphenols, does have positive effects on heart disease, cancer risk, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. It is important to keep in mind that carbohydrate-selective diets are better than categorically low-carbohydrate diets. Incorporating whole grains is associated with lower risks for cancers and better control of body weight. This is because our bodies do in fact need carbs.
The Dash diet suggests that you consume too many carbohydrates and does not emphasize complex carbs, which are the better option when consuming carbs. Also, the Dash diet serving size recommendations are sceptical. They are often too large for a traditional serving size. This diet also provides certain examples of foods that can be eaten that in fact contain high amounts of preservatives, sugars, and salts.
The Mind diet, is great if you are primarily looking to target the care of your mental health. However, if you are looking to change your dietary habits to lean out and over all eat healthier on a regular basis this diet may recommend too many carbs similar to the Dash diet.
As a basic rule of thumb when it comes to finding a diet that works for you: you can’t go wrong with real whole foods. Food that is minimally processed or not processed at all is the best, and food that you buy raw or whole and then cook yourself is better too. When you cook foods yourself they are fresher, and cleaner because you know exactly what you are putting into it and can control how much of each ingredient goes into a dish. You can’t beat raw fruits and vegetables and lean meats.