Why the DASH, Mediterranean diets are the best ways to eat

Looking to mix up your menu for 2018? You might want to consider taking a culinary trip to the Mediterranean.

The diet emphasizing fish, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables tied as the best diet for 2018, according to U.S. News and World Report, which evaluated 40 of the most popular diets with health experts. The Mediterranean diet tied with the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the government-backed plan aimed at helping followers lower their blood pressure.

According to the evaluation, the Mediterranean diet is easier to follow, mostly because the DASH diet requires uses to cut their salt intake, but DASH ranked slightly higher for weight loss.

Both plans also ranked highest among heart-healthy and diabetes diets.

Ranking third overall is the flexitarian diet, a vegetarian option where followers can still eat meat occasionally.

Weight Watchers ranked fourth best overall, and third as the best weight-loss diet and best commercial diet.

At the bottom of the list? The extreme low carb, high fat “fat-burning” keto diet tied with the protein-based, low-carb Dukan diet.

The rankings were created with help from a panel of health experts who weighed each diet across several categories such as long-term and short-term weight loss, and diets that were easy to follow.