What Were The Trending Diets In 2021?

Posted On: September 25, 2021
Posted By: Terry Miriam

Dieting is much like dating – the dieting process can be so draining and daunting that you give up before you achieve your goal.

To make it easier for you, we’ve ranked the top diets to help make informed decisions on what you should eat.

Hopefully, our list of trending diets will help make informed decisions on the food to eat in 2021 or what you shouldn’t eat. Without further ado, here are the trending diets in 2021.

Mediterranean Diet

Largely inspired by the conventional eating patterns of southern Greece and Italy. The Mediterranean diet is considered a gold standard in preventing disease because of its great combination of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Rich in fish, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fresh fruit, this diet offers many health benefits including improved quality of life, reduced risks of diseases, and increased life expectancy. Moreover, this diet is very easy to adopt.

The good news is the Mediterranean diet does not require any rigorous restrictions or calorie counting. The diet only recommends eating legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fresh fruits with moderate portions of shellfish and fish for protein. Also, the diet emphasizes extra virgin oil as the main source of fat and allows for moderate amounts of red wine.

Foods To Eat

Extra virgin olive oil
Fish
Legumes, nuts, and whole grains
Vegetables and fresh fruits

What Not To Eat

Sweets
Processed meats
Red meats

Flexitarian Diet

Commonly known as a semi-vegetarian diet, research shows emerging health benefits related to the flexitarian diet including diabetes prevention, metabolic health, and weight loss. This diet largely emphasizes a large vegan plate with the occasional serving of fish or meat- it’s also a perfect choice for people that want to enjoy the benefits of a plant-based diet.

A flexitarian diet is exactly as the name suggests. It’s flexible with no precise definition, but it’s characterized by the fact that it’s mainly plant-based with the inclusion of fish or meat. Some common iterations of this flexitarian diet include restricting fish, poultry, or red meat, either weekly or monthly.

Foods To Eat

Legumes and whole grains
Fruits
Vegetables

What Not To Eat

Eggs and dairy
Fish
Poultry and red meat

Mayo Clinic Diet

Created by a team of experienced weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic, a renowned nonprofit academic medical center. Mayo diet emphasizes low-fat protein sources, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Unlike other diets, this diet also emphasizes lifestyle changes. It educates the followers about health aspects that go beyond what to eat such as menu planning and exercise, to take a holistic approach to health.

The mayo clinic diet comprises two parts, part one which is a 2-week phase that’s developed to help followers lose between 6 and 10 pounds, and part two that focuses on long-term well-being. Followers are required to abide by the rules and hit a certain serving and calorie goal, that’s often based on the follower’s sex and weight. Like other trending diets, this diet does not eliminate any foods but rather limits the servings.

Foods To Eat

Whole grains
Vegetables
Fruits

What Not To Eat

Added sugars
Trans and saturated fats
Sweets

DASH Diet

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet, as its commonly known, was developed to help improve heart health. The diet takes a lower sodium eating approach and research shows the diet is very effective in reducing blood pressure.

The DASH diet usually recommends foods rich in low-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruits and is very limited in saturated fats. Followers can use the chart to measure their calorie needs and then determine how many servings from each food they should eat.

Foods To Eat

Fruits and vegetables
Fish, poultry, and meat
Grains

What Not To Eat

Foods high in saturated fat
Added sugars and sweets

Nordic Diet

This Nordic diet is filled with nutrients, with several researchers confirming the diet’s nutritional value. Essentially, studies show the diet can lead to low blood pressure, better insulin sensitivity, improved blood lipid profile, low risk of disease, and reduce risk of stroke. Also, it satisfies both micro and macronutrient intake recommendations. All the ingredients are easily available at the local grocery stores.

In the same way as the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet has a lot to do with the area it’s named after and replicates diet plans in northern Europe. The diet emphasizes eggs, fish, berries, root vegetables, and fruits and uses meat as a side dish.

Foods To Eat

Eggs and fish
Legumes
Vegetables
Fruit

What Not To Eat

Desserts and sweets
Dairy
Poultry and meat products

Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet is a great eating plan for individuals who don’t want or simply can’t cook. Most of the meals included in this diet comprise the basic ingredients that the Paleolithic ancestors ate and a wide range of meal delivery options as well as prepackaged foods found at local grocery stores.

Foods To Eat