An expert panel selected the Keto Diet as the worst diet in 2022, getting low marks in all categories except "short-term weight reduction."
It was ranked 37th in the Best Diets Overall 2022, a yearly list compiled by U.S. News that examines some of the most popular—and lesser-known—diets, such as the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet, and Intermittent Fasting.
The Best Diets Overall list, now in its 12th year, sees editors and reporters spend months examining medical publications, government papers, and other resources to compile "in-depth profiles" of each diet.
These profiles are then reviewed by a team of 27 medical experts in the fields of diet, nutrition, obesity, and food psychology.
Each diet is scored in seven categories, including its ability to achieve short- and long-term weight loss, ease of implementation, safety, and promise for preventing and controlling diabetes and heart disease.
Keto may be a popular diet among some celebrities (Halle Berry, anyone? ), but it scored poorly in every category except its ability to produce short-term weight loss, for which it received a 3.7 out of 5 ratings. What is the overall score? A meager 2.0.
One expert stated that "this diet contradicts all we know about long-term health."
What makes specialists believe that Keto is unsuccessful for long-term weight loss?
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that is intended to induce your body into a condition known as "ketosis," in which your body lacks enough carbs to burn for energy and instead begins to burn fat.
According to U.S. News experts, this diet is incredibly difficult to follow. Even those who do notice short-term improvements struggle to keep the weight off in the long run.
One specialist stated, "People become quite tired of only eating fatty meals, fat and meat." Another called it "the worst of the hard." (Perhaps this explains why modified diets like the "lazy keto" have sprung up.)
The keto diet received a 1.6 out of 5 for being "very inadequate" in terms of nutrition, and it performed poorly in terms of controlling or preventing diabetes (2.6/5) and heart disease (1.9/5).
One expert remarked that "any diet that encourages nibbling on bacon cannot be considered seriously as a healthy way to eat."
Although it was not considered in the Best Diets Overall rankings, the keto diet may have a negative influence on your libido due to its daily carbohydrate intake of only 20g to 50g.
According to dietician Lily Soutter, "some evidence shows that an extremely low carbohydrate diet may produce a decline in thyroid function, which not only leads to exhaustion and bad mood but may also severely influence libido."
"Long-term, a reduced carbohydrate intake may decrease our production of a hormone called leptin, which may eventually interfere with our body's ability to balance sex hormones."
What other diets should we avoid?
Technically, keto did not finish dead last in the rankings. The Modified Keto Diet (a less extreme form of the keto diet), the Dukan Diet, and the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet tied for 37th position.
The Dukan diet, which has four phrases and a rigorous set of rules about what you may and may not eat, was determined to be extremely restricted, with too much protein and too few vegetables. The GAPS diet, which includes a six-phase stringent initial detoxification procedure, was found to be extremely restrictive, with no medical evidence to back it up.
Which diet was the best overall?
It should come as no surprise that the Mediterranean Diet was voted first overall, with experts claiming that it is balanced, easy to follow, healthy, and effective for both short-term and long-term weight reduction (albeit it does not promise quick weight loss—and should not).
While some individuals are concerned that a diet high in fats such as olive oil, olives, avocados, and cheese would keep them obese, an emerging body of data indicates the reverse is true. Over a 12-year period, one such study of more than 32,000 Italians discovered that the Mediterranean diet was related to lower levels of weight gain and a smaller rise in waist circumference.
The diet at number two may not be well-known, but it is worth investigating. The DASH diet, which stands for 'dietary approaches to reduce hypertension,' promotes all of the items you already know are good for you (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy) while opposing the less healthy foods (anything high in saturated fat).
It also promotes simple changes such as adding one serving of fruit or vegetable to each meal, using herbs and spices to make meals taste better without salt, and snacking on almonds or walnuts instead of chips.
32,000 Italians discovered that the Mediterranean diet was related to lower levels of weight gain and a smaller rise in waist circumference.
Which diets were best for fast weight loss?
Although Keto promises to help you lose weight quickly, it did not even rank first among the greatest fast weight-loss diets (it was ranked fourth). That unfortunate honor goes to the Atkins diet, which mostly eliminates carbohydrates and ranks very low in terms of health (2.0/5) and ease of implementation (1.7/5).
The meal-replacement Human Management Resources (HMR) Program, which replaces meals with shakes, came in second place, while the OPTAVIA diet, which replaces meals with shakes, bars, and soups, came in third place.
We cannot suggest any of these diets; the key to good health is a diversified diet and long-term behaviors, not sipping soup for the rest of your life.
Of course, don't just take our word for it. The greatest place to start if you want to modify your eating habits in 2022 isn't with a celebrity or an Instagram influencer. It's talking to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
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