Healthy Food = A Healthy Diet? Not Necessarily.
My lunch on a hike in Switzerland Organic, whole grain, natural, unprocessed. These words carry visions of ideal diets, of pure and clean eating, of good health. US News and World Report’s recent article summarized the healthiest diets, from The DASH diet at the top of the list to The Paleo near the bottom. A panel of experts reviewed each plan for safety and nutritional value—then ranked the best down to the worst plans for health and weight control. Here’s a brief summary of a few of their findings—with my interpretation added. You didn’t think I’d let this pass without putting in my two cents, did you? DASH diet Never heard of it? Not surprising, unless you, like me, have high blood pressure. DASH, an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is shown to be as effective against hypertension as medication, when compared side by side in studies. Its key elements are large quantities of fruits and vegetables, and inclusion of three low fat dairy products dai...