The award-winning mediterranean diet It once again won the 2025 “best of the best” award from US News & World Report, which annually publishes a list of the most and least beneficial diets, classified by nutrition professionals.
The — which is more of a lifestyle than a diet — has been receiving top awards since 2019 for its focus on the consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil, nuts and seeds, as well as emphasizing the importance of family meals , among friends and daily exercise.
The diet also reduces the consumption of sweets and recommends small amounts of dairy and meat, especially red meat. Fish, however, is a staple food, especially fatty fish such as sardines.
In previous years, the report ranked diets from No. 1 to about No. 40, with the diet at the top of the list winning the symbolic gold medal while diets at the bottom were banned from any proximity to the podium.
“There used to be a long list of diets, with several at the bottom, that, frankly, no one should pay much attention to,” says Gretel Schueller, health editor at U.S. News & World Report, who oversees the annual diet rankings.
This year, however, the report takes a different approach, asking nutrition judges to award diets up to five stars, similar to consumer rating systems on many commercial platforms such as Amazon.
“Pretty much any product or item you look for these days seems to be rated on a five-star scale,” explains Schueller. “We believe this new approach allows for more choices and a more personalized experience, considering people’s health priorities and dietary goals.”
The best classified
Using this new system, the trio of the Mediterranean, (Dietary Approaches to Reduce Hypertension) and Flexitarian diets received more than 4 stars as the best overall diets, best for healthy eating and easiest to follow.
The DASH diet emphasizes reducing salt intake to lower blood pressure, while the Flexitarian diet, as the name suggests, allows for occasional indulgences of meat or poultry in its vegetarian approach. All are plant-based diets that suggest limiting refined, ultra-processed foods, red meat and added sugars.
Classifying Diets by Health Conditions
The 2025 report also included new classifications for diets intended to help chronic conditions such as arthritis, diverticulitis, fatty liver disease and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as life stages such as .
Some medical associations recommend specific diets — the American Heart Association classifies the DASH diet as the best for heart health, as it is 100% aligned with heart-healthy eating goals. In the new report from US News & World Report, the DASH diet received the highest rating (4.9 stars) for heart health and blood pressure control.
Other medical groups, however, prefer a more personalized approach. For example, the so-called “menopause diet” received 4.6 stars from the report’s judges.
“There is no such thing as a ‘menopause diet’—the only diet proven to help with hot flashes is a whole-foods, plant-rich, low-oil, high-soy diet,” says Stephanie Faubion, director of the Center of Women’s Health at the Mayo Clinic in Florida and medical director of the Menopause Society.
While Faubion agrees with some menopause diet recommendations — such as avoiding eating close to bedtime — she criticized US News & World Report’s mention of Nutrisystem’s menopause diet, which is paid subscription-based.
“As a menopause doctor and scientist, I would not recommend that my patients rely on a paid menopause diet,” says Faubion. “This doesn’t help people understand what they should do in the long term and makes them depend on something ready-made, which is not sustainable.”
Consult your doctor about diets
Many of the new diet categories in the report revolve around digestive health and diets that claim to reduce inflammation in conditions like arthritis and gout.
“There is no one-size-fits-all diet for arthritis or gout,” says Jill Tyrer, editor of the Arthritis Foundation, in an email. “Plant-based diets low in sugar, unhealthy fats, salt and processed foods — such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets — are the best options to help manage these diseases.”
People with digestive problems should not use the US News & World Report rankings to decide their diet without first discussing it in detail with their doctor, according to Jesús Luévano Jr., assistant professor of gastroenterology at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.
“My concern is that people will see these rankings and assume that because they were made by nutrition experts that they are the final word, and therefore not have productive conversations with their doctors, who can really help them focus on the best foods for their health. them,” says Luévano.
“You need to do your homework, like keeping a food diary of what you’re eating, and then work with your doctor to decide what might be the best approach for your specific problem.”
Assessments for specific diseases
For conditions like fatty liver, inflammation, and overall gut health, the Mediterranean diet has received 4+ star reviews. For diverticulitis, a condition that causes painful, bulging pouches in the large intestine, the Mediterranean diet received 3.7 stars.
“For fatty liver and gallbladder disease, we recommend low-fat diets and the Mediterranean diet, as a diet with lean meats and healthy fats has been shown to be beneficial,” says Luévano.
For irritable bowel syndrome, the judges gave the low FODMAP diet 4.8 stars. Developed in Australia, it focuses on reducing foods and carbohydrates that ferment and create excess water in the intestine, causing cramps, pain and diarrhea.
“Because there are so many subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome, this is probably the best demonstration of why diet should be highly individualized,” concludes Luévano.
