Another year has gone by, and another slew of diets have dominated people’s online searches. In the past, I have been disappointed in what diets appeared popular, and this year proves to be no different. However, I hold out hope that most of these diets were merely searched — not actually tried. Fingers crossed.
The most-Googled diets of 2018 were:
1. Keto Diet
In 2017, this diet was No. 6 on the list, and in 2018, it rose to the No. 1 spot. This only shows us, much to my chagrin, that the keto diet’s popularity continues to grow. Here’s the deal: The keto diet is very high in fat, supplies adequate protein and is very low in carbohydrates. There is a lot of research being conducted on the keto diet, and even though there are success stories being shared in the scientific community, it is still controversial. A diet very high in saturated fat remains associated with an increased risk of heart disease. And putting your body into a ketogenic state, which is caused by cutting way back on carbs, is not something you should take lightly. Side effects including increased urination, bad breath, fatigue, vomiting and confusion are common. Who’s still game?
[See: 10 Lessons From Extreme Dieting.]
2. Dubrow Diet
When a diet is created by reality stars (in this case, Heather Dubrow of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and her husband, Dr. Terry Dubrow, a Newport Beach plastic surgeon and star on “Botched”) , you should probably ask yourself if the diet is mostly hype. The Dubrow Diet, which is basically intermittent fasting with three different phases and lots of rules, is more about calorie restriction than anything else. As of today, it’s not clear from a scientific standpoint whether or not intermittent fasting is effective in achieving long-term weight loss. What is clear is that any diet with a third phase called “Look Hot While Living Like a Human” gets a hard pass from me — for now.
3. Noom Diet
Noom is an app that is designed to be your personal weight-loss coach, and it currently offers two 16-week programs — healthy weight and diabetes prevention — for a monthly fee. The company says its users have an average weight loss of 18 pounds in 16 weeks, which is refreshing since that’s considered a healthy weight-loss rate. Noom claims it uses lifestyle intervention techniques to help participants reach their goals. I can’t argue with what appears to be a rational approach to weight loss; however, everyone’s weight-loss journey is different, and an app may not be effective for some.
4. Carnivore Diet
Promoted by Dr. Shawn Baker, an orthopedic surgeon and fitness enthusiast whose medical license was revoked in 2017, this diet is exactly what it sounds like: meat only. It has been referred to as an extreme version of the keto diet and an even more extreme version of the p aleo diet, as if we needed that. What we know our bodies need — fruits and veggies packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to help prevent heart disease, certain cancers and lower the risk of stroke — is based on years and years of scientific research. I can’t say Baker hasn’t seen individual success on this eating regimen. However, I question who else will, especially long term.
5. Mediterranean Diet
How exciting that the Mediterranean diet moved from 10th place last year to fifth place now. The eating pattern, which was ranked the No. 1 overall diet by U.S. News experts, has been around forever, inspired by the eating habits of people in Greece, southern Italy and Spain. It encourages consumption of olive oil, legumes, whole grains (including pasta), fruits, veggies, fish and dairy. You can even enjoy wine on this plan. There is conclusive scientific evidence that this type of diet lowers the risk of heart disease. Since a diet usually conjures up thoughts of something you eventually go off, this diet really should just be called “healthy eating.”
[See: 7 Reasons to Try a Plant-Based Diet.]
6. Optavia Diet
Who remembers Medifast? Well, Optavia is essentially Medifast repackaged. The new Optavia diet includes access to a coach, who aims to help dieters achieve goals — and also makes a commission off the sale of products. Hmm. The diet offers three plans that include “fuelings” (the packaged foods you buy) and your own “lean and green meals” (a meal consisting of a meat, veggie and healthy fat). The eating plans are around 800 to 1,000 calories, so you will lose weight basically because you’re starving.
7. Dr. Gundry Diet
Dr. Gundry’s diet is based on the idea that lectins in the diet can cause inflammation or other harmful reactions in the body, which can make weight loss very hard to achieve. Lectins are substances that defend plants from insects and animals and, when digested by our bodies, bind to carbohydrates in general, particularly sugars. This diet contains three phases that appear to be rather strict. For example, in phase one, aka “The Teardown Stage,” you are encouraged to avoid grains, starchy vegetables, fruit and sugar. As always, I would question a plan that requires you to eliminate food groups. While there is some research to support a negative relationship between lectins and some autoimmune diseases, there is not enough evidence at this point to warrant it for most individuals, especially those looking to lose weight.
8. Fasting Diet
A fasting diet in today’s diet culture can mean a lot of different things, but at the end of the day, what all fasting diets have in common is calorie restriction. As with the Dubrow Diet, there is some promising research on intermittent fasting, but it’s not conclusive. I would suggest starting any type of fast with a little skepticism, especially if your goal is long-term weight loss.
9. Low-FODMAP Diet
I was happy to see the low- FODMAP diet on the list this year since there has been a growing body of scientific evidence to support its benefits for people with irritable bowel syndrome. FODMAPs are certain carbohydrates and, for some people, these particular types of carbs (but not all carbs) may cause gastrointestinal distress. When people with IBS remove FODMAPs from their diets, they often feel a whole lot better. Trust me: This isn’t a low-carb diet in disguise and it is difficult to follow. If you aren’t sensitive to FODMAP foods, there is absolutely no reason to start this diet.
[See: U.S. News’ Best 41 Diets Overall.]
10. Shepherd’s Diet
Moving down from the No. 8 spot last year, the Shepherd’s Diet remains a plan I can’t figure out. It appears to be based on guidance from the bible, and indicates foods you should and shouldn’t eat. It refers to “healing fats” and “holy fats,” supposedly turning your body into a fat-burning machine. I say “supposedly” because there is absolutely no scientific data to support the claims. The diet can only be purchased online, but hey, the sellers seem to offer a lot of discounts. And if “holy” diets are what interest you, you might want to check out the Daniel Fast. I guarantee next year, much to my dismay, it will make it on this list.
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The 10 Most Popular Diets of 2018, According to Google originally appeared on usnews.com
