Mediterranean diet ranked best overall diet by U.S. News and World Report

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in health rankings and consumer advice, today announced the 2025 Best Diets. The 15th edition of Best Diets shifts from ranking diets to rating diets, examining 38 diets among 21 categories. The Mediterranean diet is again the most highly-rated diet across many categories – the best of the best among 2025 Best Diets.

“Best Diets’ updated rating evaluation system reflects the diverse needs and goals of individuals, considering factors beyond weight loss,” said Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health at U.S. News. “By moving away from a ranked list of diets and nearly doubling our number of evaluated health and lifestyle categories, U.S. News aims to provide consumers with a more personalized experience as they consider their health priorities and eating goals.”

The focus of healthy eating has evolved beyond weight loss, encompassing overall well-being and chronic disease prevention. U.S. News added 12 new Best Diets categories for evaluation, all focused on specific health and lifestyle needs:

The 2025 edition of Best Diets also features 13 newly evaluated diets:

U.S. News’ evaluation of diets follow a methodology devised by U.S. News in partnership with The Harris Poll, which factors in evaluations from 69 expert panelists-including medical doctors, registered dietitians, nutritional epidemiologists, chefs and weight loss researchers.

2025 Best Diets Ratings

The following is a selection of U.S. News’ 2025 rated diet categories. Note that each specific diet rating varies by evaluated category. See all of the 2025 Best Diets here.

Best Overall Diets

Mediterranean Diet (4.8 rating)

DASH Diet (4.6 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (4.5 rating)

MIND Diet (4.4 rating)

Best Diets for Diabetes

Mediterranean Diet (4.7 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (4.1 rating)

DASH Diet (3.8 rating)

MIND Diet (3.8 rating)

Best Diets for Gut Health

Mediterranean Diet (4.3 rating)

Vegan Diet (4.1 rating)

DASH Diet (4.1 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (4.1 rating)

MIND Diet (4.1 rating)

Best Diet for IBS

Low-FODMAP Diet (4.8 rating)

Best Diets for Menopause

Menopause Diet (4.6 rating)

Mediterranean Diet (4.3 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (3.9 rating)

MIND Diet (3.9 rating)

DASH Diet (3.8 rating)

Best Diets for Mental Health

Mediterranean Diet (4.6 rating)

MIND Diet (4.4 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (3.8 rating)

DASH Diet (3.4 rating)

Best Diets for Weight Loss

WeightWatchers (4.3 rating)

Mediterranean Diet (3.9 rating)

Volumetrics (3.8 rating)

Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets

Jenny Craig Diet (3.7 rating)

SlimFast Diet (3.6 rating)

Keto Diet (3.6 rating)

Nutrisystem Diet (3.6 rating)

WeightWatchers (3.6 rating)

South Beach Diet (3.4 rating)

Atkins Diet (3.3 rating)

Best Heart-Healthy Diets

DASH Diet (4.9 rating)

Mediterranean Diet (4.8 rating)

Flexitarian Diet (4.3 rating)

MIND Diet (4.3 rating)

Vegan Diet (4.3 rating)

TLC Diet (4.2 rating)

Cleveland Clinic Diet (4.1 rating)

Those looking to choose a diet that’s right for them should consult a medical professional as part of their decision-making process.