The 3 Healthiest Diets

Top 3 Healthiest Diets According to 2025 Rankings:

Each year, U.S. News & World Report evaluates and ranks popular diets based on criteria such as nutritional completeness, health benefits, sustainability, and ease of adherence. For 2025, the top three diets are the Mediterranean, DASH, and Flexitarian diets. Here is a quick explanation of the Top 3:

#1 - 🥗 Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet draws inspiration from the traditional eating habits of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It emphasizes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, with moderate intake of fish and poultry, and limited consumption of red meat and sweets. This diet is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which contribute to its cardiovascular benefits.

Research has linked the Mediterranean diet to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Its emphasis on plant-based foods and healthy fats supports overall health and longevity.

#2 - 🩺 DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Developed to combat high blood pressure, the DASH diet emphasizes the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products while limiting sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars. Rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, the DASH diet supports blood pressure regulation and overall cardiovascular health.

Clinical studies have demonstrated the DASH diet's effectiveness in lowering blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels.

#3 - 🌱 Flexitarian Diet

The Flexitarian diet is a flexible approach that primarily focuses on plant-based foods while allowing occasional consumption of meat and animal products. It encourages the intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and plant-based proteins, promoting a balanced and varied diet.

This diet has been associated with benefits such as weight management, improved metabolic health, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Email me at andy@vest.media if you have had success or negative experiences with any of these diets that you wanted to share!

Also feel free to email me to simply say hello and introduce yourself—We had a few readers respond to an email recently about my 30-day gluten-free challenge, and I got some amazing responses from you folks.

For everyone who was kind enough to send me an email, I hope I responded to all of your comments and questions!

One secret to perfectly-cooked salmon:

Fish, in general, are expensive to purchase fresh at the store. It’s often a bit intimidating for home cooks to prepare, as the flesh is quite delicate and easy to overcook.

In culinary school, one of my favorite techniques for cooking salmon involves “deep-poaching”, or cooking the salmon fillets slowly submerged in a fish stock (or a slightly acidic fish fumet) until the flesh is just cooked-through.

Instead of “boiling” the fillets in liquid that is around 212F, the temperature of the cooking liquid remains steady at around 160-165F, which allows the flesh to slowly come up to temperature with less risk of overcooking.

If you leave the skin on during the cooking process, it can easily be peeled off and removed once the fillet is taken out of the poaching liquid.

I love this “deep-poaching” cooking method for all types of fish, as it gives you a bit more flexibility and time to arrive at your perfect desired consistency.

Deep-poaching is also a wonderful “oil-free” healthy cooking method.

In case you wanted to start making your own sourdough bread at home, we have devised some amazing gluten-free recipes!

Making the perfect loaf is a challenge (especially a gluten-free one!). But it is easier than you think!

If you want an easy, simple, perfect bake every time…Check out this gluten-free baking guide from Bloom Healthy!

It’s an opportunity to get the incredible benefits of gluten-free sourdough for life.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming online sourdough bread baking course!

-Andy (Editor, Bloomcooking.com)