Popular Fad Diets, Ranked From Best to Worst

Paleo Diet

This diet, although popular, is not very effective when it comes to weight loss. It is also not very convenient and hard to maintain in the long-term. Its rule is simple: any food which would not be available in the Paleolithic era must be cut out, which means that processed foods, refined sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains are not allowed. What is left is meats, fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. It is difficult to follow this diet as a lifestyle as it cuts off entire food groups, which is also deemed unhealthy by most doctors. And although it is not easy to lose weight, it is also not impossible, as the calories consumed can also be burned. The high point is that for those who like meat, there are great varieties of recipes to choose from.

Ketogenic Diet

Although this diet did not make it to the U.S. News' best 28 diets of the year, it is one of the top searched diets of 2016. Perhaps it is the fact that it is an extremely low-carb diet, high-fat diet that attracts people. This method was originally developed to treat epilepsy, as it also limits proteins. This fad diet is considered to be a "sustainable form of fasting," as told by Harvard Medical School professor, Gary Yellen. The human body normally relies on carbs to generate energy, so this diet will force it to burn healthy fats instead. An example of a ketogenic menu consists of eggs with olive oil and avocado for breakfast, leafy greens, salmon, nuts and olive oil for lunch, followed by steak, greens and more oil for dinner. Because this is a diet that in a way starves the body, it is better to seek a professional's assistance before beginning.