US News & World Report

Best Diabetes Diets

Diet is a crucial tool for diabetics to manage their diabetes. Dieting can also help people who are overweight prevent type 2 diabetes. The experts who rated the diets below considered how good each diet is for both prevention and treatment of diabetes. DASH, an eating plan endorsed by the government, came out on top.

1. DASH Diet (3.6 out of 5.0)

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, edged out several other diets, in the judgment of our expert panelists. Its emphasis on whole grains, fruits, and veggies matches the sort of nutritional prescription that diabetics frequently hear their doctors recommend.

2. (tie) Mayo Clinic Diet (3.5 out of 5.0)

The Mayo Clinic Diet’s eating guidelines and fitness advice are a compelling combination for preventing or controlling diabetes. Its focus is on coaching dieters to develop healthy, lasting habits around which foods they choose to eat and which to avoid.

2. Ornish Diet (3.5 out of 5.0)

The Ornish diet is a good option for preventing or controlling diabetes, experts concluded. It's low in saturated fat and cholesterol, which matches the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, and it has been found to lower A1C level in diabetics, indicating a positive impact on their condition.

2. (tie) Vegan Diet (3.5 out of 5.0)

As a diet for combating diabetes, veganism tied with the Ornish and Mayo Clinic diets. Some experts said the vegan diet is a smart option for managing diabetes. It could also help prevent the condition, since it helps dieters drop pounds—and being overweight is one of the greatest risk factors for developing diabetes.

5. (tie) Mediterranean Diet (3.4 out of 5.0)

Experts gave this diet relatively high marks when it comes to preventing or controlling diabetes. Research suggests a healthy Mediterranean-style diet can reverse the metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that can lead to diabetes.

5. (tie) Vegetarian Diet (3.4 out of 5.0)

On the whole, experts think the vegetarian diet has good potential to help prevent or control diabetes. Done right, it emphasizes many of the foods Americans should eat to maintain a healthy, disease-free lifestyle.

5. (tie) Volumetrics Diet (3.4 out of 5.0)

Volumetrics may help prevent or control diabetes, according to experts. Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and Volumetrics can help you lose weight and keep it off—tilting the odds in your favor.

Which diets ranked 6-20? >>