Do the 10 Most Popular Diets Actually Work?

Find out which of the 10 most-searched diets could be a fit for you. (Photo: Yahoo Health/Getty Images)

The arguments about the “best” diet — Paleo or vegan? Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig? — are enough to make your head spin… and then make you say “screw it” and dive into a huge blueberry crunch-top muffin.

Recent research, however, supports the obvious: The best diet for you is one you’ll follow. In an analysis of nearly 50 studies involving more than 7,000 people, researchers found that participants lost roughly the same amount of weight no matter which diet they followed. “These findings support recent recommendations for weight loss in that most calorie-reducing diets result in clinically important weight loss as long as the diet is maintained,” the researchers write in JAMA. In addition, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that eating fewer calories — not following any particular diet — was the most important factor for fat loss. In fact, the breakdown of fat, carbohydrates, and protein in a diet “did not play a significant role” in how much fat the overweight and obese participants dropped.

Keep in mind that it’s important to get all of the nutrients your body needs, and diets that restrict a particular food category can make this difficult — sometimes exceedingly so. (Several of the diets below, including the Dukan Diet, the Atkins Diet, and South Beach Diet, have been criticized by nutritionists for not being well-rounded, sustainable plans.) And if you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, it’s always a good idea to talk with a doctor or nutritionist about your specific dietary needs.

So, which diet is best for you? Take a look at the 10 most-searched diets on Yahoo to learn more about how each one works.

Related: What One Can of Coke Does to Your Body in One Hour

1. Dukan Diet

(Photo: Dukan Diet)

This plan, which Kate Middleton reportedly followed in order to slim down for the royal wedding, is basically a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. The first phase of the Dukan Diet cuts out all food groups except for protein for the first two to seven days. Later phases gradually reintroduce vegetables and very limited amounts of carbohydrates and fat (via bread, fruit, and cheese).

1. Weight Watchers

(Photo: iStock)

Founded in 1963, the Weight Watchers program has changed with the times. Its trademark in-person weight-loss groups are still available, but you can also choose from an online-only plan, or one-on-one coaching plus online tools. The program assigns every food a certain number of points based on its calories and nutritional value, and members aim to stay under a certain number of points per day.

1. 21 Day Fix

(Photo: Beachbody)

Celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese is the creator of the 21 Day Fix program. The diet focuses on portion control, and the full program includes colorful containers to help keep your serving sizes in check for various types of foods. Calabrese, a certified personal trainer, also leads you through 30-minute cardio and strength workouts on DVDs.

1. Mediterranean Diet

(Photo: iStock)

Mediterranean-style diets are big on vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats (like olive oil). They generally include little red meat, emphasizing instead fish and poultry. Studies have shown numerous health benefits of this style of eating, including slowed cognitive decline, reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome, and possibly cancer prevention.

1. Atkins Diet

(Photo: iStock)

The Atkins Diet is a very-low-carbohydrate diet that makes the body burn stored fat for fuel (versus carbohydrates). The updated version of the diet, authored by three leading nutrition experts at highly esteemed U.S. universities, makes a point to emphasize eating a variety of non-starchy vegetables and high-quality whole foods.

1. Nutrisystem

(Photo: iStock)

Nutrisystem makes healthy eating simple: You order most of your food from the company, so you have built-in calorie restriction and portion control. The catch: If you’re not a fan of their pre-packaged meals, you’re out of luck.

1. Jenny Craig

(Photo: iStock)

The celebrity-endorsed Jenny Craig program combines pre-packaged meals with one-on-one coaching and online tools. Most of the meals are nutrient-rich, moderately low in fat, and high in fiber.

1. DASH Diet

(Photo: DASH Diet)

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; the diet is aimed to improve heart health and lower blood pressure. Studies confirm that the DASH diet significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart failure by 20 to 30 percent.

1. South Beach Diet

(Photo: Alisha Vargas/Flickr)

The South Beach Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet divided into three phases. Although the first phase is quite restrictive (no fruit, bread, or other carbohydrates), some carbs (such as whole-grain bread, fruit, and sweet potatoes) can be reintroduced in the later phases.

1. Anti-Inflammatory Diet

(Photo: Getty Images)

Andrew Weil, MD, advocates an eating plan that reduces inflammation in the body. (System-wide inflammation has been linked to many health problems, including heart disease; Weil claims that inflammation is “a root cause of many serious diseases.”) His anti-inflammatory diet pyramid is based on whole (non-processed) foods. Find out which of the 10 most-searched diets could be a fit for you. (Photo: Yahoo Health/Getty Images)

The arguments about the “best” diet — Paleo or vegan? Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig? — are enough to make your head spin… and then make you say “screw it” and dive into a huge blueberry crunch-top muffin.

Recent research, however, supports the obvious: The best diet for you is one you’ll follow. In an analysis of nearly 50 studies involving more than 7,000 people, researchers found that participants lost roughly the same amount of weight no matter which diet they followed. “These findings support recent recommendations for weight loss in that most calorie-reducing diets result in clinically important weight loss as long as the diet is maintained,” the researchers write in JAMA. In addition, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that eating fewer calories — not following any particular diet — was the most important factor for fat loss. In fact, the breakdown of fat, carbohydrates, and protein in a diet “did not play a significant role” in how much fat the overweight and obese participants dropped.

Keep in mind that it’s important to get all of the nutrients your body needs, and diets that restrict a particular food category can make this difficult — sometimes exceedingly so. (Several of the diets below, including the Dukan Diet, the Atkins Diet, and South Beach Diet, have been criticized by nutritionists for not being well-rounded, sustainable plans.) And if you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, it’s always a good idea to talk with a doctor or nutritionist about your specific dietary needs.

So, which diet is best for you? Take a look at the 10 most-searched diets on Yahoo to learn more about how each one works.

Related: What One Can of Coke Does to Your Body in One Hour

1. Dukan Diet

(Photo: Dukan Diet)

This plan, which Kate Middleton reportedly followed in order to slim down for the royal wedding, is basically a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. The first phase of the Dukan Diet cuts out all food groups except for protein for the first two to seven days. Later phases gradually reintroduce vegetables and very limited amounts of carbohydrates and fat (via bread, fruit, and cheese).

1. Weight Watchers

(Photo: iStock)

Founded in 1963, the Weight Watchers program has changed with the times. Its trademark in-person weight-loss groups are still available, but you can also choose from an online-only plan, or one-on-one coaching plus online tools. The program assigns every food a certain number of points based on its calories and nutritional value, and members aim to stay under a certain number of points per day.

1. 21 Day Fix

(Photo: Beachbody)

Celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese is the creator of the 21 Day Fix program. The diet focuses on portion control, and the full program includes colorful containers to help keep your serving sizes in check for various types of foods. Calabrese, a certified personal trainer, also leads you through 30-minute cardio and strength workouts on DVDs.

1. Mediterranean Diet

(Photo: iStock)

Mediterranean-style diets are big on vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats (like olive oil). They generally include little red meat, emphasizing instead fish and poultry. Studies have shown numerous health benefits of this style of eating, including slowed cognitive decline, reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome, and possibly cancer prevention.

1. Atkins Diet

(Photo: iStock)

The Atkins Diet is a very-low-carbohydrate diet that makes the body burn stored fat for fuel (versus carbohydrates). The updated version of the diet, authored by three leading nutrition experts at highly esteemed U.S. universities, makes a point to emphasize eating a variety of non-starchy vegetables and high-quality whole foods.

1. Nutrisystem

(Photo: iStock)

Nutrisystem makes healthy eating simple: You order most of your food from the company, so you have built-in calorie restriction and portion control. The catch: If you’re not a fan of their pre-packaged meals, you’re out of luck.

1. Jenny Craig

(Photo: iStock)

The celebrity-endorsed Jenny Craig program combines pre-packaged meals with one-on-one coaching and online tools. Most of the meals are nutrient-rich, moderately low in fat, and high in fiber.

1. DASH Diet

(Photo: DASH Diet)

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; the diet is aimed to improve heart health and lower blood pressure. Studies confirm that the DASH diet significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart failure by 20 to 30 percent.

1. South Beach Diet

(Photo: Alisha Vargas/Flickr)

The South Beach Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet divided into three phases. Although the first phase is quite restrictive (no fruit, bread, or other carbohydrates), some carbs (such as whole-grain bread, fruit, and sweet potatoes) can be reintroduced in the later phases.

1. Anti-Inflammatory Diet

(Photo: Getty Images)

Andrew Weil, MD, advocates an eating plan that reduces inflammation in the body. (System-wide inflammation has been linked to many health problems, including heart disease; Weil claims that inflammation is “a root cause of many serious diseases.”) His anti-inflammatory diet pyramid is based on whole (non-processed) foods.