How We Review Diets at Healthline

Whether you’re aiming to drop a few pounds or simply embrace healthier eating habits, there are countless diet options available. At Healthline, our goal is to sift through the overwhelming amount of information to help you choose an eating plan that is nutritionally balanced, fits your daily routine, and supports long-lasting wellness. Our Brand and Content Integrity team, alongside registered dietitians, carefully examines each diet and assigns scores based on solid evidence. Continue reading to understand our process for reviewing diets.

Defining a “Diet”

At Healthline, we use the term “diet” to encompass two broad types:

• Lifestyle Diets: These are eating patterns based on specific nutritional guidelines, such as the Mediterranean, plant-based, or keto diets.
• Commercial Diet Programs: These structured plans typically require a membership or subscription, offering additional features like personal coaching and digital resources to facilitate weight loss.

While our registered dietitians and editorial team evaluate every diet we cover, lifestyle diets, being general approaches rather than official products or services, are not scrutinized by our Brand and Content Integrity team.

Rigorous Review Process

Every branded diet or program featured on Healthline goes through an exacting review. During this process, we assess commercial diet plans for:

• Medical credibility
• Business practices and standards
• The validity of marketing claims
• Their overall approach to health and well-being

Although we never advocate for diets that don’t pass our strict criteria, we might still discuss them—always clarifying where they fall short.

Scoring by Registered Dietitians

Both lifestyle and commercial diets are evaluated by our team of registered dietitians. They use an evidence-backed scorecard that measures diets in five key areas:

• Weight Loss: Looks at the effectiveness for both short-term and sustained weight reduction.
• Adherence: Considers how easily the diet can be maintained over time and what support tools are offered.
• Whole Body Health: Evaluates if the plan supports overall health, including sleep and physical activity, and fosters a positive relationship with food.
• Nutrition Quality: Reviews whether the diet promotes balanced, whole-food eating or relies on supplements to compensate for nutrient gaps.
• Health Promotion: Assesses whether there’s evidence that the diet can help manage or lower the risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.

Each category is scored from 0 to 5, with a detailed breakdown that highlights each diet's strong points and areas for improvement. We then average these scores to generate an overall rating.

Determining the Best Diet for You

We recognize that there’s no one-size-fits-all perfect diet. Instead, our mission is to feature diets that are rooted in scientific evidence and offer a practical, safe route to wellness. Our registered dietitians examine each plan to determine its suitability for various lifestyles. We steer clear of endorsing detoxes, crash diets, or plans that require long-term extreme calorie restriction, as well as those overly dependent on nutritional supplements. Our priority is to recommend diets that advocate for a diverse selection of whole foods.

Meet Our Experts

The following professionals have been instrumental in shaping our diet evaluation methodology:

• Lisa Valente, MS, RD: A seasoned registered dietitian with over a decade of experience in health and nutrition journalism. Lisa is passionate about simplifying intricate scientific data without compromising accuracy. She earned her master’s in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and completed her internship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
• Kelli McGrane, MS, RD: As a registered dietitian, cookbook author, and nutrition commerce editor at Healthline, Kelli is dedicated to proving that healthy eating can be straightforward and enjoyable. She holds both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutritional science from Boston University and has an extensive background working in clinical settings and research.
• Brooke Mathe, MS, CSCS: With a deep commitment to health education, fitness, and wellness programming, Brooke contributes her expertise to our Medical Integrity team, ensuring the accuracy of our content. She holds a master’s degree in exercise science and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

In Summary

At Healthline, we realize that nutrition is the cornerstone of overall health. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet not only supports everyday energy but also reduces the risk of chronic conditions. Our comprehensive reviews and evidence-based scoring system are designed to empower you to make informed choices about your eating habits. While we don’t prescribe one definitive diet for everyone, we provide you with the insights needed to discuss your options with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional with confidence.