NEW YORK
The bad news is it's not a revolutionary new exciting fad diet, but the good news is it works.
The diet stands for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes.
It came in 2nd place as the best overall diet according to U.S. News and World Report.
Here are the basics:
Less than 7 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat which means cut back on red meat and fried foods.
Also you should consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol a day, that's about the amount in 2 ounces of cheese.
You should eat more high fiber foods, fruits and vegetables.
The TLC diet is recommended by the National Institutes of Health in fact they created it.
"It's not just a diet but making these changes for life," said nutritionist Janet M. DeJesus.
Will these changes help you lose weight? She says they should.
"For example if your switching from a fatty cut of meat to a lean mean or a whole dairy product to a low fat or fat free dairy product it will lower your calories," adds DeJesus.
But the biggest benefit of the TLC diet is that it's proven to lower cholesterol.
In one small study of people with high cholesterol, those who followed the diet for 6 months saw their total cholesterol drop 30 points on average from 254.8 mg/dl to 224.2 mg/dl.
And this diet definitely needs dedication. You have to read nutrition labels, know how to look for saturated fat and cholesterol content. and unlike some fad diets there's no set meal plan but there are examples and recipes online.
LINK:
More info from US News and World Report
LINK: FULL GUIDE TO THE TLC DIET
LINK: New Cookbook from NIH: Deliciously Healthy Dinners
LINK: New Cookbook from NIH: Deliciously Healthy Family Meals
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