When the new year rolls in, everyone seems to be eating healthier—or at least differently—for a couple of weeks, anyway. Suddenly, your vocabulary expands: keto, paleo, low-FODMAP, Mediterranean, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, carnivore, raw. Even baby food is on the menu in 2026, too.
The resolution to “eat healthier” is everywhere—but what does it actually mean? For some, it’s simple: more fruits and vegetables. For others, it meansbuilding muscle, lowering blood pressure, or easing inflammation. To decode the diet chatter, read on.
Mediterranean Diet—All about balance: fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and poultry. This fiber-forward diet limits red meat and processed foods, supports heart and mental health, and topped U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Diets list. Think greens, tomatoes, fish, olive oil, beans, and legumes à la Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey.
Vegetarian vs. Vegan vs. Plant-Based—Vegetarians skip meat but still eat eggs, dairy, and honey. Vegans avoid all animal products. Plant-based diets focus on adding seeds, beans, nuts, fruits, and veggies—not necessarily cutting out meat. And “flexitarians” are mostly meat-free.
DASH—Short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, DASH aims to keep hearts happy with low sodium and plenty of potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein.
Paleo—Throwback dining, 10,000 B.C.–style. Inspired by hunter-gatherers, it favors meat, fish, eggs, produce, nuts, and seeds—and waves goodbye to grains, dairy, and anything highly processed.
This article originally appeared in the February 2026 issue.
