The Mayo Clinic Diet has been around for 72 years and was developed by a medical team of weight loss experts at the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center. It features Mayo-Clinic approved meal plans and recipes and virtual group video sessions with Mayo Clinic doctors as part of an all-new app and digital platform. In addition, the Mayo Clinic Diet is evolving from a focus on calorie-counting and one-size-fits-all meal plans based on the Dietary Guidelines and antiquated Food Pyramid, to a more personalized nutrition approach, with Healthy Keto, High Protein, Vegetarian, Mediterranean and Gut Health options.
It’s encouraging that a renowned health organization like the Mayo Clinic recognizes the efficacy of low carb diets and their positive impact on health markers, beyond just weight loss, and is now recommending low carb (Healthy Keto) as a viable option for people following the Mayo Clinic Diet.
Physicians and the medical community are starting to take notice of the proven science behind low carb diets, especially since this is the second health organization to do so. The American Diabetes Association updated their Standards of Medical Care to say, “Reducing overall carbohydrate intake for individuals with diabetes has demonstrated the most evidence for improving glycemia.” (blood sugar).
This gives me confidence that there still may be hope for modifying the United States Dietary Guidelines so that Americans are given guidance on how to make better food choices based on the science behind personalized nutrition; instead of a one-size-fits-all approach geared to the minority of the population that is metabolically healthy.
While I can’t comment on how the Mayo Clinic plans to execute their version of a “Healthy Keto” meal plan, as that information is not yet available, this new focus on personalized nutrition including low carb lifestyles is a step in the right direction.
