The Mayo Clinic Diet—recently revamped as the New Mayo Clinic Diet—is considered one of the best eating plans out there, even snagging a spot on the Forbes Health Best Diets ranking.
The diet centers around a food pyramid, encouraging the consumption of low-energy-dense fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Read on to find out if this eating plan could be right for you.
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Mayo Clinic Diet Plan
- Personalized Mayo Clinic-approved meal plans and recipes
- Habit Optimizer to swap unhealthy habits for healthy ones
- Meal plan options such as Keto, Higher Protein, Vegetarian and Mediterranean
- Guidance on topics like behavior change, nutrition, sleep and stress management
- Practical at-home workouts, no equipment required
What Is the New Mayo Clinic Diet?
Created by a team of doctors and weight loss experts at the Mayo Clinic in 1949 and published in the Mayo Clinic Diet manual, this healthy approach to eating has sustained the test of time.
The current New Mayo Clinic Diet heavily relies on information from the 2016 book New Mayo Clinic Diet by Donald Hensrud, M.D., associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and medical director for the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, in conjunction with an online platform provided by Digital Wellness. It takes a holistic approach to health and is intended as a way of living.
“It’s less about counting calories and more about being empowered with knowledge and understanding to reach and maintain a healthy weight,” says Dr. Hensrud. “It’s more than a diet—it’s a lifestyle change program.”
The eating plan is broken down into two phases, one focused on shedding weight and the other on maintaining healthy habits. The diet doesn’t require calorie counting, although if members prefer to track calories, there is an interactive journal that tracks them for you. The program focuses on modifying your habits and getting enough of the right food group, and also encourages exercise and discourages sedentary behavior.
The membership cost ranges from $19.99 to $49.99 a month, based on the selected subscription plan. It includes personalized Mayo Clinic-approved meal plans and recipes, a food tracker with a database of more than one million foods, equipment-free workouts, tools to track progress, access to Mayo Clinic content, access to a members-only private Facebook group and virtual group sessions with Mayo Clinic doctors.
How Does the New Mayo Clinic Diet Work?
The New Mayo Clinic Diet is a holistic program built on a digital platform that focuses on maximizing weight loss. It’s flexible, offering members the ability to choose a meal plan from a variety of options, including Mediterranean, healthy keto, vegetarian, higher protein and the original Mayo Clinic meal plan.
Each meal plan comes with a menu of dishes and detailed instructions on how to make them, along with the nutritional value of each meal. A sample menu for the Mediterranean meal plan, for example, offers recipes for a breakfast of quick roasted tomato and feta bruschetta, a lunch of Italian chicken bread salad, dinner consisting of fish stew with green beans, cherry tomatoes, blueberry and almond yogurt and a snack of vegetables and fruit.
There are two phases to the Mayo Clinic weight loss program—the first focuses on losing weight while the second is all about sustaining that weight loss. The “Lose It!” phase is a two-week phase in which members learn how to add five healthy habits and break five unhealthy habits. Members may lose up to six to 10 pounds during this phase.
In the second phase, called “Live It!”, the weight loss goal shifts to one to two pounds a week. This phase is designed to be a lifelong approach to health, and builds on the healthy habits established during the first phase, learning more about food choices, portion sizes, menu planning, physical activity, exercise and sticking to healthy habits by following the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid (described in detail below).
Foods to Eat on the New Mayo Clinic Diet
The New Mayo Clinic Diet encourages the consumption of low-calorie fruits and vegetables, whole grains and proteins. The plan is structured around the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, a five-tier food pyramid that encourages people to prioritize food groups starting with the first level and progressively limiting items on each following level.
Foods in the first tier are the lowest in energy density (calories) and should form the basis of a healthy diet. As you move up the pyramid, the food groups become higher in energy density, or are more calorie dense, and should be included less frequently and in smaller portions. In order to maximize weight loss, the Mayo Clinic Diet recommends limiting foods in the upper tiers.
First Tier
Unlimited consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly encouraged. “The New Mayo Clinic Diet encourages virtually unlimited consumption of fruits and vegetables, so members don’t have to worry about feeling starved because they’re on a ‘diet,’” says Dr. Hensrud.
Second Tier
Carbohydrates make up the second tier. This group includes brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta and whole wheat bread, which should be consumed in moderate amounts.
Third Tier
Protein and dairy is the next emphasized group, which should be consumed in moderation. Examples of healthy protein sources include legumes, fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy products.
Fourth Tier
Healthy fats—including avocados, nuts, canola and olive oil—may be consumed in moderation.
Fifth Tier
Candy and other processed sweets are not forbidden on the New Mayo Clinic Diet, but they should only be eaten on occasion and in small quantities.
Indeed, the diet isn’t restrictive—sweets, treats and alcohol are allowed on occasion. And for people following the healthy keto meal plan, carbohydrates are minimized but not excluded.
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The Mayo Clinic Diet's weight loss program that features a comprehensive, whole-health menu program developed and approved by Mayo Clinic. Our flexible meal plans fit into any lifestyle, and our easy to prepare recipes show you how good food can be great — and great for you, too.
Benefits of the New Mayo Clinic Diet
The New Mayo Clinic Diet may offer the following benefits:
It Emphasizes Plant-Based Eating
The New Mayo Clinic Diet puts great emphasis on plant foods, including vegetables, fruits and whole grains. “This can help assure you’re getting plenty of health-protective nutrients and fiber,” says Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian nutritionist, plant-forward culinary nutritionist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member.
It Encourages Exercise
The New Mayo Clinic Diet encourages exercise, which is built into the food pyramid. The diet suggests at least 30 minutes of activity every day, and the app offers equipment-free workouts. Regular exercise yields a plethora of benefits for your physical and mental health.
It May Help You Lose Weight
The New Mayo Clinic Diet is designed to help you lose up to 10 pounds during the initial two-week phase and then one to two pounds a week thereafter until you reach your goal weight. Indeed, a study in The Journal of Nutrition found a high-carbohydrate, high-fiber and low-fat diet (like that recommended by the New Mayo Clinic Diet) may encourage weight loss[1]Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. A High-Carbohydrate, High-Fiber, Low-Fat Diet Results in Weight Loss among Adults at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition, 2017;147(11):2060-2066. .
It’s Easy to Follow
The New Mayo Clinic Diet may be easier to commit to than many other diets. “The Mayo Clinic Diet approach can be individualized, and you don’t need to be a calorie counter to follow it,” says Newgent. “A personalized approach is always advisable for longer-term weight management success—helping to transform a ‘diet’ into a lifestyle.”
It Doesn’t Involve Processed Foods
Many commercial diets rely heavily on processed meals or snacks, which may be lower in calories but contain ingredients that may be harder to digest. “Special shakes, bars or other curious diet potions are not required,” says Newgent. “So you can focus on wholesome foods, which aren’t overly processed, to make sure you’re getting optimal nourishment.”
Drawbacks of the New Mayo Clinic Diet
There could be some downsides to the New Mayo Clinic Diet, such as the following:
It May Be Costly and/or Time Consuming
Because the New Mayo Clinic Diet relies on whole foods as opposed to processed foods and an abundance of produce, it may cost more than other diets. Also, meals need to be prepared, which is more time consuming than popping a pre-made, frozen meal in the microwave.
The “Lose It!” Phase May Be Too Restrictive
The initial “Lose It!” phase can be too restrictive and too low in calories for some people, says Newgent. “Like any diet with a restrictive initial phase, following the Mayo Clinic diet may keep people on a path of disordered eating,” she says. “Also, since it’s a ‘diet,’ following it may lead to short-term results.”
It Involves a Commitment
The New Mayo Clinic Diet is for people who are ready to commit to making a real change in their lives. “It may not be right for those who are not ready for change or do not have the time to start a weight loss program,” says Dr. Hensrud.
Is the New Mayo Clinic Diet Right for You?
The New Mayo Clinic Diet might be especially helpful for people who have tried other diets and are looking for a more sustainable, holistic weight loss solution. “Weight loss does not have to be drudgery. It can—and should be—a practical and enjoyable way to live,” says Dr. Hensrud.
“Overall, the Mayo Clinic Diet is based on solid guidance,” adds Newgent. However, she does recommend skipping the restrictive “Lose It!” phase and sticking to the nutritionally sound “Live It!” phase instead if you plan to follow it.