Weight loss, to feel healthier, to prepare for a specific event, or just as a boost in the fitness journey, is on most people's bucket list. Rapid weight loss does need to be approached with care because of potential health risks. In that case, five of the well-researched diets from U.S. News & World Report on Best Diets can be of help in losing pounds efficiently in 2025.

Even when aiming for rapid results, balance and nutrition are key. Structure your meals as follows:

• Fill half your plate with non-starchy options like spinach, zucchini, and bell peppers.
• Include lean sources such as chicken, tofu, or eggs to preserve muscle mass.
• Add avocado, nuts, or olive oil for essential nutrients.
• Choose complex carbs like quinoa or sweet potatoes, but keep portions small.

Is Rapid Weight Loss Ever a Good Idea?

Rapid weight loss may be beneficial to people who face health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. In this regard, when their BMI is greater than 30, the very low-calorie diet may be recommended by physicians. These VLCDs may help in controlling risks and facilitating a healthier weight, which further minimizes the chances of suffering from severe conditions, including postmenopausal breast cancer and colon cancer.

For others, rapid weight loss may serve as a motivational impetus but should be balanced with efficacy and sustainability. A healthcare provider should be consulted before beginning any weight loss program.

5 Best Diets for Rapid Weight Loss in 2025

1. Jenny Craig Diet

The Jenny Craig Diet is a highly structured meal program that provides clients with prepackaged, portion-controlled foods to manage calorie intake while teaching them healthy eating habits. This also includes the practice of intermittent fasting for better effects.

One thing that differentiates Jenny Craig is one-on-one coaching. Members receive individualized advice on the timing of meals, portion control, and balanced eating, leading to sustainable weight loss. The average weight loss for participants is 1–2 pounds per week, which makes it a very practical approach for people seeking steady, fast results.

2. Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto, emphasizes high-fat and low-carb foods to induce ketosis, a state where the body burns fat for energy. This approach leads to significant weight loss, especially in the initial stages.

Beyond weight loss, keto is also said to improve mental acuity, energy, and stabilization of blood sugar. However, the diet's strictness comes at a great cost. Fattening avocado, fatty fish, nuts, and lean proteins are the stars, while carbohydrates in the form of bread, pasta, and sugar are banished.

3. SlimFast Diet

For individuals who want a convenient, time-saving diet, SlimFast offers effective meal replacement solutions in the form of shakes, bars, and smoothies. It is great for losing up to 20 pounds, meaning participants can get to their goals in 8–10 weeks.

While convenient, it's important to balance other meals with nutrient-rich foods in order to avoid deficiencies. SlimFast is ideal for a busy person who cannot find time for meal planning but wants to lose weight rapidly.

4. WeightWatchers Diet

WeightWatchers, recently branded as WW, combines the strengths of behavioral science, nutrition, and technology into a total solution for weight loss. In their point system, users get the freedom to choose from hundreds of foods.

WW is more than a weight loss program, offering programs designed for people with diabetes or those on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. The program is comprehensive with a strong app, recipes, and support groups, making it accessible and effective.

5. Volumetrics Diet

The Volumetrics Diet flips the conventional diet on its head, focusing on low-calorie-density foods that are high in nutrients. Think fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, and whole grains. Participants eat filling, water-rich foods, so they consume fewer calories while still feeling satisfied.

Volumetrics isn't a restriction diet but rather a lifestyle, teaching one portion control and how to eat. It's not a diet, as most of the ingredients can be sourced at any local grocery store.

Also Read: 20-Minute At-Home Pilates To Tone Up And Burn Fat

Essentials of Rapid Weight Loss

Though effective diets, rapid weight loss comes with its challenges:

Water Weight vs. Fat Loss

Many rapid plans will initially cause water loss, which is sure to return after the normal eating habit is resumed.

Sustainability

Fad diets will always create an urge to consume and hinder one's ability to stick to a diet for long periods of time.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Eliminating specific food groups entirely can lead to the omission of necessary vitamins and minerals.

These three challenges can be overcome by focusing on rapid weight loss as the stepping stone to good lifestyle changes. This should be complemented with exercise, mindful eating, and stress management to sustain progress.

Lifestyle Changes for Maintaining Weight Loss

Quick diets may be a great starting point, but sustainable lifestyle habits are essential for long-term success. These include regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and control of stressors. All of these can maintain a healthy weight.

In any case, all these diets focus on achieving one goal- that of general wellness. Begin small, and create a base upon which to sustain long-term outcomes.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any diet, especially if you have preexisting health conditions.

A particular brand of granola marketed for breastfeeding mothers has been recalled in the US over concerns that it could be contaminated with Salmonella.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said The Hampton Grocer, Inc. recalled around 8-ounce packages of its Lacnola Lactation Granola after being alerted by an ingredient supplier about possible contamination. No illnesses linked to the granola have been reported so far.

Popular Granola For New Mothers Recalled

The issue traces back to organic moringa powder, an ingredient that is used in the recalled granola. The Hampton Grocer was notified by its supplier, Food to Live, that a sample of its Organic SuperGreens Powder Mix had tested positive for Salmonella. The same supplier’s moringa powder is used in the affected Lacnola batches.

US FDA said that neither the finished Lacnola granola nor the specific moringa powder used in it had tested positive for Salmonella at the time of the recall. The exact source of possible contamination remains under investigation. The company has suspended production while the investigation continues.

Also read: 6-Year-Old Australian Kid Dies From Rarely Seen ‘19th Century Disease’: Why Is Scurvy Still A Risk Today?

Which Products Are Affected?

The recall applies specifically to 8-ounce pink stand-up pouches of Lacnola Lactation Granola with UPC 850035324554. Consumers should check the lot information printed on the back of the package. The affected products are:

• Lot HGLC-102125 | Expiration: October 21, 2026
• Lot HGLC-021326 | Expiration: February 13, 2027

The granola was sold nationwide through mail orders on The Hampton Grocer’s website and through Amazon between October 21, 2025 and August 12, 2026.

Also read: New Less-Toxic Radiation May Kill Cancer In Under 1 Second: All About FLASH Proton Therapy

What Is The Risk From Salmonella?

Salmonella is a kind of bacteria that can cause an infection called salmonellosis. It causes food-borne illnesses. In otherwise healthy people, this infection can commonly lead to symptoms like diarrhoea, fever, nausea, vomiting and stomach or abdominal pain. Symptoms can sometimes become severe, particularly when the infection spreads beyond the intestine.

The FDA notes that young children, older people and those with weak immunity are at greater risk of serious illness if they get infected by salmonella.

For breastfeeding mothers, the recall is particularly concerning because the product is specifically marketed as a lactation granola. However, the recall does not mean that Salmonella from contaminated food automatically passes into breast milk.

The immediate concern is the mother’s exposure to the contaminated granola and the possibility of foodborne illness. This could cause the mother as well as the newborn to get sick.

What Should You Do If You Have The Granola?

If you have Lacnola Lactation Granola at home, check the lot code and expiration date before eating it. If it matches either recalled lot, the FDA advises consumers to dispose of the product and contact the place of purchase for a refund.

The FDA says no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled granola to date. The recall is a precautionary measure while authorities and the company investigate the contamination.

Love your daily coffee but worried about bone health as you age? A new study suggests that drinking more than five cups of coffee a day may be linked to lower bone density in older women, while tea drinkers showed slightly higher hip bone density.

The findings, published in Nutrients, offer a closer look at how two of the world’s most popular beverages may be associated with bone health in older women. Importantly, moderate coffee consumption was not associated with overall harm to bone health.

“While calcium and vitamin D remain cornerstones of bone health, what’s in your cup could play a role too. For older women, enjoying a daily cup of tea may be more than a comforting ritual; it could be a small step toward stronger bones,” said Enwu Liu, Adjunct Associate Professor from the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University.

More Than 5 Cups Of Coffee Linked To Lower Bone Density

Also read: Coffee Is Good For The Heart, But Your Choice Of Brew May Raise Bad Cholesterol: American Heart Association

Researchers at Flinders University in Australia analyzed data from 9,704 women aged 65 and older who were followed for about 10 years.

The researchers repeatedly assessed how much coffee and tea the women consumed and measured bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip and femoral neck — areas closely linked to fracture risk.

They found that moderate coffee consumption — around two to three cups a day — was not associated with overall harm to bone health.

However, drinking more than five cups of coffee a day was linked to lower BMD, suggesting that very high coffee intake may have negative effects on bone health. The association was also stronger among women with higher lifetime alcohol consumption.

Importantly, the researchers found no significant overall association between coffee consumption and BMD. The potential link with lower BMD emerged when they examined very high coffee intake.

Tea Drinkers Had Slightly Higher Hip Bone Density

Tea showed a different pattern. Women who drank tea had slightly higher total hip BMD than women who did not drink tea. The difference was small but statistically significant.

The researchers also found that the association between tea consumption and higher bone density was more pronounced among women with obesity.

Read More: Can Drinking Coffee Make You Leaner, Healthier? Study Decodes The Link

Ryan Yan Liu, co-author of the study, explained that compounds called catechins, which are abundant in tea, may promote bone formation and slow bone breakdown.

Caffeine found in coffee, meanwhile, has been shown in laboratory studies to interfere with calcium absorption and bone metabolism. However, the researchers noted that these effects are small and can be offset by adding milk.

Should You Give Up Coffee?

Not necessarily. The researchers stressed that the differences observed were modest and do not justify dramatic changes to an individual’s daily habits.

“While moderate coffee drinking appears safe, very high consumption may not be ideal, especially for women who drink alcohol,” said Liu.

The findings also do not prove that coffee causes bone loss or that tea prevents osteoporosis. The study found associations between beverage consumption and bone mineral density in older women.

For women concerned about bone health, the researchers emphasized that calcium and vitamin D remain important.

The study suggests that what you drink may also play a small role — but there is no need to swap coffee for gallons of tea.

Vitamin D, better known as the sunshine vitamin, is not only important for bone health but also plays a role in maintaining muscle and cardiovascular function.

An animal study led by researchers at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, found that Vitamin D3 was more effective than Vitamin D2 in maintaining and restoring skeletal muscle and heart function in male rats.

Vitamin D2 Vs Vitamin D3: What’s The Difference?

Vitamin D occurs naturally in two forms: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin following exposure to sunlight and is also obtained from animal-based foods such as eggs, fish and organ meats, as well as supplements.

Vitamin D2 is derived from wild, cultivated or sun-dried mushrooms, UV-B-irradiated yeast, plant-based sources and some dietary supplements.

Amid increasing vitamin D deficiency, both forms are used for food fortification. However, D2 is preferred in some countries because of widespread vegetarianism and among people following strict vegan diets.

Also read: India Gets Its First Plant-Based Vitamin D3: What You Need to Know

How Was The Study Conducted?

Researchers compared the effects of Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 on skeletal muscle and cardiac parameters in rats during both maintenance and recovery from vitamin D deficiency.

The study used weaning male Sprague-Dawley rats, which were given diets containing Vitamin D2, Vitamin D3, a combination of both forms, or a vitamin D-deficient diet.

Researchers assessed several parameters, including body composition, muscle strength, skeletal muscle structure and metabolism, along with markers associated with cardiac function.

Vitamin D3 Showed Greater Benefits

The study found that Vitamin D3 produced greater improvements in muscle mass, muscle fibre size and grip strength compared with Vitamin D2.

Vitamin D3 also showed stronger effects on markers associated with muscle development and energy metabolism.

Similar differences were observed in cardiac parameters, with Vitamin D3 showing greater effects on markers related to cardiac contractility and metabolism.

The differences between the two forms were particularly pronounced during the recovery phase following vitamin D deficiency, according to the researchers.

Dr Ayesha Ismail, Scientist F at ICMR-NIN and corresponding author of the study, said both forms were effective in improving calcium-related parameters, but Vitamin D2 was less effective on several measures linked to muscle and heart structure and energy metabolism.

“Although both forms of vitamin D were effective in improving calcium-related parameters, vitamin D2 was less effective than vitamin D3 in several parameters related to muscle and heart structure and energy metabolism,” Ismail said, ANI news agency reported.

Read More: Sweetener In Sugar-Free Gum Linked To 57% Higher Heart Attack And Stroke Risk: What Is Xylitol?

Can The Findings Be Applied To Humans?

Dr Bharati Kulkarni, Director, ICMR-NIN, stressed that further research would be required before drawing conclusions about the effects of the two forms of vitamin D in humans.

“Further studies are needed to establish the effects of the two forms of vitamin D on skeletal and extra-skeletal functions and their implications for supplementation and fortification programs,” she told ANI.

The findings suggest that Vitamin D3 may have stronger effects than Vitamin D2 on skeletal muscle and cardiac function. However, the study was conducted in male rats, and whether the same effects occur in humans remains to be established.

The researchers said the study provides additional evidence of differences between Vitamin D2 and D3 beyond their established roles in calcium regulation and bone health.