Our body is like a working machine, all the parts need to be working well for it to maintain a long-lasting life. Like so, maintaining a healthy digestive system is very important for your overall well-being, and dietary fiber plays a pivotal role in this process. If you've been eating a lot of processed foods or following a diet low in fiber, like the carnivore diet, your digestion might be sluggish. Fiber is like a natural broom for your gut. It helps keep things moving smoothly. While you may thing that eating a highly carnivorous diet is ok, most of those foods are highly processed and because it doesn’t have fiber, there isn’t a component that can help break down that food. Fiber acts as a natural regulator, promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. It adds bulk to stool, making it easier to pass through the digestive tract. This prevents constipation and keeps you regular. Plus, certain types of fiber can also slow down how quickly your body absorbs sugar and can even help lower your cholesterol levels. Most adults need about 25 to 30 grams of fiber every day, and it's best to get it from whole foods like fruits and vegetables, rather than relying on fiber supplements. You must make sure that your fiber intake is adequate because it is essential for optimal digestive health and overall well-being. While berries are known for their high fiber content, stone fruits like apricots offer a valuable alternative.

Apricots are a tasty and convenient way to boost your fiber intake. Just one cup of apricot halves gives you about 3 grams of fiber, and it's only about 74 calories. That's a great way to get some extra nutrients without adding a lot of calories to your diet. To get the most fiber, make sure you eat the skin of the apricot. It's where a lot of the fiber is concentrated. Besides fiber, apricots are also packed with other good-for-you nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). So, adding apricots to your meals or snacks is a simple way to support your digestion and overall health.

How Apricots Support Digestion and Cholesterol Management

Apricots contain two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. These work together to keep your digestive system happy. Insoluble fiber is like a scrub brush, adding bulk to your stool and stimulating your gut to move things along. Soluble fiber is like a sponge, it mixes with water to soften your stool, making it easier to pass. Apricots are also about 86% water, which is another important factor in preventing constipation. They also contain a natural sugar alcohol called sorbitol, which can have a mild laxative effect. The soluble fiber in apricots also helps manage cholesterol by binding to it in your gut and preventing it from being absorbed into your bloodstream. This helps lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Apricots aren't just good for digestion and cholesterol; they offer a range of other health benefits too. They contain special plant compounds called phenolic compounds, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your cells from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. This protection is important for your heart health and can also help protect against long-term health problems like stomach inflammation (gastritis), liver disease, and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). These plant compounds also help reduce inflammation throughout your body, which is linked to many chronic diseases. So, eating apricots is a great way to give your body a boost of protective nutrients.

Whether your goal is to care for your heart, manage your weight or follow a steadier eating routine, finding the right diet can play an important role in supporting your overall well-being. The food you choose becomes your body’s fuel, so getting the right mix of nutrients matters. With so many eating plans available today, it can be hard to know which ones stand out.

Listed below are the nine diets that earned the strongest average ratings. However, speak with your doctor before beginning any new eating plan.

Best Diets of 2025, According to Nutrition Experts

In 2025, several diets gained popularity and were the most searched on the internet:

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is rooted in plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and olive oil, with moderate portions of fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. It recommends keeping red meat and processed foods to a minimum and is often viewed as a long-term lifestyle choice that includes regular activity and shared meals. This way of eating has been linked to many benefits, especially for heart health.

Research shows the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet slows age-related cognitive decline. Other work suggests that the MIND diet supports better brain function even when typical age-related changes are present, hinting at its role in helping older adults stay mentally resilient. Lesli Bonci, Director of Sports Medicine Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, points out that some of the foods highlighted in this plan may feel expensive for certain households, though she praises the diet for what it may offer the brain.

DASH Diet

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is an eating pattern created to help reduce blood pressure. It focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein and nuts, while limiting items high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The plan advises keeping sodium to 2,300 mg per day, or 1,500 mg for a stricter reduction. It also includes potassium, magnesium and calcium, which play a role in blood pressure control.

The DASH diet was built with heart health as its main goal. Its low-sodium approach has been studied widely, and the findings show that the diet can lower blood pressure and reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol. Followers use a chart to estimate their calorie needs, which then guides their daily servings from each food group. Leslie Bonci, a registered dietitian, board-certified specialist in sports nutrition and member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board, notes that the plan is effective for managing blood pressure, though its focus on produce may make it costlier for some people.

Flexitarian Diet

A flexitarian diet is mostly vegetarian but leaves space for occasional servings of meat or fish. The term blends “flexible” and “vegetarian” and encourages plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, with meat limited to a few times each week or less. It offers a relaxed structure and is often chosen for its possible health and environmental advantages, including weight control and lower risk of certain diseases.

For those who hope to follow a plant-led eating pattern without giving up all animal foods, the flexitarian diet can be a comfortable starting point. The International Food Information Council describes it as a “semi-vegetarian, plant-forward diet” that features fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy and eggs, with smaller or less frequent servings of meat. Early research indicates that this style of eating may support weight control and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Pescatarian Diet

A pescatarian diet follows a vegetarian base but includes fish and seafood while avoiding red meat and poultry. It centers on plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, with seafood added for protein and omega-3 fats. Some pescatarians also choose to include eggs and dairy, depending on personal preference.

Another branch of vegetarian eating, the pescatarian diet earned high scores for its simplicity and safety. A 2020 study showed that pescatarians had lower rates of obesity and were less likely to have cardiovascular risk factors such as high BMI, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. “The eating plan is broad and allows for variety, but one must like fish!” says Lesli Bonci, as per Forbes.

MIND Diet

The MIND diet blends key parts of the Mediterranean and DASH approaches, with the goal of supporting long-term brain health and lowering the risk of conditions such as Alzheimer’s. It encourages regular intake of leafy greens, assorted vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, poultry, and olive oil, while advising people to cut back on red meat, sugary foods, butter, cheese, and fried dishes. Its foundation rests on simple, plant-focused eating patterns linked with better protection against age-related cognitive decline.

Studies show that this eating pattern can slow the rate at which memory and thinking skills weaken over time. Research also suggests that people who follow the MIND diet often perform better on cognitive tests, even when age-related changes are present in the brain, which points to stronger resilience. Bonci adds that some of the recommended foods may be costly for certain households, though she supports the diet for its strong potential to aid brain health.

If you like orange juice and drink it daily for your breakfast, you are good to go. But, if you are someone who does not drink orange juice, you may want to reconsider your food habits. Scientists found that that orange juice could actually extend your healthy life and benefit your cardiovascular health.

The study published in Wiley Online Library revealed that orange juice consumption could influence the activity of thousands of genes inside our immune cell. Many of these genes also control blood pressure, calm inflammation and manage the way the body processes sugar. All these functions play an important role for long-term heart health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study followed adults who drank 500ml of pure pasteurized orange juice everyday for two months. After a period of two months, many genes that leads to inflammation and higher blood pressure had become less active.

What Were These Genes? These included NAMPT, IL6, IL1B, and NLRP3. These genes switch on when the body is under stress. There is another gene called SGK1 that impacts kidneys ability to hold onto sodium or salt, which also became less active. These changes have also matched a previous findings that showed daily orange juice consumption could also reduce blood pressure. Orange juice contains hesperidin, a flavonoid that could help lower blood pressure. There are antioxidants too that are great for overall heart health.

What About The Blood Sugar Levels?

The trials have shown that orange juice does not simple raise blood sugar levels, instead, it triggers small shifts in the body's regulatory system that could reduce inflammation and also help blood vessels relax.

However, what is important to note is that hesperidin that influences the genes have varied response based on a person's body size. So, people who weigh more could show greater changes in gene, which also involves fat metabolism, while leaner people could show stronger effects on inflammation.

Orange And Heart Health

A systematic review from 2021, published in the journal Phytotherapy Research that involved 639 participants from 15 different studies also found that regular orange juice consumption lowered insulin resistance and blood cholesterol levels. Insulin resistance is what leads to diabetes, as it is the precursor for pre-diabetes, and high cholesterol is linked with heart diseases.

Another 2022 study published in journal Food & Function showed that overweight and obese adults noticed small reduction in systolic blood pressure and increase in high-density lipoprotein or HDL, which is also known as the 'good cholesterol'. This result was achieved only after several weeks of orange juice consumption. While these changes were modest, the improvements could make a greater difference, if the same food habits are maintained for years.

More answers come from looking at metabolites, the tiny molecules our bodies make while breaking down food. A recent review found that orange juice can influence several key pathways, including how we use energy, how our cells communicate, and how the body manages inflammation. It may even shape the gut microbiome, which experts now know plays a big role in heart health.

Furthermore, a 2023 study published in the journal Frontiers In Microbiology noted that people who drank blood orange juice daily for a month saw an increase in gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, compounds known to support healthy blood pressure and lower inflammation. These volunteers also showed better blood sugar control and reduced levels of inflammatory markers, hinting that the benefits of orange juice may go far beyond its refreshing taste.

The latest Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025 by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has delivered a worrying revelation: Punjab now records the highest intensity of uranium contamination ever reported in India, with 62.5% of groundwater samples exceeding the safe limit post-monsoon. This is followed by Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, indicating a dangerous pattern across north and north-central India.

While nitrate and fluoride remain more widespread contaminants, uranium’s increasing presence raises an urgent public health concern because even low-dose, long-term exposure can quietly harm vital organs.

Where Is Uranium Contamination Rising?

The CGWB tested 3,754 groundwater samples across India in pre- and post-monsoon seasons. The findings show a clear upward trend:

Nationally, uranium exceedance rose from 6.71% (pre-monsoon) to 7.91% (post-monsoon).

Punjab recorded the highest contamination:

• 53.04% pre-monsoon
• 62.50% post-monsoon

Haryana followed with 15–23.75% of samples above limits.

• Delhi: 13–15.66%
• Karnataka: 6–8%
• Uttar Pradesh: 5–6%

The report highlights northwestern India: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — as the main hotspot, likely due to geogenic factors, aquifer depletion, and intense groundwater extraction. Meanwhile, eastern and southern states reported minimal contamination.

Why Uranium in Water Is Dangerous

According to the 2025 study “Uranium’s hazardous effects on humans and recent developments in treatment,” the real threat from uranium lies in its chemical toxicity, not its radioactivity.

Kidney Damage: The Most Significant Risk

Uranium behaves like a heavy metal that gets absorbed and stored in the kidneys, impairing their ability to filter waste.

This can lead to:

• Proteinuria (excess protein in urine)
• Reduced kidney function
• Long-term kidney diseases

Even low-dose, chronic exposure through drinking water can gradually weaken renal functioning.

Respiratory Harm and Lung Cancer Risk

People who inhale uranium particles — especially workers in mining or processing — face:

• Chronic respiratory irritation
• Persistent coughing
• Higher risk of lung cancer, particularly due to radon gas produced as uranium decays

Gastrointestinal Entry and Toxic Build-Up

Recent findings note that the gastrointestinal system is the main route of uranium entry. Once consumed through contaminated water, uranium moves from the stomach and intestines into soft tissues and organs.

Bone Accumulation and Cancer Risk

Because uranium is a chemical analog of calcium, it can get deposited into bones. Over time, this raises the risk of bone cancer and may interfere with normal bone cell functioning.

Possible Reproductive and Developmental Effects

Animal studies suggest:

• Potential risks of congenital disabilities
• Effects on reproductive organs
• But direct evidence in humans remains incomplete, calling for more research.

Neurological and Immune Effects Being Explored

Some studies hint at:

• Behavioral changes
• Cognitive deficits
• Unclear impacts on the immune system

These areas remain under-studied but concerning.

Why India Must Worry Now

The CGWB report warns that while most groundwater in India remains safe, the pockets of rising uranium contamination require immediate monitoring and mitigation. With millions relying on groundwater for daily consumption, even a small rise in toxic metals can translate into widespread health damage over time.

Long-term exposure rarely shows immediate symptoms, which makes the threat quiet but deeply harmful.