After 18 months of research into what I should eat, where have I ended up? Interestingly, pretty much where the US News & World Report suggests we should all be when it comes to diet.

This annual report ranks diets with the aid of a panel of experts and seems to have a particular dislike of Atkins, which has named in the 5 worst diets and has been for several years now. On the other end of the spectrum, the vegan diet tipped in at 10th, while the Mediterranean diet came top and the flexitarian diet 5th.

My diet these days is somewhere between the last two as I try to “eat food, not too much, mostly plants” – thank you, Michael Pollan – and avoid processed foods wherever possible.

You can’t eat that
So many diets seem ridiculously black and white. You can eat butter, but you can’t eat cream is one of the more nonsensical edicts I heard recently. There also seems to be an increasing body of research cited by the likes of Jessica Levinson (a New York culinary nutritionist and author of the 52-Week Meal Planner ) that so-called restriction diets lead to overeating. So, I don’t ban anything and I’m still a proud omnivore.

Moderation
I do, however, try to be sensible about things. It’s old-fashioned but it’s called ‘moderation’. That said, I find my body and my mind work better if they’re not under a blanket of refined carbs and that moderation is far easier before 9pm at night, when I haven’t had a drink or when I can still remember to ask myself whether I need that bowl of ice-cream.

Plants 
Over the past six years, I’ve fallen deeply in love with vegetables and that’s only heightened over the last 18 months as I moved my diet at home away from meat and carb-focused dishes like spag bol, lasagne, steak and mash, and curry and basmati. But it’s not only the fruit, roots, tubers and leaves of plants with which I am so enamoured; seeds, nuts, herbs and spices add texture and flavour to so many of my new favourite dishes.

Carbs
The last few years have seen two damning pieces of research into the negative impact of low-carb diets (especially combined with high animal-fat consumption), one by Professor Maciej Banach, of the Medical University of Lodz in Poland, the other by Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In short, the research found that those who consume low-carb diets have a greater risk of premature death than those who eat a moderate amount of carbs. With legumes like peas and chickpeas, vegetables (especially sweet potatoes), nuts, seeds and whole grains like oats and brown rice on my current menu, I think I’m hitting that desired moderate point.

Water 
There doesn’t seem to be anyone who thinks we should drink less water so I’ve trained myself to drink more and enjoy teas made with herbs from the garden rather than my usual tea or coffee.

Chicken
Breast is leaner so I eat more of that in ramens, off the grill and poached. Just don’t overcook it. Crumbed and baked nuggets of thigh or barbecued thigh tossed through an Asian herb salad are a regular treat, but Coca Cola and brown sugar wings have been banished.

Eggs
A study of egg consumption in China involving more than 400,000 people found that an egg a day reduced the risk of stroke by more than a quarter, but in the US, Northwestern Medicine has found, in a study of 30,000 people over 30 years, that eating two eggs a day increased the chances of early death by 34 per cent and increased heart attack or stroke risk by 27 per cent. So I have vowed to eat eggs but no more than half a dozen a week.

Fish
I’m wedded to salmon, ocean trout and flathead – my default fish – but I’ve been stretching to kingfish, blue-eye, threadfin and even moon fish (not so successful). Prawns and mussels are staples when I’m near a good source, but bugs are the dream. I also eat a lot more sashimi.

What else I’ve learnt 
The most important thing I’ve learnt is that there is probably no right diet for everyone. The best diet is simply the one that works best for you and the one that you can live with. And this could depend on anything, from your lifestyle and environment to genetics, gut health and even your insulin levels.

Overall
The results of adopting this healthier diet along with a little exercise have been good. My clothes fit better but more importantly, my blood sugar dropped to 4.8, my total cholesterol is down to 3.9 from 4.4 (my ‘good’ cholesterol is also good). I put this down to the months of hard work I have been doing on refining my diet. My doctor just harrumphed and complimented me on my genes.