Unpacking the Science: What is the Edih diet?

October 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to scientific studies, higher scores on the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) are associated with an increased risk of chronic disorders like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So, what is the Edih diet, and how can this scientific metric guide your everyday food choices for better metabolic health?

Quick Summary

The Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) is a research tool that measures a diet's potential to raise insulin levels. A high score is linked to a greater risk of chronic diseases, whereas a low score is associated with more metabolically favorable dietary patterns.

Key Points

EDIH is a Scientific Index: The 'Edih diet' is not a weight-loss plan but the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH), a research tool measuring a diet's potential to increase insulin levels.
Positive vs. Negative Determinants: Certain foods increase the EDIH score (positive determinants), while others decrease it (negative determinants). For details, see {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}.
High Score, High Risk: A high EDIH score is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and fatty liver disease.
Broader than Glycemic Index: The EDIH considers the insulinemic effect of the whole dietary pattern, providing a more comprehensive measure than the glycemic index, which focuses only on carbohydrates.
Practical Dietary Principles: To adopt a 'low-EDIH' pattern, prioritize whole, unprocessed foods while limiting processed items and high-sugar drinks.
Reflects Diet Quality: Higher EDIH scores are indicative of lower dietary quality, while lower scores reflect more healthful, metabolically favorable dietary patterns.

Unpacking the Scientific Index Behind the 'Edih Diet'

Many people search for the 'Edih diet' assuming it is a new weight-loss plan, but the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) is a validated research tool, not a prescriptive diet. It assesses a diet's long-term potential to promote hyperinsulinemia—excess insulin in the blood. The index identifies food groups statistically linked to fasting C-peptide concentrations, a marker of insulin secretion. Understanding these foods is crucial for making choices that support metabolic function.

What is the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH)?

The EDIH, developed by Tabung et al., is a comprehensive research tool that evaluates how whole-food dietary patterns, not just individual nutrients, influence insulin secretion. It scores 18 food groups based on their correlation with plasma C-peptide levels. Food groups are categorized as positive determinants (increasing the score and promoting hyperinsulinemia) or negative determinants (decreasing the score and associated with better insulin sensitivity). A higher score indicates a dietary pattern with greater hyperinsulinemic potential, often reflecting a lower-quality diet, while a lower score suggests a more favorable pattern.

Foods That Influence Your EDIH Score

Your dietary choices directly impact your EDIH score. Learn which foods are positive or negative determinants for your EDIH score and metabolic health. For specific food categories and their weightings, consult {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}.

Why a High EDIH Score is a Concern

High insulin levels are a risk factor for numerous chronic conditions, and a high EDIH score indicates a diet promoting this state. Research links high EDIH scores to various adverse health outcomes. These include an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, certain cancers (including digestive system and kidney cancers), fatty liver disease, and long-term weight gain. For detailed findings on these associations, see {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}.

How the EDIH Compares to Other Dietary Metrics

The EDIH differs from other metrics like the Glycemic Index (GI)/Glycemic Load (GL) and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP). While GI/GL focuses on carbohydrate impact on blood glucose, and EDIP assesses inflammatory potential, the EDIH evaluates the whole diet's long-term influence on insulin secretion, providing a broader measure related to hyperinsulinemia and disease risk. A comparison of these indices can be found in {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}.

Applying Low-EDIH Principles to Your Diet

While a research tool, the EDIH offers practical guidance for improving metabolic health. Shifting towards a diet with lower-scoring foods can reduce hyperinsulinemic potential. This generally involves prioritizing plant-based foods like leafy greens and whole fruits, reducing processed meats and sugary drinks, and favoring whole grains over refined options. Specific food recommendations can be found by consulting {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}. Choosing high-fat dairy over low-fat can also be beneficial.

Conclusion

In summary, the 'Edih diet' refers to the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH), a scientific index, not a diet plan. It helps identify dietary patterns contributing to high insulin levels and increased chronic disease risk. By prioritizing foods that lower the EDIH score, such as vegetables, fruits, and coffee, and limiting those that raise it, like processed meats and sugary drinks, you can make informed choices for long-term metabolic health. A lower EDIH score reflects a higher quality diet and is associated with reduced health complications and improved well-being.

For more research details, explore studies from institutions like BMC Cancer.(https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-020-07288-0)

Understanding Your Diet's Impact on Insulin

Understanding the EDIH can help you make deliberate food choices. Focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods and reducing processed items aligns with scientific research for better metabolic health.

Further Research and Application

The EDIH is an evolving research area. It's one of several tools in nutritional science. For personalized advice, consult a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the 'Edih diet' is a common misunderstanding. The EDIH is actually a scientific index used by researchers to measure a diet's potential to cause high insulin levels, not a prescriptive weight loss program.

A high EDIH score indicates that your dietary pattern has a high potential for promoting hyperinsulinemia (excess insulin in the blood), which is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

You can lower your EDIH score by increasing your intake of negatively weighted foods and reducing positively weighted ones. For details on specific foods, see {Link: Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jch.14832}.

The EDIH is not necessarily more 'accurate' but is more comprehensive. While the glycemic index focuses only on the blood glucose response to carbohydrates, the EDIH considers the broader, long-term impact of a complete dietary pattern on insulin secretion, capturing more factors that influence insulin sensitivity.

Key negatively weighted foods in the EDIH include green and leafy vegetables, coffee, whole fruits, high-fat dairy products (like full-fat yogurt), and nuts.

Positively weighted foods include processed meats, red meat, poultry, sugary drinks, refined grains, french fries, butter, margarine, and low-fat dairy.

While minimizing your intake of foods with a positive EDIH weighting can improve your metabolic health, the goal is balance. Shifting your overall dietary pattern toward a lower EDIH score by prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods is more beneficial than completely eliminating food groups.