
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a flexible and balanced eating plan that provides daily and weekly nutritional goals to help lower high blood pressure and reduce the chance of developing heart disease. The diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources like chicken and fish, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, while limiting foods high in saturated fat, salt, added sugars, and full-fat dairy. While it is not a weight-loss diet, it can lead to weight loss by creating a calorie deficit. The number of servings recommended in the DASH diet depends on an individual's daily calorie needs, with women typically consuming 1,200 to 1,600 calories and men consuming 1,600 to 2,000 calories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To prevent or treat high blood pressure, reduce the chance of developing heart disease, and balance blood sugar levels. |
| Food Groups | Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fat-free or low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and seeds. |
| Food Groups to Limit or Avoid | Fatty meats, full-fat dairy, foods high in saturated fat, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, and salty foods. |
| Sodium Intake | Limited to 2,300 milligrams or less per day; further reduced to 1,500 milligrams to lower blood pressure significantly. |
| Calorie Intake | Women: 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day; Men: 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day. |
| Weight Loss | Not a primary weight loss diet, but weight loss is possible through a calorie deficit and increased vegetable consumption. |
| Flexibility | Not restrictive; allows all vegetables and does not eliminate food groups. |
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What You'll Learn

DASH diet food groups
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating pattern for life. It is often recommended to treat high blood pressure and promote weight loss, combat diabetes and protect your heart. The DASH diet focuses on what you can eat, rather than cutting out specific foods or food groups. The number of servings you can eat depends on your daily calorie intake, which is calculated based on your age and physical activity level.
The DASH diet recommends eating more fruits and vegetables, choosing whole grains over refined grains, and selecting fat-free or low-fat dairy products. It also suggests including lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and beans, and cooking with vegetable oils. Additionally, it is important to limit your intake of foods high in added sugars and saturated fats. Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as they are a good source of fibre and nutrients. For those who are lactose intolerant, lactase enzyme pills can be taken with dairy products, or lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk can be consumed.
The DASH diet includes daily servings from different food groups. Serving quantities are typically per day and depend on an individual's calorie needs. The plan has a sodium limit of either 2,300 mg or 1,500 mg per day. For example, 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing counts as one serving, while low-fat or fat-free dressing would be half or zero servings, respectively.
- 2 boiled eggs
- 2 slices of turkey bacon
- 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of baked beans
- 2 slices of whole-wheat toast
- 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice
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DASH diet health benefits
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a flexible and balanced eating plan that provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. It is recommended for people who want to prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce their risk of heart disease. The DASH diet offers a number of potential health benefits, including:
Lower blood pressure
The DASH diet has been shown to be effective at reducing blood pressure, which can help to lower the risk of heart disease and other related conditions such as kidney failure and stroke.
Weight loss
The DASH diet can help with weight loss, especially when combined with increased physical activity. A meta-analysis of clinical trials showed that DASH dieters lost an additional 3.1 pounds over the course of eight to 24 weeks, 0.4 units of body mass index in eight to 52 weeks, and 1.05 centimetres of waist circumference in 24 weeks compared to those on control diets.
Improved asthma control
A small study published in 2014 found that participants with uncontrolled asthma and poor dietary habits who followed the DASH diet experienced improvements in their asthma control.
Reduced risk of cancer
A 2019 review found that people following the DASH diet had a lower risk of certain types of cancer, including breast, hepatic, endometrial, and lung cancer.
Lower risk of Type 2 diabetes
The DASH diet has been shown to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, in addition to improving overall health and well-being.
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DASH diet meal plan
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life. It is often recommended to treat high blood pressure and reduce the chance of developing heart disease. The DASH diet emphasises fruits and vegetables while containing lean protein sources like chicken, fish, and beans. It is low in red meat, salt, added sugars, and fat.
Monday
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with skim milk, berries, and walnuts
- Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with vegetables and a vinaigrette dressing
- Dinner: Baked salmon with quinoa and steamed vegetables
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach and whole-wheat toast
- Lunch: Turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with vegetables and hummus
- Dinner: Veggie stir-fry with tofu and brown rice
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Greek yoghurt with mixed berries and honey
- Lunch: Bean and vegetable soup with a whole-grain roll
- Dinner: Grilled shrimp skewers with grilled vegetables and wild rice
Thursday
- Breakfast: Peanut butter and banana smoothie with skim milk and ground flaxseeds
- Lunch: Tuna salad with mixed greens and vegetables
- Dinner: Whole-wheat pasta with vegetable marinara sauce and a side salad
Friday
- Breakfast: Avocado toast on whole-wheat bread with scrambled eggs
- Lunch: Veggie wrap with hummus and a side of fruit
- Dinner: Grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables
Saturday
- Breakfast: Blueberry pancakes with almond butter and pure maple syrup
- Lunch: Veggie burger with avocado and a side salad
- Dinner: Baked tilapia with brown rice and steamed vegetables
Sunday
- Breakfast: Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with whole-wheat toast
- Lunch: Chicken and vegetable soup with a whole-grain roll
- Dinner: Portobello mushroom burgers with avocado and a side of roasted vegetables
This meal plan includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It limits red meat, salt, added sugars, and high-fat dairy products. The number of servings per day may vary depending on your daily calorie needs. Be sure to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting any new diet plan to ensure it is safe and appropriate for your individual needs.
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DASH diet weight loss
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is an effective diet for healthy weight loss. It is based on eating patterns that reduce blood pressure and offer whole-body health benefits. While the DASH diet is not a weight-loss diet per se, it can help you lose weight by creating a calorie deficit.
The DASH diet focuses on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while reducing the intake of added sugars, refined grains, and processed foods. It recommends eating low-fat or non-fat dairy products, lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and beans, and cooking with vegetable oils. The diet also limits foods high in saturated fats, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy, and those high in added sugars, like soda and candy.
The number of servings you can eat on the DASH diet depends on your calorie intake. For example, on a 2,000-calorie diet, you can eat 1/2 cup of sliced vegetables and moderate amounts of low-fat or non-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. Women typically consume 1,200 to 1,600 calories on the DASH diet, while men consume 1,600 to 2,000.
The DASH diet is flexible and does not require eliminating food groups. Instead, it provides guidelines on the ideal number of servings per week. It is similar to the Mediterranean diet but offers more concrete recommendations on the amounts and limits of different types of foods.
The DASH diet has been ranked as the "Best Overall Diet" and the "#1 Best Diet Overall" by US News & World Reports for eight years in a row. It has also been recognised as America's healthiest diet for two consecutive years. The diet has been proven to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer, and aid in weight loss.
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DASH diet sodium intake
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating pattern for life. It is often recommended to treat high blood pressure. The diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, as well as moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts. The DASH diet is low in red meat, salt, added sugars, and fat.
The DASH diet generally includes about 2,000 calories a day, although this may vary depending on individual circumstances and weight loss goals. The foods at the core of the DASH diet are naturally low in sodium. So, just by following the DASH diet, you are likely to reduce your sodium intake. There is also a lower-sodium version of the diet. To further reduce sodium intake, individuals can use sodium-free spices or flavourings with their food instead of salt, avoid adding salt when cooking rice, pasta, or hot cereal, and buy foods labelled "no salt added", "sodium-free", "low sodium", or "very low sodium".
The American Heart Association recommends that American adults limit sodium intake to a maximum of 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day, with 1,500 mg being a more ideal target. The standard DASH diet meets this recommendation. One teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 mg of sodium, so it is important to be mindful of salt intake when following the DASH diet. Studies have shown that these sodium restrictions can potentially lower systolic blood pressure by as much as 11.5 points.
In addition to the sodium restrictions, the DASH diet also provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. It does not list specific foods to eat but instead recommends eating more vegetables and fruits, choosing fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and selecting lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and beans. It is important to limit the intake of foods high in added sugars and saturated fats, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy. The number of servings per day depends on daily calorie needs.
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Frequently asked questions
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life.
The DASH diet emphasises fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and beans. It recommends vegetable oils over other oils and limits foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
The DASH diet provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. It recommends guidelines on how many servings of each food group should be consumed per week. For example, red meat should be limited to no more than once or twice a week.
The DASH diet is primarily recommended for people who want to prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce their risk of heart disease. It can also help with weight loss and has been shown to offer additional whole-body health benefits similar to the Mediterranean diet.


































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