Brenda Khan
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. The diet is recommended for people who want to prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce their chance of developing heart disease. It focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products, while limiting salt, sugar, and fat intake. The DASH diet has been widely studied and is considered safe for both adults and children, with many potential health benefits.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce the chance of developing heart disease |
| Food | Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, eggs, potatoes, seeds, peanut butter |
| Food to limit | Fatty meats, full-fat dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, sodium intake, refined grains, foods high in saturated fats |
| Flexibility | Can be followed by vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free eaters |
| Exercise | At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, totalling at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week |
| Weight loss | A 2020 study found that the DASH diet helped older adults over 65 with obesity reduce body fat |
| Cancer prevention | A 2019 review found that the DASH diet reduced the risk of breast, hepatic, endometrial, and lung cancer |
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What You'll Learn
Lowering blood pressure
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 recommended for people who want to prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce their risk of developing heart disease. It is low in saturated fat and high in fibre, an eating style that is recommended for everyone.
The DASH diet focuses on nutrient-dense meals built around fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and beans. It recommends limiting foods high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy, and coconut or palm oil. The number of servings per day depends on an individual's calorie needs.
Multiple studies have found that the DASH diet helps reduce high blood pressure, with the greatest improvements seen in those who also reduced their sodium intake. A 2020 study found that a DASH diet containing at least 126 grams of lean protein helped older adults over 65 with obesity reduce body fat. Another study in 2023 suggested that DASH can be helpful in lowering belly fat.
The DASH diet is flexible and can be adapted for those who are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free. It is also rated as one of the easiest diets to follow.
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Reducing the risk of heart disease
The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is an effective way to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating pattern for life. The DASH diet focuses on lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which are key factors in maintaining heart health.
The diet recommends limiting sodium intake to either 2,300 or 1,500 milligrams per day, depending on individual factors such as health, age, race, and medical conditions. This is important because too much salt causes fluid retention, putting extra pressure on the heart. To reduce sodium intake, the DASH diet encourages the consumption of low- or no-sodium foods and condiments, and limiting processed, cured, smoked, or pickled foods.
In addition to reducing sodium intake, the DASH diet emphasizes the importance of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are beneficial for heart health. The diet suggests consuming four to five servings of vegetables and several servings of fruits per day. It also recommends eating whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals, oatmeal, and whole wheat pasta, as they are good sources of fiber, which helps lower cholesterol.
The DASH diet also includes foods like nuts, legumes, and seeds, which are rich in magnesium, protein, and fiber. Walnuts, in particular, contain omega-3 fatty acids, known for their heart-healthy properties. The diet suggests enjoying five servings of these foods each week, with each serving consisting of 1/3 cup of nuts, 2 tablespoons of seeds, or 1/2 cup of cooked dried beans or peas.
By following the DASH diet and adopting a heart-healthy eating pattern, individuals can effectively reduce their risk of heart disease and improve their overall cardiovascular health.
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Lowering the risk of cancer
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 reduce the chance of developing heart disease. The diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while limiting fatty meats, full-fat dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, and sodium intake.
Several studies have shown that the DASH diet may also help lower the risk of cancer. A 2019 review found that people following the DASH diet had a lower risk of cancer, specifically breast, hepatic, endometrial, and lung cancer. The diet's high content of fiber, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is thought to contribute to its cancer-protective effects.
The DASH diet's emphasis on reducing salt intake and monitoring dietary fat intake has been particularly linked to a lower risk of some cancers. Researchers have focused on the association between the DASH diet and colorectal and breast cancer, with some studies suggesting that every 100g/day increase in red meat consumption increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 14%.
Additionally, the DASH diet's inclusion of fiber and nuts may also play a role in cancer prevention. Epidemiologic surveys have shown that consuming fiber and nuts during adolescence may protect against breast cancer in later life. Similarly, dairy products included in the DASH diet, such as calcium, lactoferrin, and certain fats, may also have a protective effect against cancer.
While the exact association between the DASH diet and cancer risk requires further clarification due to potential interactions among foods and nutrients, the current evidence suggests that the DASH diet may be a valuable approach to lowering the risk of certain cancers.
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Reducing body fat
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 and is rated as the number one "Best Heart-Healthy Diet" and "Best Diet for High Blood Pressure" in the 2025 Best Diets report from U.S. News & World Report.
The DASH diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables while including lean protein sources like chicken, fish, and beans. It is low in red meat, salt, added sugars, and fat. One of the main reasons people with high blood pressure can benefit from this diet is because it limits salt intake to no more than 3/4 teaspoon (1,500 mg of sodium) per day.
In addition to reducing blood pressure, the DASH diet has been found to be effective in reducing body fat. A 2020 study found that following the DASH diet containing at least 126 grams of lean protein helped older adults over 65 with obesity reduce body fat. A 2023 study also suggests that the DASH diet can be helpful in lowering belly fat.
The number of servings you should have each day depends on your daily calorie needs. The DASH diet recommends eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and seeds, and vegetable oils. It is important to limit fatty meats, full-fat dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, and sodium intake. By choosing foods that are lower in fat and calories and rich in nutrients, the DASH diet can help reduce body fat and promote a healthier lifestyle.
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Lowering cholesterol
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan is a flexible and balanced diet that helps create a heart-healthy eating pattern for life. It is one of the most widely prescribed dietary modifications for reducing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. The DASH diet is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods. It is also high in potassium and magnesium, which help lower blood pressure.
The DASH diet can help lower cholesterol levels. Eating whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and popcorn is a good way to get fibre. Some fibre helps lower cholesterol and also keeps you feeling full for longer. For a 2,000-calorie diet, it is recommended to eat six to eight servings a day. One serving is one slice of bread, 1 ounce of dry cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked whole wheat pasta, rice, or oatmeal (about the size of half a baseball).
Vegetables provide fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and they don't have a lot of calories or fat—a good recipe for controlling blood pressure. It is recommended to have four to five servings of vegetables a day. That’s 1/2 cup of cooked or raw vegetables, 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, or 1/2 cup of vegetable juice for each serving.
Fruits offer lots of fibre and vitamins that are good for the heart. Many also contain potassium and magnesium, which help lower blood pressure. With the DASH diet, you’ll limit fats and oils to two to three servings a day. A serving is 1 teaspoon of margarine or vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, or 2 tablespoons of low-fat salad dressing. When cooking, use vegetable oils like olive or canola instead of butter.
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Frequently asked questions
The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is used to prevent or treat high blood pressure and reduce the chance of developing heart disease.
The DASH diet recommends nutrient-dense meals built around whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and includes lean protein sources like fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and healthy oils.
The DASH diet is flexible and balanced, and it is safe for both adults and children. It is also easy to follow and is rated as the third "easiest diet to follow". It has been found to be effective at reducing blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, and it may also help lower the risk of cancer.
