The main aim and benefit of the DASH diet is to reduce high blood pressure. It focuses on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, poultry, fish, and nuts. It also involves limiting red meat, fat, sugar, and salt.
DASH stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension.” A person may choose to follow the DASH diet to manage their blood pressure. It can also offer other health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and helping prevent diabetes.
Read on to learn more about what the DASH diet is, what it involves, and how it can benefit a person’s health.
The main aim of the DASH diet is to reduce blood pressure. However, it can also help those who want to lose or manage their weight, lower cholesterol, and manage or prevent diabetes.
Important aspects include:
- portion size
- consuming a wide variety of healthful foods
- obtaining the proper balance of nutrients
DASH encourages a person to eat less sodium (the key ingredient in salt), and to increase their intake of magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
These strategies can help lower blood pressure.
DASH is not a vegetarian diet, but it adds lots of nutritious items,
- fruits and vegetables
- low or nonfat dairy foods
- whole grains
- beans
- nuts and seeds
- fish
- poultry
- vegetable oil
The DASH diet offers numerous possible health benefits.
Heart health
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can
According to the review, if people with high blood pressure followed the DASH diet precisely, this could prevent around 400,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease over 10 years.
Learn about the best foods for heart health.
Weight management
A person may choose to follow the DASH diet to
If a person wishes to lose weight with the DASH diet, they may gradually reduce the number of calories they consume. Consuming more fruits and vegetables and eating less meat may also help.
Other benefits
According to a
- blood pressure
- blood sugar
- triglycerides, or fat, in the blood
- low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol
- insulin resistance
These are all features of metabolic syndrome, a condition that also involves:
- obesity
- type 2 diabetes
- higher risk of cardiovascular disease
The National Kidney Foundation also recommends DASH for people with kidney disease.
The DASH diet
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- low fat dairy products
- whole grains
- some legumes, poultry, and fish
- limited amounts of red meat, fats, and sweets
It is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol.
View the table below for examples of foods a person may consume on the DASH diet and the benefits or nutrition they can provide.
| Food group | Examples | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Whole grains | pasta, rice, bread, cereal | energy, fiber |
| Vegetables | broccoli, sweet potatoes, greens, carrots, tomatoes | fiber, vitamins |
| Fruit | apricots, bananas, dates, oranges, grapes, melon | fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins |
| Fat free or low fat dairy products | milk, cheese, yogurt, frozen yogurt | calcium, vitamin D, protein |
| Meat, poultry, and fish | skinless poultry, lean meats, seafood | proteins, B vitamins, zinc |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | sunflower seeds, beans, peas, lentils, almonds, peanuts, pistachios | protein, potassium, magnesium, fiber, phytochemicals |
| Healthful fats and oils | margarine, low fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing | helping absorb essential vitamins and other nutrients |
| Sweets | hard candies, fruit punch, maple syrup, sorbet | N/A |
The DASH diet aims to provide nutrients that can help reduce blood pressure.
The
| Food group | Daily serving |
|---|---|
| Fruits | 4–5 |
| Vegetables | 4–5 |
| Meat, poultry, and fish | Up to 6 |
| Whole grains | 6–8 |
| Fat free or low fat dairy products | 2–3 |
| Fats and oils | 2–3 |
A person should also aim for 4–5 servings of nuts, seeds, peas, and dry beans each week. They should consume 5 or fewer servings of sweets each week.
How much sodium a person should consume each day will depend on whether they are following the standard or low sodium DASH diet.
People consume up to 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day with the standard DASH diet.
The maximum sodium intake is 1,500 mg each day when following the low sodium DASH diet.
As people reduce their salt intake, they should also eat more foods that contain potassium. Potassium helps the blood vessels relax, and this can lower blood pressure. Adults and children aged 4 years and older should aim to consume
Learn about foods rich in potassium.
A person may wish to contact their doctor or a registered dietitian before they begin following the DASH diet. They can advise on how the diet may benefit their health, as well as offering tips on creating meal plans.
Some general tips include the following:
- Make sure there is plenty of color on the plate.
- Include fruits, vegetables, and nonfat or low fat dairy foods.
- Have at least two side dishes of vegetables.
- Prepare fruit-based desserts, rather than pastries.
- Instead of using salt, add flavor to dishes using herbs, spices, or fragrant fruits and vegetables.
- Focus on an
overall eating plan , rather than specific dishes, to get a variety of nutrients.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the DASH diet.
Are eggs in the DASH diet?
A person can eat eggs if they are following the DASH diet. The
Are potatoes OK on the DASH diet?
A person can eat potatoes when following the DASH diet. They provide a
The dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet can help a person manage their blood pressure. It also offers other possible health benefits, such as weight management, lowering cholesterol, and reducing the risk of diabetes.
The DASH diet focuses on consuming whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, lean poultry, fish, nuts, and beans. A person following the diet should avoid red meat, fat, and sugar. How much sodium they should consume will depend on whether they follow the standard or low sodium DASh diet.
A person can contact their doctor or a registered dietitian for advice before beginning the DASH diet. They can help them create a suitable eating plan and advise on how the DASH diet may benefit their health based on their individual circumstances.