Your Guide to the DASH Diet

What Is the DASH Diet?

DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. This is an overall healthy eating plan with a special focus on:

• Limiting sodium (salt)
• Eating healthy foods rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein
• Limiting saturated and trans fats
• Limiting sugar

Watching Your Daily Sodium Intake

Different people need to reduce their sodium to different levels. DASH has two plans:

• Standard DASH diet: Less than 2,300 milligrams (mg), or about 1 teaspoon of salt, total per day.
• Lower-sodium DASH diet: Less than 1,500 mg, or about 2/3 a teaspoon of salt, total per day.

Talk to your doctor about what limit is right for you. The lower-sodium DASH diet can help lower blood pressure further than the standard DASH diet, but the salt restriction may be more challenging to meet.

Many foods have high levels of salt—so be sure to read labels and keep track of your salt intake to stick to your low-sodium diet.

Choosing Nutrient-Dense Foods

When you’re eating DASH style, you’ll also likely increase your potassium intake. A few DASH-friendly foods that are high in potassium include:

• Avocados
• Bananas
• Potatoes
• Lima beans
• Oranges
• Spinach

Limiting Saturated and Trans Fats

Fatty meats and full-fat dairy can have saturated and trans fats, which aren’t heart-healthy. Select lean cuts of meat, and trim away any excess fat. Eat poultry without the skin, and limit fried foods.

Opt for low-fat or nonfat milk and dairy products.

Limiting Sugar

A higher sugar intake has been associated with hypertension. Limit your consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and desserts. When you’re craving something sweet, whole fruit is a better choice.

What Foods Are in a DASH Diet Meal Plan?

It’s essential to eat a well-rounded diet as part of your plan. Lots of vegetables, whole grains, and fruits make up most of the daily DASH diet plan. Here’s what to aim for.

Vegetables: 4-5 Servings a Day

A serving is one cup of cooked vegetables or 1/2 cup of raw veggies. Good options include tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and greens like spinach.

Canned veggies can hide sodium. Choose fresh or frozen when you can and rinse any canned veggies you do use to help decrease added salt.

Grains: 6-8 Servings a Day

Not all grains are equal. DASH emphasizes eating whole grains. One serving of whole grains would be 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans, or quinoa, or 1 slice of whole-wheat bread. Be aware of how many standard servings are in your portions—a bowl of whole-wheat pasta is likely more than 1/2 cup, for example.

When it comes to grains, keep your eye on breakfast cereals, too. Many cereals add not only sugar but also sodium.

Fruits: 4-5 Servings a Day

A medium-sized fruit is a single serving. So is 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit. For juice, a serving is 4 ounces.

Lean Meat, Poultry, and Fish: 6 Ounces or Less a Day

Shoot for 6 ounces or less per day of lean meats and eggs. An ounce of lean meat, chicken, or fish is about the size of a matchbox. A three-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards.

Avoid processed meats as part of your protein goals. Pepperoni, sausage, and hot dogs, just to name a few, are very high in salt.

Low-Fat or Fat-Free Dairy: 2-3 Servings a Day

Examples of one serving of dairy include 1 cup skim or 1% milk, 1 cup low-fat yogurt, or 1 1/2 ounces part-skim cheese.

Fats and Oils: 2-3 Servings a Day

One serving of fat or oil is small. Just 1 tablespoon of salad dressing, or 1 teaspoon of oil or butter, is a whole serving. Olive oil, avocado, and almonds all have fats but are healthy, unsaturated fats. Pick these options if you can. Avoid added salt on any nuts.

Putting Together the Pieces of the DASH Diet

Healthy eating isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. Don’t stress too much about following the diet perfectly.

What’s most important is that you create the habit of choosing healthier foods with plenty of variety. It can take time to get the hang of meal-planning for DASH. But the results will be worth it for your health.