Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects more than one in three American adults according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Blood pressure, measured in millimeters of mercury, is the force of blood against artery walls. Doctors measure the systolic, the force when the heart beats, and the diastolic, the force between heart beats. High blood pressure is a systolic of 140 mmHg or higher, or a diastolic of 90 mmHg or higher. A specific diet is one step to help control hypertension.
DASH
The DASH diet has been scientifically shown to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Designed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension and has been studied in two clinical research studies of 871 participants at four medical centers across the nation. The DASH diet encourages increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts while decreasing intake of red meat, added sugars, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Restrictions
Patients should never add salt to food and remove the salt shaker from the table. Canned vegetables, pickles, and vegetables fried or in cream sauces are discouraged. Doctors discourage smoked, pickled and processed deli meats. Processed cheese, whole milk, cream and regular ice cream are not recommended. Condiments such as soy sauce, bouillon cubes, ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, jarred salsa, high-fat or high-sodium gravy and sauces, and salad dressings are discouraged. Homemade foods with fresh ingredients are preferable to prepared and frozen dinners.
Recommendations
The DASH diet recommendations emphasize fruits and vegetables, especially those fresh and frozen without added sodium. Breads, rice, cereals and grains are encouraged, especially those made with whole grains containing fiber. Doctors recommend fish, poultry and lean cuts of beef and pork. Fat-free and low-fat milk and yogurt, as well as low-fat, low-sodium cheese is included. Dried beans and peas are a good source of fiber and protein and are preferable to canned versions. Herbs and spices are the recommended seasoning alternatives in recipes.
Food Labels
The American Dietetic Association advises patients with hypertension to avoid products that contain more than 300mg of sodium per serving. "Salt-free" or "sodium-free" products must have less than 5mg sodium per serving. A food must contain less than 150mg of sodium per serving to be labeled "low sodium." "Reduced sodium" products must have at least 25 percent less sodium than the original product. An item that is "unsalted' or "no salt added" must have no salt added to the food during processing. Ingredients such as salt, baking soda, sodium nitrate or monosodium glutamate (MSG) contain sodium.
Sample Menu
A typical breakfast might include: 6 oz. orange juice, 1 cup toasted oat cereal with 1 cup 1 percent milk and 1 cup strawberries. An ideal lunch could be: 3 oz. low-sodium turkey breast, two slices of whole-wheat bread, 2 tsp. of light mayonnaise, 8 oz. low-fat fruit yogurt, an apple and 1 cup of iced tea. For dinner, a patient could have 4 oz. of baked fish; spinach salad with 1/2 cup spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, 2 tbsp. walnuts, and 1 tbsp. light Italian dressing; one whole-wheat dinner roll with 1 tsp. soft margarine, 1 cup of diced watermelon and 1 cup of lemonade.
