DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet is a physician recommended diet plan to reduce high blood pressure. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, or NHLBI, studies have shown that blood pressure can be lowered by following the DASH diet and by limiting sodium, or salt, intake. The plan promotes a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low or non-fat dairy and low in fat, cholesterol and sugar.
Sodium and Hypertension
According to the Mayo Clinic, hypertension is a condition in which the force of blood against the artery walls is too high. This can lead to major health problems, including heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Blood pressure is determined by the volume of blood pumped by the heart and narrowing of the arteries. Hypertension can be controlled by following a healthy, low-sodium diet, maintaining weight, being physically active, quitting smoking and in some cases using medication. The NHLBI states that the lower your salt intake, the lower your blood pressure. The DASH diet consists of two menus -- a 2,300mg or 1,500mg sodium per day diet. Both the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the National High Blood Pressure Education Program recommend a maximum of 2,300mg of sodium per day. However, the American Heart Association recommends a sodium intake of no more than 1,500mg daily to manage or prevent heart disease.
The Basics of DASH
The DASH eating plan provides serving amounts of the main food groups based on caloric intake. Serving information is provided for 1,600, 2,000, 2,600 and 3,100 calories per day. The diet, along with lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise and drinking alcohol in moderation can help to reduce blood pressure and reduce LDL or bad cholesterol, according to the NHLBI. The menu provides serving recommendations for grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, lean meat, poultry and fish, nuts, seeds and legumes, fats and oils and sugars.
Recommended Foods
The DASH diet recommends specific foods to be eaten for each food group. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, a person should eat between six and eight grains per day. The majority of grain intake should be whole grains to increase fiber intake. Examples include one slice of whole-wheat bread, 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice. Both fruit and vegetable intake should be between four and five servings each. A serving is 1 cup of raw vegetables, 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, one medium fresh fruit or 1/2 cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruit. Dairy should be low or nonfat milk, cheese or yogurt. One cup of milk or 1.5 oz of cheese. Lean poultry, meat or fish should be limited to no more than six 1 oz. servings per day. Nuts, seeds and legume intake should be between four and five servings per day. Examples include 2 tbsp. of peanut butter, 2 tbsp. of seeds or 1/2 cup of cooked legumes. Fat and oil intake should be between two and three servings per day. This includes 1 tsp. of soft margarine or vegetable oil. Lastly, desserts and added sugars should be limited to no more than five servings per week. Examples include 1 tbsp. of sugar, 1/2 cup sorbet or 1 tbsp. of jelly.
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