The DASH Diet
Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension
What is The DASH Lifestyle?
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH lifestyle has been proven to significantly lower blood pressure within two weeks.
Benefits of the DASH diet include:
- Significantly reduced blood pressure within two weeks
- Increased vitamin and mineral intake including: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium
- Decreased intake of fat and saturated fat
|
Food Group |
Daily Servings |
Serving Sizes |
Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH plan |
|
Cereals & Grains |
7-8 |
1 slice whole wheat bread
½ bagel or English muffin
1/2 cup cooked cereal or pasta
1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or corn
3/4 cup dry cereal
3 cups popcorn
4-6 crackers |
Important source of energy and fiber |
|
Vegetables |
4-5 |
1 cup leafy raw vegetables
½ cup cooked vegetable
6 oz vegetable juice |
Good source of vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
|
Fruits |
4-5 |
6 oz. Fruit juice
1 medium fruit
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit |
Excellent sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
|
Lowfat or fat free diary |
2-3 |
8 oz milk
1 cup yogurt
1 ½ oz. Lowfat cheese |
Provides calcium and protein |
|
Meats, fish and poultry
|
2 or less |
3 oz. Cooked lean meats, poultry and fish |
Provides protein and magnesium |
|
Nuts, seeds, and dry beans |
4-5 per week |
1/3 cup or 1 ½ oz. Nuts
2 Tbsp. Or ½ oz. Seeds
½ cup cooked dry beans |
Rich sources of energy, magnesium, potassium, protein, fiber, and mono-unsaturated fats |
|
Fats & Oils |
2-3 |
1 tsp. Soft margarine
1 Tbsp. Lowfat mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Light salad dressing
1 tsp. Vegetable oil |
DASH has 27% of calories as fat, including that in or added to foods |
|
Sweets |
5 per week |
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Jelly or Jam
½ oz. Jelly beans
8 oz lemonade |
Use sweets sparingly. Sweets should be low in fat. |
How do I read labels?
|
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size ½ cup (114g)
Servings Per Container 4 |
|
Amount Per Serving |
|
Calories 90 Calories from Fat 30 |
|
Total Fat 3g 5% |
|
Saturated Fat 0g 0% |
|
Cholesterol 0mg 0% |
|
Sodium 300mg 13% |
|
Total Carbohydrate 13g 4% |
|
Dietary Fiber 3g 12% |
|
Sugars 3g |
|
Protein 3g |
|
Vitamin A 80% |
|
Vitamin C 60% |
|
Calcium 4% |
|
Iron 4% |
The "Nutrition Facts" box label contains
the following information:
Serving Size - Remember that if you eat double the serving size listed, you need to double the calories, fat and nutrient size shown, cut the calories and nutrients in half.
Calories - This is very helpful to know if you're cutting calories to lose weight.
Total Fat - Since too much fat may lead to heart disease and obesity, try to limit your fat intake. The label will give you the number of grams of fat per serving (so you can keep track of your daily intake).
Saturated Fat - This is part of the total fat in food. It is listed separately because it is the kind of fat that raises blood cholesterol and should be limited to less than 10% of calories.
Cholesterol - Too much of it may lead to heart disease. It is best to eat less than 300 mg each day.
Sodium - Also known as Salt. Healthy adults should have no more than 2,400 mg of sodium each day. If you have high blood pressure or your doctor tells you to limit salt, you should keep your intake low.
Total Carbohydrate - Try to increase your intake of whole grain breads, pastas and brown rice. Carbohydrates are also found in fruits, vegetables, and milk. If you are diabetic, you need to closely watch the amount of total carbohydrate you consume at each meal.
Dietary Fiber - Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, peas and beans are good sources and can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Helpful Resources:
American Diabetes Association
1-217-875-9011
http://www.diabetes.org |
American Heart Association
1-800-AHA-USA1
http://www.americanheart.org |
|
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.gov |
Harvard University
http://www.intellihealth.com |
Tufts University
http://www.navigator.tufts.edu |
Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com |
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org |
American Heart Association Cookbook
http://www.deliciousdecisions.org |
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