What Is DASH?

The DASH Diet or Plan is an evidence-based approach to eating that includes a wide variety of fresh foods and is known to support health. The word DIET is sort of a four-letter word around here, but what I love about the DASH plan is its focus more on what to add than what to avoid. Always a better, more sustainable, approach in my opinion.

D.A.S.H. stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a way of eating that is rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, moderate in protein and low in saturated fat. It’s super flexible and includes a variety of whole foods that can be individualized to fit into anyone’s lifestyle. 

What Foods Are Included?

The DASH plan is all about adding in fresh foods like:  

• Fruits and vegetables – any and all
• Whole grains, e.g., oatmeal, whole wheat pasta or bread, brown rice
• Low-fat or non-fat calcium-rich dairy products, e.g., milk and yogurt
• Lean sources of protein – like chicken, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts

It suggests cutting back on:

• Red meats like beef and processed meat like bacon and deli meat
• High sodium foods like cheese, pizza, canned soups, salted processed snack foods, frozen meals, restaurant and drive-thru food
• Sweets, soda

The DASH plan recommends the following servings daily:

• 2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy or non-fat dairy (1 serving = 1 cup milk or yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces cheese)
• 6 to 8 servings of whole grains (1 serving = 1/2 cup cereal or 1 slice bread)
• 2 servings a day of protein or lean meats such as fish, chicken, and turkey (1 serving = 1 egg or 3 ounces of protein)
• 4 to 5 servings a day of vegetables (1 serving = 1 cup raw leafy vegetables or 1/2 cup raw or cooked veggies)
• 4 to 5 servings a day of fruit (1 serving = 1 medium fruit or 1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit)
• 5 servings per week of nuts, seed, beans, and peas. (1 serving = 1/3 cup nuts or 2 tablespoons peanut butter) 

“Your grandmother told you to drink your milk, eat your fruits and vegetables, and go outside and play.  It is still valuable nutrition advice.” 
– from the book The DASH Diet Action Plan.

A Typical Day on the DASH Plan

Breakfast: Southwestern omelet with red pepper & onions, 1 slice whole wheat toast topped with 2 teaspoons raspberry jam, 1 cup mixed blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries with a latte coffee with skim milk
Snack: 1 Tablespoon peanut butter with celery sticks
Lunch:  Grilled cheese with tomato on whole wheat bread, 1 slice cheese, 2 slices tomato, 1 cup cucumber topped with Italian dressing, 1 cup sliced peaches
Snack: Yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, and slivered almonds
Dinner:  4 ounces roasted chicken breast, small sweet potato, roasted asparagus, tomato spinach salad with olive oil-based dressing

Sounds pretty tasty and filling, right? You will not go hungry on the DASH plan, which I love.  Any diet that keeps you forever hungry and deprived is not one that will last.

The plan is packed with fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or non-fat dairy, each providing key beneficial nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, known to lower blood pressure. It is all of these nutrients working in concert together that have the most positive effect on our health.  

What are the Health Benefits?

The DASH plan has been around for years, with a few changes along the way, and is consistently listed as one of the top diets for health. Although it is a plan that was developed originally to lower blood pressure through diet without the use of medications, it has been found, through numerous scientific studies, to possibly have many other benefits too that include:

• Reducing cholesterol levels, including HDL, LDL, and triglycerides
• Reduced risk of heart failure and overall heart disease and stroke risk
• Protective against both colorectal and breast cancer
• Helps to balance blood sugars and reduce risk of developing type 2 diabetes

How to Get Started with DASH

• Add a serving of vegetables at lunch and at dinner
• Add a serving of fruit to your meals or as a snack
• Drink low-fat or skim dairy products
• Include lean protein sources at each meal, including eggs, fish, shrimp, chicken, and turkey
• Add more beans and peas to your diet. Put them on a salad, mix them into soups, have them as a side.
• When snacking, consider unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, fresh fruits and raw vegetables.

Wrap Up

If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, as well as other common health conditions like high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, the DASH plan is the way to go. The health benefits are well supported, plus it is versatile and full of delicious choices.

Which of the foods included sound most appealing and satisfying to you? What is one way you can start to incorporate DASH this week?