Dash Diet

D.A.S.H. (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Please check with your doctor before making any changes in your diet and do NOT use any diet to replace your doctor’s advice or your current medications.

The D.A.S.H.diet was an 8 week study of 459 adults with varying ranges of blood pressures. Each person was randomly assigned to eat 1 of 3 diets, all prepared by dietitians.

The "usual" diet was similar in nutrients to what the average American eats
The "fruit & vegetable" diet was the "usual" diet, plus more fruit & vegetables
The "combination" plan (The D.A.S.H. diet) was low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, & rich in fruits, vegetables, & low-fat dairy foods.

All 3 plans used about 3000 mg of sodium daily. Results showed that both the fruit & vegetable diet & the combination diet reduced blood pressure, but the combination plan had the greatest effect. The reduction in blood pressure came fast…within 2 weeks of starting the eating plan. (Source: D.A.S.H. Study / National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute)

On both the DASH (combination) and the usual diets, the lower the sodium fell, the lower blood pressures dropped. Blood pressure fell more in people with hypertension than in those with normal blood pressure.

Caution: Please check with your physician before starting any new diet. Also, be aware that the DASH plan has more servings of fruit & vegetables than you may be used to. This makes it high in fiber which may cause bloating and diarrhea. For this reason, fruit & vegetables should be added gradually with plenty of water (8-10 cups daily).
For specific serving sizes according to individual calorie needs please see a registered dietitian.

Please read all footnotes regarding specific conditions which could be affected by changes in your diet and discuss them with your doctor.

Food & Servings	Examples of 1 serving	Food Sources
Grains & Grain Products 7-8/day	1 slice bread, 6 crackers 3/4 - 1 cup dry cereal 1/2 c. cooked rice/pasta/cereal 3 c. popcorn	whole wheat bread, bagels pita bread, no-salt pretzels, oatmeal, shredded wheat, macaroni, speghetti
Vegetables 4-5/day	1 c. raw leafy vegetables ** 1/2 c. raw non-leafy vegetables 1/2 c. cooked vegetables 3/4 c. low-sodium vegetable juice	tomatoes, spinach, green beans, broccoli, squash greens*, potatoes, peas, lima beans, sweet potatoes*
Fruits 4-5/day	3/4 c. fruit juice++ 1 medium fruit 1/4 c. dried fruit 1/2 c. fresh, frozen, lite canned fruit	apricots, bananas, pineapple, oranges, peaches, grapes, grapefruit#, strawberries
Low-Fat/Non-Fat Dairy 2-3/day	1 c. (8 oz) milk 1 c. yogurt 1-1 1/2 oz. cheese	skim or 1% milk, low-fat yogurt, fat-free cheese
Meats, Poultry & Fish 2 or less/day	3 oz. lean trimmed beef skinless poultry, fish	bake, broil, roast, boil or grill instead of frying
Nuts, Seeds & Beans 4-5/week	1/3 c. or 1 1/2 oz. nuts 2 Tbs. or 1/2 oz. seeds 1/2 c. cooked dried beans*	almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, filberts, kidney beans, lentils*, pinto beans, peas
Added Fats, Oils & Dressings 2-3/day	1 tsp. soft margarine (or spray) 1 Tbs. low-fat mayonnaise 2 Tbs. light salad dressing 1 tsp. vegetable oil	spray (best)/tub margarine, light/low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oils (ec. canola)
Snacks & Sweets ++ 5/week	1 Tbs. sugar 1 Tbs. jelly/jam/syrup 1/2 oz. jelly beans (15) 8 oz. lemonade 1/2 c. frozen yogurt/sherbet	maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jello, hard candy, sorbet, jelly beans, sweet drings, frozen yogurt/shebet

Source: The D.A.S.H. Study / National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute

*Starchy Vegetables should be counted as starch/bread or carbohydrate source for diabetics!!

++Fruit juice (over ½ cup) & pure sugar "sweets" should be avoided by diabetics/high triglycerides( unless used to treat low blood sugar)

**Leafy vegetables & those which contain high amounts of vitamin K should be eaten in similar amounts daily by those on anti-coagulant therapy (i.e. Coumadin…Ask your doctor before eating different amounts of vitamin K food sources.)

#Check with your doctor or pharmacist for drug-nutrient interactions with grapefruit juice.

Patients with kidney (renal) disease &/or high potassium levels should check with your physician & dietitian before starting this plan.

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