The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and is a dietary pattern promoted by the U.S.-based National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to prevent and control hypertension. The DASH diet is mainly based on fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry, legumes, and nuts. It recommends reducing sodium intake, sweets (in drinks and foods), and red meat. It limits saturated and trans-saturated fat while increasing the intake of potassium, magnesium, protein, fiber, and nutrients thought to help control blood pressure. The DASH diet is one of three healthy diets recommended in the 2015–2020 US Dietary Guidelines, which also include the Mediterranean diet and a vegetarian diet. The American Heart Association (AHA) considers the DASH diet "specific and well-documented across age, sex, and ethnically diverse groups".
The DASH diet is low in salt and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. It emphasizes foods high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fiber, which, when combined, help lower blood pressure. The diet is flexible enough to follow if you are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free. The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and instead provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. It recommends eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils. It also limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils, and sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.
The DASH diet is easy to follow and should leave you feeling satisfied. You will be buying more fruits and vegetables than before, which may be more expensive than prepared foods. The diet is also a healthy way to lose weight. To follow the DASH diet for weight loss, you eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables and fruit and moderate portions of fat-free or low-fat dairy products and whole grains. You also need to be careful when increasing your intake of fiber, which is high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as increasing your intake too quickly may cause gastrointestinal discomfort. It is important to drink plenty of fluids when increasing your fiber intake.
In summary, the DASH diet is a flexible and balanced eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein while limiting sodium, saturated and trans-saturated fat, and sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets. It is a healthy way to lose weight and is recommended by multiple cardiovascular guidelines including the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, and 2016 European Guidelines.
