DASH Diet: Your Key to a Healthier Heart
By now, you’ve heard of many diets that promote certain health benefits. There’s the keto diet, the Mediterranean diet and many more. If you have high blood pressure (also called hypertension), you may have heard about the DASH diet.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet focuses on eating foods that help lower bad cholesterol levels and keep your blood pressure within a healthy range.
Before learning about the DASH diet, it’s best to understand the connection between too much sodium and high blood pressure. You’ll also want to learn why high blood pressure is bad for your health, especially your heart.
High Blood Pressure and Sodium
Sodium is a mineral that your body needs for proper nerve and muscle function. If you don’t get enough sodium, you can have muscle cramps or spasms. However, consuming too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
Your kidneys are constantly working to balance the sodium and water in your body. When you eat too much sodium, your kidneys try to hold onto more water to dilute it. This extra water increases the amount of blood flowing through your blood vessels. More blood volume increases pressure on your artery walls which forces your heart to work harder to pump blood.
The DASH diet is one way to reduce sodium intake and keep blood pressure in a healthy range.
Benefits Beyond Blood Pressure
Limiting saturated fat is another major part of the DASH eating plan. Saturated fats cause the body to produce more low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol, which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries and raise the risk of heart attack and heart disease.
DASH Diet Basics
The DASH diet focuses on controlling the amount of salt you consume. It suggests aiming for 2,300 milligrams or less of sodium daily. This can be a big change for most Americans, who usually consume around 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day.
The DASH diet also emphasizes eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. These foods contain minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium that help regulate blood pressure. Potassium, for example, helps your body get rid of sodium.
Foods in the DASH Diet
The DASH diet provides guidance on which foods to eat and appropriate portion sizes. Your daily recommended servings depend on your total calorie needs, which vary based on factors like your sex, weight and activity level. For a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet, you’ll want to include:
- Fat-free or low-fat dairy products: Aim for two to three servings a day
- Fish and poultry: Aim for six or less servings of fresh fish and lean poultry, like chicken breast and turkey. You’ll also want to rinse canned fish, like sardines or salmon, which are usually heavy in sodium.
- Fruits: You’ll want to eat four or five servings of fresh, frozen or sugar-free canned fruits.
- Vegetables: Eat six to eight servings of raw or cooked vegetables, such as carrots, collard greens and sweet potatoes.
- Grains: Try to eat six to eight servings of whole grains, which can include whole-wheat bread and pasta, cereal and brown rice.
Foods to Limit
The DASH diet includes plenty of delicious foods you can enjoy. But there are some foods you’ll want to limit, as they contain too much salt or unhealthy saturated fat. Foods to avoid include:
- Fatty meats, especially red meat and processed meats
- Full-fat dairy products
- Tropical oils, such as coconut oil and palm oil
- Ultra-processed foods, such as TV dinners, chips, deli meats and hot dogs
- Sweets and foods with added sugars, such as sugar-sweetened beverages and ice cream
Practical Tips to Get Started
Switching to the DASH diet can be difficult at first, especially if you’re used to a high-sodium diet. But with these smart strategies, you can make a successful change:
- Start small. Increase your intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Add an extra serving of fruit to your breakfast or a side salad to your lunch.
- Read labels. Pay attention to nutrition labels, especially for sodium and saturated fat.
- Switch up your snacks. Instead of processed snacks, choose healthy snacks like a handful of nuts, seeds or fresh fruit.
- Flavor foods with herbs and spices. You can make your own replacements for convenient seasoning packets by combining spices you already have.
- Choose your protein wisely. Eat more fish, poultry and plant-based proteins, like legumes and beans. Only eat red meat occasionally.
- Be mindful when dining out. Restaurant and fast-food meals often contain high amounts of sodium, so choose options carefully and enjoy them in moderation.