The DASH diet, an acronym for the “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” diet is a diet recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It’s aimed to prevent and control healthy blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels by a low dietary sodium intake (2300 mg per day) and a potassium-calcium-and-magnesium rich diet. The diet is also effective in reducing body weight, preventing diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and other chronic diseases. It can be the ideal diet plan for most of the general population and provides a general guide of a sustainable healthy diet.
DASH Diet 2000 kcal/d break-down
| Food Group | Servings per Day | Per Serving Size |
| Grains | 6-8 serv | ⅓ Cup Cooked Brown Rice |
| Vegetables | 4-5 serv. | 1 Cup Raw Veg Salad or ½ Cup Cooked Veg |
| Fruits | 4-5 serv. | ½ Cup Fruit Juice, ½ Apple or Pear |
| Dairy | 2-3 serv | 1 Cup Fat-free Milk/ Greek Yogurt |
| Lean Protein | <6 serv | 1 oz. Lean Meat, 1 Egg, 4 oz. Tofu |
| Fats & Oils | 2-3 serv | 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter |
| Sweets | 1 serv ( <5 serv./ wk) | 1 can (12 oz) Soft Drinks, 1 Small Cup Cake |
| Nuts, Seeds, Legumes | 1 serv. (4-5 serv/ wk) | 6 Almonds/ Cashews, 10 Peanuts, 16 Pistachios, 8 Black Olives, 10 Green Olives |
Low sodium intake doesn’t only mean to avoid adding extra salt into your meals, but also staying away from all the hidden sodium in canned, preserved foods and certain dairy products.
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