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HYPERTENSION & DASH DIET

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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 GroupServings per DayPer Serving Size
Grains6-8 serv⅓ Cup Cooked Brown Rice
Vegetables4-5 serv.1 Cup Raw Veg Salad or ½ Cup Cooked Veg
Fruits4-5 serv.½ Cup Fruit Juice, ½ Apple or Pear
Dairy2-3 serv1 Cup Fat-free Milk/ Greek Yogurt
Lean Protein<6 serv1 oz. Lean Meat, 1 Egg, 4 oz. Tofu
Fats & Oils2-3 serv1 Teaspoon Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
Sweets1 serv ( <5 serv./ wk)1 can (12 oz) Soft Drinks, 1 Small Cup Cake
Nuts, Seeds, Legumes1 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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 (Health + Wellness, 2017)

Reference:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456?pg=1

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods