The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can help control blood pressure.
The DASH diet is rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. It limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. The DASH diet also limits salt, also called sodium, to between 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams a day.
Here are the number of servings to eat from each food group for two calorie levels of the DASH diet. Following are examples of what a single serving is.
| Food group | 1,600-calorie diet | 2,000-calorie diet |
|---|---|---|
| Grains (mainly whole grains) | 6 a day | 6-8 a day |
| Vegetables | 3-4 a day | 4-5 a day |
| Fruits | 4 a day | 4-5 a day |
| Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products | 2-3 a day | 2-3 a day |
| Lean meats, poultry and fish | 3-4 one-ounce servings or fewer a day | 6 one-ounce servings or fewer a day |
| Nuts, seeds and legumes | 3-4 a week | 4-5 a week |
| Fats and oils | 2 a day | 2-3 a day |
| Sweets and added sugars | 3 or fewer a week | 5 or fewer a week |
| Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | ||
A note about serving sizes
Serving sizes in the DASH diet may not be like those of other eating plans. Examples of single servings for each food group are listed below.
Grains
- 1 slice whole-wheat bread.
- 1 ounce dry whole-grain cereal.
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta (preferably whole grain).
Vegetables
- 1 cup raw leafy green vegetable.
- 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables.
- 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) low-sodium vegetable juice.
Fruits
- 1 medium fruit.
- 1/4 cup dried fruit.
- 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit.
- 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) 100% fruit juice.
Fat-free or low-fat dairy products
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) low-fat or fat-free milk.
- 1 cup low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
- 1 1/2 ounces low-fat or fat-free cheese.
Lean meats, poultry and fish.
- 1 ounce cooked lean meat, skinless poultry or fish.
- 1 egg.
- 2 egg whites.
Nuts, seeds and legumes
- 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) nuts.
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter.
- 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) seeds.
- 1/2 cup cooked dried beans or peas.
Fats and oils
- 1 teaspoon soft margarine.
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.
- 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing or 1 tablespoon regular dressing.
Sweets and added sugars
- 1 tablespoon sugar.
- 1 tablespoon jelly or jam.
- 1/2 cup sorbet.
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) sugar-sweetened lemonade.
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