Meal Plan- Dash Diet, Benefits and Guidelines

Meal Plan- Dash Diet, Benefits and Guidelines

The full name of this health promoting and disease preventing diet is the dietary approaches to stop hypertension.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends the DASH diet for high blood pressure. Other health benefits include reducing inflammatory markers, preventing diabetes, and reducing the risk of developing cancer.

Blood pressure is a measure of the force exerted by your blood on your blood vessels. When you get a blood pressure reading, it will be given in two numbers separated by a slash.

For example, 120/80 mm Hg. The highest figure is known as systolic blood pressure.

It is a measure of the force that your blood pushes against your arteries when the heart beats. The lowest number, known as diastolic blood pressure, is the force that your blood pushes against your arteries while the heart is resting. While both numbers are important, most health care professionals pay more attention to the higher number.

The American Heart Association has classified blood pressure based on the following scores:

• Normal is less than 120 / less than 80
• High blood pressure is 120 to 129 / less than 80
• Stage 1 hypertension is 130-139 / 80-89
• Stage 2 hypertension is 140 or higher / 90 or higher
• Hypertensive crisis (call your doctor immediately! This is considered a medical emergency!) Is greater than 180 / greater than 120 (3)
• People with high blood pressure are more likely to have a heart attack, develop heart disease, develop kidney problems and / or have a stroke.

What is the Dash Dash?

The DASH diet is a healthy diet to help fight hypertension. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects nearly one billion people worldwide. Diets high in salt are thought to cause high blood pressure. Doctors usually recommend a low sodium (salt) diet if you have high blood pressure.

The DASH diet recommends 2,300 mg of sodium per day or less, or about a teaspoon. This diet also recommends lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and vegetable oils.

These blood pressure lowering foods contain key nutrients like potassium, magnesium and calcium that have been shown to improve blood pressure.

The DASH diet recommends avoiding fatty meats, high-fat dairy products, sugary drinks and sweets because of their sodium levels.

Benefits of the DASH diet

Lowers blood pressure

The most recognized health benefit of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet is its ability to lower blood pressure.

One study found that subjects who followed the DASH diet saw their systolic blood pressure drop by 5 points on average and their diastolic blood pressure drop by 3 points on average.

These benefits were seen a few weeks after the adoption of the DASH diet.

Another study looked at subjects with high blood pressure. All subjects had systolic blood pressure greater than 140 and diastolic blood pressure greater than 90. After just 3 weeks on the DASH diet, their systolic blood pressure dropped 11 points and their diastolic blood pressure dropped 7 points.

Reduces the risk of heart disease

The DASH diet also protects against cardiovascular disease. A review found that DASH users decrease their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 20%, coronary artery disease by 21%, stroke by 19% and heart failure by 29%.

Reduces the risk of cancer

Followers of the DASH diet also seem to have a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Men who followed the DASH diet had a 33% reduction in the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

• Reduces the risk of diabetes
• People who follow the DASH diet have better metabolic health. The main markers of metabolic health, including blood sugar, insulin resistance, reactive protein C and high density lipoproteins are at healthier levels when people are on a DASH diet.
• Although it is called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, the DASH diet is a great diet for people at risk for diabetes. Following the DASH diet can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20%.

Not only can it prevent diabetes, but the American Diabetes Association recommends the DASH diet for diabetics.

A study found that diabetics who followed the DASH diet saw their A1C, a measure of average blood sugar over 3 months, fall by 1.7% and their fasting blood sugar by 29%.

What Can You Eat on the Dash Diet?

The DASH diet is full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meat. An easy way to start with this eating plan is to take your plate and make half vegetables, a quarter of the whole grains and a quarter of the lean meat or vegetable protein. Make it a goal to "eat the rainbow" of different fruits and vegetables. You can also include a side of low-fat dairy and fruit.

For a 2,000 calorie diet, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends the following servings for different food groups:

                                                                                    Vegetables: 4-5 servings per day

A serving of vegetables includes:

• 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, arugula, green cabbage, turnip, spring mix, green salad or romaine lettuce
•  ½ cup of raw or cooked vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, onions, mushrooms, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, zucchini, squash, snow peas, cauliflower, eggplant, beets, asparagus, parsnips, green peas, and green beans.
• Vegetables are a rich source of potassium, magnesium and fiber.

Fruits: 4-5 servings per day

 

One serving of fruit includes:

• 1 medium fruit such as a banana, an apple, an orange or a pear
•  ¼ cup of dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, figs or cranberries. Make sure there is no added sugar by checking the ingredients
• ½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit (look for canned fruit in their own juice with no added sugar) such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, mangoes, pineapples and grapes
• Fruits, like vegetables, are full of potassium, magnesium and fiber. The berries are full of antioxidants to promote health.

Grains (target whole grains!): 6-8 servings per day

One portion includes:

• 1 slice of bread
• 1 ounce dry cereal like grated wheat (hold the frosting!)
•  ½ cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, whole grain or plant-based pasta, ½ cup steel cut oats or oats, 6 whole grain crackers or crackers, 3 cups popcorn plain or ½ cup corn
• Whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Refined grains have been processed, resulting in the elimination of most of the nutrients.

Lean meats, poultry and fish (protein): 6 servings or less per day

 

1 ounce cooked meat, poultry (chicken, turkey) or fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, shrimp or tilapia

If you don't know what an ounce looks like, you can buy a food scale. You can find them in pharmacies or department stores like Walmart, Target and Bed Bath and Beyond or online. If you don't have a food scale, 1 ounce of cooked meat is the size of a matchbox. Three ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

Fat-free or low-fat dairy products: 2 to 3 servings per day

A serving of fat-free or low-fat dairy products includes:

• 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt
•  1 ½ ounce light cheese
• Low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of calcium and protein.

Nuts, seeds and legumes: 4-5 servings per week

One portion includes:

• 1/3 a cup or 1 ½ ounces of nuts such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios or cashews
•  2 tablespoons of nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter
•  2 tablespoons or ½ ounce of seeds such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
•  ½ cup cooked black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, non-fat fried beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, large northern beans or white beans.
• Fats and oils: 2-3 servings per week 

A portion of fats and oils includes:

• 1 teaspoon of soft margarine
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil or corn oil
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of dressing like a ranch or Caesar
• Sweets and added sugars: 5 servings or less per week

One serving of candy includes:

• 1 tablespoon of sugar
•  1 tablespoon of jelly or jam
•  ½ cup sorbet or gelatin dessert
•  1 cup of sweet tea, lemonade, coke or other sugary drinks
• When following this eating plan, aim to eat 2,300 milligrams or less of salt each day. Remember it is a teaspoon. If you can eat 1,500 mg of salt, just over half a teaspoon, your blood pressure will improve even more 

There does not appear to be any additional benefit from eating less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. Most of the salt in our diet is already found in the food we eat. Foods high in sodium include:

Restaurant foods - these are loaded with sodium. I have seen starters alone with more than 3000 mg of sodium!

1. The soups
2. Frozen meals
3. Pizza
4. cottage cheese
5. Processed sandwich meat like pastrami, salami, ham, beef and turkey
6. Bacon
7. Soya sauce
8. Cheese

Check the nutrition labels under sodium to see how much is hiding in your favorite foods.

What can you not eat with the Dash diet?

By following the DASH diet, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends a diet that avoids foods high in saturated fat to limit sodium intake.

Examples of these foods include fatty meats such as bacon, sausages, fatty cuts of beef, pork, lamb and poultry skin. Other foods high in saturated fat include butter, cream, high-fat dairy products, coconut milk, and fried foods.

Red meat, which includes beef and pork, is also not recommended in this diet.

Avoid sugary drinks like soda, sugary tea, sports drinks and coffee with added sugars and creamers. Limit sweets in general and especially sweets that have added fat.

Examples include foods such as cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, pastries, hard candies, ice cream, and donuts.

Example of 1 day Dash diet plan

Here is a sample food plan to help you plan your DASH meal.

Breakfast:

Steel cut oats with cinnamon and apple with 1 cup of skim or skim milk for drinking

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked oats cut with steel (about ½ dry cup)
• 1 medium apple, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Instructions:
• Cook the steel cut oats according to the directions on the package. Add the chopped apple, peanut butter and cinnamon.
• Taste right away with a glass of fresh milk.
• Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional value + calories: 551, protein 24 grams, carbohydrates 64 grams, fat 20 grams, saturated fat 3 grams, sodium 323 milligrams

Lunch:

Powerful salad with healthy house dressing, plain Greek yogurt with red berries

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mixed green vegetables: baby spinach, baby kale, spring mix, romaine lettuce and / or arugula
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (about ½ dry cup)
• 1 cup raw cherry tomatoes, cucumber and / or colored peppers
• ½ cup grated carrot
• 3 ounce bag of salmon or tuna
•  Pad
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
•  ½ teaspoon rosemary
•  ½ teaspoon sage
•  ½ teaspoon thyme

Instructions:

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package. Combine all the salad ingredients. Whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette, then pour over the salad.

Enjoy a cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt with 1 cup of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and / or blackberries). Fresh or frozen, it works very well.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional value + Calories: 737, Protein 58 grams, Carbohydrates 65 grams, Fat 23 grams, Saturated fat 4 grams, Sodium 250 grams

Dinner: Chicken sauteed with brown rice

Ingredients:

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Frozen stir-fried vegetables, family packaging
• 1 pound cooked chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¾ a cup of dry brown rice (makes about 2 ¼ cups of brown rice)
• Cook the rice according to the directions on the package.

Instructions:

Spray a frying pan or wok with non-stick cooking spray, then place over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic begins to smoke.

Add sautéed vegetables, cooked chicken and soy sauce. Cook until the vegetables are no longer frozen.

Serve 1 cup of vegetables and 3 ounces of chicken on a 1 cup bed of brown rice. For dessert, enjoy fresh fruit such as a banana or an orange.

This recipe makes about 4 servings.

Nutritional value + Calories: 685, Protein 38 grams, Carbohydrates, 81 grams, Fat 20 grams, Saturated fat 4 grams, Sodium 1,242 milligrams

Frequently asked questions:

Will Dash Diet help you lose weight?

While the goal of dietary approaches to stop hypertension is to improve blood pressure, and not necessarily to lose weight, many people who follow this diet end up losing weight.

The foods on this diet, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products are very plentiful, but low in calories. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, and the DASH diet can certainly help you do that.

A review that combined the results of the study of 13 different articles on weight loss and the DASH diet found that when people followed the DASH diet, they lost an average of 3 pounds compared to the control groups.

This took place over an 8 to 24 week period, according to the study. When the DASH diet was lower in calories, people lost even more weight.

Can you eat eggs on the dash diet?

Eggs are allowed in the DASH diet, but the yolk is very high in cholesterol.

For this reason, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends only egg whites. Two egg whites equivalent to 1 ounce of meat.