A Deep Dive into the DASH Diet

The DASH diet sounds like a health plan for runners—but it’s actually about heart health.  

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Research is clear that the DASH diet is ideal for supporting healthy blood pressure levels and heart health. In the early 1990s the National Institutes of Health started funding research regarding dietary interventions for healthy blood pressure and based on the results from that early research, in some cases, the DASH diet is recommended as the first-line intervention.¹

Research Regarding DASH Diet Plans

Over the past few decades, there have been many major studies demonstrating that DASH diet plans can support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall heart health.² 

A large analysis of four systematic reviews, 15 different cohort studies, and 31 unique controlled trials found that the DASH diet supports heart health on many levels and had other health benefits as well.³

In addition, the authors of a 2023 review concluded that the DASH diet has an extensive body of clinical research that firmly establishes its ability to effectively manage blood pressure.⁴

What Can You Eat on a DASH Diet?

The DASH diet places a large focus on eating fruits and vegetables and lean meat and dairy while eating less sodium and processed foods. Here are the typical serving guidelines for DASH diet plans:¹

• Vegetables = 5 servings daily
• Fruits = 5 servings daily
• Carbohydrates = 7 servings daily
• Low-fat dairy products = 2 servings daily
• Lean meats = 2 or fewer servings daily
• Nuts and seeds = 2-3 times per week

Examples of healthy carbohydrates with DASH diet plans include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, and low-glycemic fruits while also focusing on healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish. Many of these foods are also beneficial to the heart because they contain key nutrients that support health function including potassium, calcium, and magnesium.¹ 

A key reason the DASH diet is so good for the heart and healthy blood pressure is because it limits salt intake to ¾ of a teaspoon or 1,500 mg daily.¹ It’s estimated that the typical adult diet contains 3500 mg of salt, which far exceeds the DASH recommendation for sodium.⁵ Salt is harmful because it causes the heart to work harder, which increases blood pressure and, over time, can actually narrow the blood vessels themselves.⁶

Just reducing salt can have a huge impact on heart health. In one study, reducing salt to 500 mg daily resulted in nearly a 75% drop in systolic blood pressure.⁵ Some high-sodium foods that may surprise you: packaged shrimp (800 mg), ½ cup of cottage cheese (350 mg), 8 ounces of vegetable juice (405 mg), medium sized dill pickle (560 mg), and a bagel (400 mg). You can see how sodium in the diet can add up quickly.

Should You Try the DASH Diet?

The DASH diet is considered a healthy eating pattern that is especially beneficial to heart function. If you are looking for extra heart support, the DASH diet may be right for you. 

To get started, just try reducing the number of processed foods you eat because those foods are typically high in salt, sugar, and bad fats. From there, add in more fruits and vegetables and you are well on your way to eating a DASH diet. 

References

1. Challa HJ, Ameer MA, Uppaluri KR. DASH diet to stop hypertension. StatPearls. 2023;Jan 23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482514/?report=reader#_NBK482514_pubdet_
2. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The science behind the DASH eating plan. NIH. 2021;Dec 29. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash/research
3. Chiavaroli L, Viguiliouk E, Nishi SK, et al. DASH dietary pattern and cardiometabolic outcomes: an umbrella review and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):338. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6413235/
4. Onwuzo C, Olukorode J, Omokore OA, et al. DASH diet: a review of its scientifically proven hypertension reduction and health benefits. Cureus. 2023;15(9). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10551663/
5. Gupta DK, Lewis CE, Varady KA, et al. Effect of dietary sodium on blood pressure: a crossover trial. JAMA. 2023;330(23):2258-2266. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2811931
6. Merschel M. How much harm can excess salt do? Plenty. American Heart Association News. 2021;May 26. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/05/26/how-much-harm-can-a-little-excess-salt-do-plenty