DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. It actually is a lifelong approach towards eating healthy and is designed to treat high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It was created to lower blood pressure without medication.
What Does DASH include?
DASH diet places importance on the right portion size and the variety of nutrients. The diet has been planned to improve overall health and reduce blood pressure. The DASH diet helps to reduce the sodium content in the diet and encourages you to eat a variety of foods that help to lower the blood pressure. Foods that are rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium are included in the diet. DASH diet is a healthy way of eating Therefore, besides lowering the blood pressure it also provides overall health benefits. It is also helpful in preventing heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer. DASH diet involves a whole lot of vegetables and fruits and low-fat dairy products included in the diet.
The Types of DASH Diet
There are two versions of the DASH diet: one is the standard DASH diet in which you can consume 2300 mg of sodium in a day. The second one is the lower sodium DASH diet in which you can consume 1500 mg of sodium in a day. Both variants aim to reduce the level of sodium in the body.
Remember to consult your doctor first before you adopt the DASH diet.
What to Eat in a DASH Diet?
- The DASH diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and low-fat dairy products.
- This diet is low in saturated fats.
- You include 2000 calories in a day in the DASH diet.
- You are advised to consume whole grains as they contain a lot of fiber.
- Opt for wholegrain bread instead of white bread.
- Vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli, carrot, and leafy greens contain a lot of fiber.
