What Is the DASH Diet?

Research based

The DASH diet is based on the research studies: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and has been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and improve insulin sensitivity. Blood pressure control with the DASH diet involves more than just the traditional low salt or low sodium diet advice. It is based on an eating plan proven to lower blood pressure, a plan rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy. It emphasizes whole grains and contains less refined grains compared with a typical diet. It is rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and fiber. Your doctor may have recommended this eating plan; it is also recommended by:

•  The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (one of the National Institutes of Health, of the US Department of Health and Human Services)
•  The American Heart Association
•  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
•  US guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure

What is the DASH Diet?

The DASH diet eating plan is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat or nonfat dairy. It also includes grains, especially whole grains; lean meats, fish and poultry; nuts and beans. It is high fiber and low to moderate in fat. It is a plan that follows US guidelines for sodium content. In addition to lowering blood pressure, the DASH eating plan lowers cholesterol and makes it easy to lose weight. It is a healthy way of eating, designed to be flexible enough to meet the lifestyle and food preferences of most people. And, it contains all the healthy foods from the Mediterranean diet.

Who Should Follow the DASH Diet?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the DASH eating plan as a model for healthy eating for everyone! The whole family can enjoy the DASH diet. And of course, the DASH diet was developed to help people lower their blood pressure. It provides additional heart health benefits, lowering cholesterol and inflammation. New research shows that it is effective in lowering blood pressure in children as well as adults.

How Does the DASH Diet Plan Work?

The DASH diet helps to lower blood pressure by providing more key nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are associated with lower blood pressure. These key nutrients are boosted by including more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy in your daily diet. Some people see additional benefits by lowering sodium or salt in their diet.  Our book includes additional lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure, such as weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation, and moderation of alcohol intake.

The DASH Diet Action Plan is the user-friendly guide to the DASH diet. Without help, many people can find it challenging to adopt the DASH diet. This book was written to make it easy-to-follow. And now we have a brand-new pumped up weight loss version, The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution. It is good for heart health, and especially targets people who carry their excess weight around their middle, people with metabolic syndrome, high triglycerides, diabetes, prediabetes, and/or hypertension, who are postmenopausal, or who have PCOS. And our cookbook, The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook, is the essential companion, to help make DASH your lifestyle.

Learn more about the DASH diet and the boosk below.

Learn more about the books, or view the tables of contents.

Learn more about the DASH diet.

Learn how the DASH diet promotes weight loss.

Read about new DASH diet research.

Learn more about the author Marla Heller, MS, RD