The DASH Diet and The Mediterranean Diet

US News & World Reports: Best and Healthiest Diet Plans.

The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution

March 19, 2026. The DASH Diet was found to be the top diet for preserving memory. People who followed the DASH diet closely had a 41% lower risk of experiencing cognitive decline, compared with those who did not. When it comes to brain health, DASH diet beat out the other top healthy diets.

January 5, 2026. US News again puts the DASH diets and the Mediterranean diet on top as America's overall healthiest diets especially for heart health and diabetes control. They are the top overall diets recommended by nutrition experts.

The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution

The DASH Diet

Marla Heller, MS, RD and the DASH diet
Why was the DASH diet ranked as one the best diets, the healthiest diet, and the best diet for diabetes? The expert panel of physicians and dietitians chose DASH because it is proven to improve health, has a balance of healthy food groups, and it actually works. DASH has been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and is associated with lower risk of several types of cancer, dementia, heart disease, stroke, heart failure, kidney stones, reduced risk of developing diabetes, can slow the progression of kidney disease, and is associated with reduced risk of depression.
Both the DASH and Mediterranean diets are plant-focused diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, nuts, with low-fat and non-fat dairy, lean meats, fish, and poultry, mostly whole grains, and heart healthy fats. Perfect together. You fill up on delicious fruits and vegetables, paired up with protein-rich foods to quench your hunger. This makes an eating plan that is so easy to follow. Learn about the the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet plans and browse sample menus.

The only books based on the most recent updated Mediterranean and DASH research, include the brand new, high flavor and high impact The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution and the all-time best seller The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, both of which can help you harness the health benefits of the DASH diet for weight loss. The DASH Diet Younger You, is pumped up on plants to help you become and look younger from the inside out. It fully supports both vegetarians and meat eaters (as does the Med-DASH book), with meal plans and recipes, and are based on real, unprocessed, and additive-free foods. The essential companion, The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook will make a great addition to your cookbook collection to give you a fresh start to healthy eating.

Join one of our free support groups for weight loss or for the mostly vegetarian plan, or our new group for the Med-DASH plan on Facebook!

Chicken and Chickpea Skillet

Chicken and Chickpea Skillet from The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution.

The DASH Diet for Weight Loss

While the DASH diet was originally developed as an eating style to help lower blood pressure, it has been found to be a great plan for weight loss. The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution turbocharges weight loss with a powerful plan based on previously overlooked DASH research. And the book The DASH Diet Younger You is more pumped up on plants to help you become healthier, lighter, and actually physically younger, from the inside out. It features 14 days of meal plans for vegetarians, and 14 days of plans for meat-eaters, supporting your diet preferences and showing many options on how to put DASH together. It relies on all natural foods, with no artificial additives or sweeteners!

The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution has special benefits for people who carry their excess weight around the middle, which often goes along with having metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, or postmenopausal weight gain. And, it has been shown to be very effective in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution book

See more about our free Facebook weight loss support group and 60-minute video from our PBS show, at The Dash Diet With Marla Heller, MS, RD. We will help you get started on this healthy path!

The DASH Diet for Health

The DASH diet is especially recommended for people with hypertension (high blood pressure) or prehypertension. The DASH diet eating plan has been proven to lower blood pressure in studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). In addition to being a low salt (or low sodium) plan, the DASH diet provides additional benefits to reduce blood pressure. It is based on an eating plan rich in fruits and vegetables, and low-fat or non-fat dairy, with whole grains. It is a high fiber, low to moderate fat diet, rich in potasium, calcium, and magnesium. The full DASH diet plan is shown here. The DASH diet is a healthy plan, designed for the whole family. New research continues to show additional health benefits of the plan.

In addition to being recommended by your physician, DASH is also endorsed 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 (AHA)
  • US guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure
  • The American Heart Association Treatment Guidelines for Women
  • The Mayo Clinic
Marla Heller, MS, RD and the DASH diet

Vegetarian DASH Diet

DASH Diet Younger You Want to take the DASH diet to the next level? The DASH Diet Younger You will support you with following the DASH diet if you want to follow a vegetarian plan with 14 days of vegetarian meal plans and lots of recipes. And it is flexible enough for those who love meat/fish/poultry with an additional 14 days of meal plans for omnivores along with even more recipes. It also supports those who want an all natural, additive-free approach to the DASH diet. These were the top requests from readers of the DASH diet books. Featuring . . .
  • 14 days of vegetarian meal plans
  • 14 days of omnivore meal plans
  • all foods without artificial ingredients
  • no artificial sweeteners