# DASH diet

**URL:** <https://howtodiscuss.com/t/dash-diet/27461>\
**Category:** Health\
**Created:** [October 5, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/dash-diet/27461 "2020-10-05T13:32:11Z")\
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**Author:** ![Arisha62](https://howtodiscuss.com/user_avatar/howtodiscuss.com/arisha62/32/4043_2.png) [@Arisha62](https://howtodiscuss.com/u/Arisha62)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2020, 6:50am UTC](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/dash-diet/27461/2 "2020-10-30T06:50:24Z")

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DASH Diet was developed because more than a billion people living with high blood pressure worldwide, the United States National Institutes of Health decided to tackle the problem head-on by developing the DASH diet in the 1990s. For the diet, approach to stop hypertension, or in French diet approach to stop hypertension.

**The Goal**

To sustainably lower or even prevent the blood pressure of hypertensive patients to prevent cardiovascular complications, through a healthy diet with low sodium content. It also encourages people to stay healthy or lose weight, as overweight and obesity are the main risk factors for hypertension.

**How Does the DASH Diet Work?**  
Like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet consists of promoting a healthy and varied diet through the consumption of foods that are naturally low in sodium, such as fruits and vegetables.

As salt plays a vital role in causing hypertension, the ultimate goal of this diet is to limit the salt intake to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day (that is about a teaspoon of salt) and then, slowly and gradually, to 1,500 mg, with the consultation from a doctor.

The DASH diet emphasizes the precise amounts of food to be observed. It is based on a table that indicates the number of servings of each food group recommended for an individual based on of the number of calories that can be consumed. The latter is determined by gender, age and level of physical activity.

For example, a woman aged 19 to 30 with little exercise needs 2,000 calories a day: according to the table, she needs four to five servings of vegetables. This number of calories must be adjusted (in this case reduced), under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist, if you want to lose weight.

To achieve this goal, the DASH diet also recommends regular exercise, that is, at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week.  
The DASH diet provides the three recommended daily meals, plus a snack and no snacks.

**What can I eat?**

**Recommended foods**

The food groups recommended by the DASH diet are:

1. The fruits
2. The vegetables
3. Products that are Low-fat or semi-skimmed milk products (like milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream)
4. Whole grains (bread, rice, pasta, quinoa, etc.)
5. Fish
6. Lean meat and poultry
7. Vegetables
8. Seeds, dried and nuts
9. Fat added in small amounts (rapeseed, nuts or olive oil, butter and margarine)

**Prohibited foods**

Among the non-recommended foods and drinks we find:

1. Foods that are high in sodium (like bouillon cubes, cold cuts, etc.)

2. Foods and drinks rich in sugars (flavoured yoghurt, sweets, sweetened drinks, etc.)

3. The alcohol

4. Foods rich in saturated fat (ready meals, fried foods, fast food, etc.)

5. Red meat

**Some tips**

So to begin with, the DASH diet suggests:

1. Add less salt to your dishes and look for alternatives to salt, such as herbs, spices, lemon, etc.

2. Add a serving of vegetables for lunch and a serving for dinner the next day.

3. Add a serving of fruit to a meal or snack.

4. Increase your consumption of low-fat or semi-skimmed dairy products to three servings a day.

5. Limit lean meat to about 170 g per day.

6. Eat two or more meatless meals each week.

7. Increase the consumption of brown rice and brown pasta.

8. Prefer fruits, unsalted nuts or frozen yoghurt as an appetizer.

9. Eat fresh, frozen or prepared fruits and vegetables as long as they are low in sodium.

**Is the DASH Diet Easy to Follow?**

The cost of the DASH diet can be high, with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, meat, and fish generally being expensive. However, savings can be made on red meat, sweets and industrial items or products.

**Effectiveness of DASH diet**

Numerous scientific studies have shown that the DASH diet is effective in lowering blood pressure, especially in people with high blood pressure, but also cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is also said to have beneficial effects on insomnia, gout or colorectal cancer. On the other hand, the data on weight loss is weak, which is not the main goal - although it contributes to this by recommending healthy and raw foods, controlling amounts, or even reducing people’s calorie intake and obesity.

**What type of exercise should be done with the DASH diet?**

Regardless of the type of exercise, the DASH diet recommends exercising at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, or even 60 minutes to avoid weight gain. So, according to the DASH Diet Guide developed by the Nationals Institutes of Health.

In the case of moderately high blood pressure, 30 minutes of brisk walking per day would be sufficient to avoid the use of antihypertensive drugs. If you are already taking treatment through consultation of a doctor, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity would enhance effectiveness.

If your blood pressure stays in the normal range, regular exercise helps in keeping it on a lower side. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle tends to increases the risk of hypertension.

**Benefits of the DASH Diet**

1. The DASH diet is rich in fruits and vegetables and provides the amount of fibre the body needs, which is generally low in consumption.

2. It has been shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure and thus preventing cardiovascular disease.

3. It provides modest weight loss by adopting healthy eating habits for overweight people.

**Disadvantages of the DASH diet**

1. Like all diets, the DASH diet exposes the yo-yo effect: 80% of people experience weight gain in one year and gain weight in long term.

2. Reduced energy intake that the body may have difficulty with. For this reason, adopting the diet according to the patient’s tastes and habits is important to ensure long-term adherence to therapy.

3. The DASH diet is particularly difficult to follow as salt intake requires constant attention.

4. Finally, there may be risks of micronutrient deficiencies associated with an imbalance in energy and lipid intake.

**Is this diet dangerous for health?**  
In its report on the risks associated with dietary weight-loss practices, ANSES explains that with any diet, “weight loss does not only occur at the expense of fat reserves but quickly leads to the loss of fat, muscle and bone masses.”

In addition, be careful not to limit fat such as cooking oils too much. Nutritionists warn of the risks of omega 3 fatty acid deficiencies, which are essential for cardiovascular health. And paradoxically, ANSES shows that diets low in lipids would also have a negative impact on the lipid profile. Also, in the absence of weight loss, a hypo lipid diet causes both an increase in triglycerides and a drop in HDL cholesterol.  
In any case, you should seek medical advice before starting a diet. Also note that people who are not used to consuming a lot of fibre may have difficulty digesting it(bloating, constipation) hence the importance of doing it gradually.

**Is it compatible with special diets?**  
**The vegetarian or vegan diet**  
The DASH diet can be adapted to the vegetarian diet, by replacing animal flesh with tofu, for example. The DASH diet can be adapted to a vegan diet, replacing all animal products with soy products, for example.

**Gluten-free diet**  
The DASH diet is compatible with a gluten-free diet, provided meals are prepared with certified gluten-free products.

**Low salt diet**  
The DASH diet is itself a low salt diet.

**Kosher diet**  
The DASH diet is compatible with a kosher diet, as long as you choose certified kosher products.

**Halal diet**  
The DASH diet is compatible with a halal diet, as long as you choose certified halal products.

**Conclusion**  
It is a balanced and healthy diet that favours a diet low in salt, meat and high in whole grains, oilseeds and fruits and vegetables. Its objective is to reduce arterial hypertension. Several studies have shown its effectiveness, not only on lowering blood pressure but also on lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The diet is not restrictive and generally corresponds to official recommendations, but it is still low in fat. The intake of vitamin D and omega 3 cannot therefore be sufficient, yet they have a beneficial role in cardiovascular health.

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