The DASH Diet

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH is a strategy that was created to help prevent and treat high blood pressure. Thus, it lowers your risk of developing heart disease.

The DASH diet doesn't have a set list of permitted foods, just like the Mediterranean diet. Instead, it suggests calorie quantities for each food group, emphasizing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats while minimizing red meat, refined grains, and added sugars. Additionally, it advises keeping your daily sodium intake to no more than 1 teaspoon (2,300 mg) and, in a version with less salt, no more than 3/4 teaspoon (1,500 mg). Reducing sodium intake has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, particularly when combined with the DASH diet. Research, though, suggests that this effect is less evident in those with normal blood pressure levels. The diet's emphasis on high-fiber foods like whole grains and vegetables as well as its restriction of added sweets and saturated fats may also have positive benefits on heart health. The DASH diet does, in fact, lower heart disease risk factors like blood pressure, obesity, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance