Can DASH Diet Help for Weight Loss?

Why DASH Diet helps Reduce Weight

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a specific diet created to prevent and treat hypertension by limiting salt intake.

Nevertheless, the diet is also beneficial for weight loss as it incorporates healthy foods such as a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats.

The DASH diet also replaces high caloric foods with healthy, nutrient-dense, and low caloric foods.

Many studies show that following a diet plan similar to the DASH diet promotes weight loss.

For instance, the study, “Association Between Body Composition and Conformity to the Recommendations of Canada’s Food Guide and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet in Peri-adolescence,” showed that individuals who followed a DASH diet had lower risks of being overweight.

How DASH Diet works for Weight Loss

The DASH diet incorporates a limited amount of serving of each food group per day. These foods include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats that are rich in antioxidants, protein, fiber, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

The diet replaces high caloric and unhealthy foods such as saturated fats, red meat, sugar, and salt with nutrient-dense foods. This promotes weight loss because these foods also contain fiber which increases satiety and reduces hunger pangs.

Limiting the serving size of each food group is important because each micronutrient is made up of a certain number of calories. For example, 1 gram of carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories, while 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. Excess consumption could promote weight gain and obesity.

DASH Diet foods for Weight Loss

- Grains: eat a variety of whole grains such as bulgur, oatmeal, millet, and brown rice. Whole grains are a good source of fiber and nutrients. Avoid eating refined grains such as white bread and pasta because they contain less fiber and nutrients.

- Vegetables: eat a variety of fresh vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and spinach. They are rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

- Fruits: eat a variety of fresh fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, and strawberries. They are important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

- Fat-free or low-fat dairy products: consume fat-free or low-fat milk and yogurt and low-fat cheeses since they are rich in calcium and protein. Avoid full-fat products because they are high in saturated fats.

- Lean meat, poultry, and fish: eat lean meat cuts, skinless chicken, and fish such as salmon and tuna. They are good sources of protein and magnesium. Bake or broil these foods and avoid frying them.

- Nuts, seeds, and legumes: eat nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts), seeds (sunflower seeds), and legumes (lentils and kidney beans) because they are rich sources of magnesium, fiber, and protein and provide the body with energy.

- Fats and oils: eat good types of fat such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in light salad dressing and some vegetable oils such as olive or canola oil. Fats provide energy and essential fatty acids.

DASH Diet for Weight Loss: Nutritional Structure

The following nutrient breakdown recommendations for the DASH diet are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Unlike many diets, the DASH diet is an eating plan that is designed to incorporate all food groups. It has no serious negative side effects and can be sustained for life.

DASH Diet program for Weight Loss

The DASH diet incorporates a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, and low-fat dairy. In addition, the diet includes nuts, legumes, poultry, and fish, while relying on a limited amount of red meat and fats.

The diet contains foods rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It also includes fibers and protein, while avoiding high salt and high- fat products.

This table provides a typical daily serving of each food group incorporated in the DASH diet, based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Serving sizes should be adjusted according to the individual’s daily caloric needs to provide necessary nutrition or achieve a certain target weight.

DASH Diet for Weight Loss: recommendations

- Choose low-salt or no-added salt products: choose foods without added salt if they are available

- Flavor food with spices: replace salt with spices and herbs that are salt free.

- Rinse canned foods:  tuna and beans canned foods are very high in salt and rinsing them removes most of the salt content.

DASH Diet for Weight Loss: what you should avoid

Limit consuming foods that contain:

- Salt: sodium intake is highly restricted on the DASH diet.

It’s very important to be aware of the salt content in your meals.

Check nutritional labels carefully, especially in processed foods. You should always try to:

• Limit adding condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and soy sauce to the food because these products are very high in salt.
• Limit eating pickled foods such as cucumbers and olives because they are very high in salt.
• Limit consuming processed foods such as ham, turkey, and bacon because these products are very high in salt.
• Avoid frozen or canned foods and breakfast cereals as they may contain a lot of salt.

- Sugar: limit added sugar to the diet because it has no additional nutritional value and contributes to extra calories. Plus, sugar has inflammatory effects and is not beneficial for overall health. 

- Egg yolk: the DASH diet requests limiting egg yolk consumption  because it may increase cholesterol levels. A person can eat a maximum of 4 egg yolks per week.

Check out the different points of view on the consumption of egg yolk under “Debatable topics.”

- Trans-fats: avoid trans-fats that are usually found in processed foods like crackers, baked goods, and fried foods. These fats contain high amounts of salt and bad fats that increase the lipid profile and elevate blood pressure.

- Exercise regularly: If you are at risk for obesity, you should combine the DASH diet with moderate aerobic exercise. Try doing 150 minutes of exercise per week. You can break the exercise time up into smaller time chunks. For example, try walking for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

DASH Diet for Weight Loss: precautions

Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before trying the DASH diet if you are taking blood pressure medication or potassium pills. You may need to adjust their dosage before starting the diet.

The DASH diet is recommended for all individuals. However, some people who have the following conditions should take precautions before trying the diet:

- Chronic kidney disease: the DASH diet may contain too much potassium for people with kidney disease. Since they cannot excrete potassium properly, the body’s potassium levels remain high. This condition is called hyperkalemia, and it may cause heart attacks or even death.

Some people may need to modify the DASH diet. This is because they may have the following food intolerances:

- Lactose intolerance: individuals with lactose intolerance should incorporate lactose-free alternatives into the diet.

- Gluten intolerance (or Celiac disease): people who are intolerant to gluten should incorporate gluten-free alternatives into the diet.

DASH Diet for Weight Loss: side effects

Some people on the DASH diet may encounter the following side effects:

- Gas and bloating: some individuals may experience gas and bloating due to the high fiber content in the diet. If discomfort occurs, fiber can be added gradually to the diet until the body is well adjusted, instead of incorporating all fiber-containing foods at once.