What is the DASH diet?
The DASH diet — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — is a nutrition plan that promotes heart-healthy foods. Similar to the Mediterranean Diet, the plan recommends eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with sources of lean protein, such as fish and poultry, and healthier fats like beans, nuts, and vegetable oils. It also recommends the consumption of fat-free or low-fat dairy options.
One of the goals of the diet is to limit the intake of foods with significant amounts of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Ideally, less than 10% of your daily caloric intake should be allotted for each. The primary goal of the DASH diet is to help lower high blood pressure.
Recommendations for the DASH Diet
Here’s what a day following the DASH diet, based on a 2,000-calorie plan would look like:
- 4 to 5 servings of vegetables
- 4 to 5 servings of fruits
- 6 to 8 servings of whole grains
- 2 to 3 servings of dairy
- 6 or fewer servings of lean meats, poultry or fish — 1 ounce per serving
- 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils — healthy options for fats include avocados, low-fat cheese, and yogurt, dark chocolate, nuts, olive oil.
The following amounts are suggested per week:
- 4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes
- 5 or fewer servings of sweets
What about alcohol and caffeine you ask? The diet doesn’t mention caffeine due to the lack of evidence on the effect of caffeine on blood pressure. But, alcohol consumption should be done in moderation.
Why DASH? Research Shows It’s Effectiveness
People adopt the DASH diet because it can reduce hypertension or high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. However, the DASH diet’s benefits aren’t singular to hypertension. When you eat this diet, you’re also consuming nutrient-rich foods in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
It can also improve blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), and promote weight loss — all of which decrease the risks of Type 2 diabetes and are conducive to diabetes management.
Several studies show the effectiveness of the DASH diet in regards to Type 2 diabetes, whether it’s to possibly prevent it from occurring or reducing the risk of health complications in those who already have it. While there is not one diet, in particular, that is specifically recommended for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes, the DASH diet has been associated with a 20% reduced risk for being diagnosed with Type 2 in the future. For those who already have diabetes, DASH has been cited to help increase insulin sensitivity, especially in conjunction with exercise and weight loss.
