Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
The DASH Eating Plan as Part of a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and has no hard-to follow recipes. DASH menus allow you to plan healthy, nutritious meals for a week. There are a variety of delicious whole foods that fill you up while fueling your body and lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You’ll find plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, nuts, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.
Eating a variety of delicious foods and cutting back on salt can help lower your blood pressure.
national heart, lung, and blood institute
Built around the recommended number of servings in each of the DASH food groups, these menus sometimes call for you to use lower sodium, low-fat, fat-free, or reduced-fat versions of products.
These menus are based on 2,000 calories a day. Serving sizes should be increased or decreased for other calorie levels. Daily sodium levels are either 2,300 milligrams or, by making the suggested changes, 1,500 milligrams.
On the downloadable plans are total daily servings by DASH food group and next to each food item on the daily menu, you can check the exact serving amount for that item.
What are you waiting for? Take control of your heart health with the DASH eating plan.
Learn more details about the DASH plan on the National Heart, Lung and Blood institute website.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) has tied for first out of 39 diets for “Best Diets for Healthy Eating” and “Best Heart-Healthy Diets” in the 2021 Best Diets report from U.S. News & World Report. DASH, which builds nutrient-dense meals around whole grains, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, and fruits, and includes fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and healthy oils, also ranks second for “Best Diet Overall.”
Click on the illustrations to download the pdfs of the DASH menu plan
Getting Started on DASH. Even small lifestyle changes made gradually can lead to significant health benefits. Follow these steps to get started on the DASH eating plan and begin a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime
Why the DASH Eating Plan Works
Studies show that following DASH and eating less sodium can help you lower your blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. Learn more about the science behind the DASH eating plan and why it works.
Making the Move to DASH
Are you new to the DASH eating plan? Moving to heart healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult. Learn how to make DASH work for you with these easy tips for making more health-healthy food choices.
A Week With the DASH Eating Plan
Following DASH means you’ll be eating delicious food that’s also good for you. Not sure where to start? These DASH menus have seven days of healthy, nutritious breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas. Menus are based on eating 2,000 calories a day; remember to increase or decrease serving sizes for other calorie levels.
Additional DASH resources