The DASH Diet — What You Need to Know

Have you heard of the DASH diet?

Experts are saying it is one of the most effective diets of 2018 and, unlike other fad diets, it has been around for a while! In fact, it has been called one of the most effective diets for almost ten years in a row!

What’s the Dash Diet?

If you’ve heard of the seasoning Mrs. Dash, you may already have an idea of what the DASH diet means for those who decide to do it: essentially it reduces salt, or sodium, in your diet!

Designed to lower your blood pressure, DASH is an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

The recommended sodium intake should be less than 1500 mg per day, but the average American diet is usually far greater than that.

What Foods Should I Avoid if I do the DASH Diet?

The answer is anything high in sodium. Are you in the habit of reading nutrition labels? If you’re not, perhaps it’s time to start checking out the items in your fridge and pantry.

 

Most frozen and prepared foods are extremely high in sodium. Some examples:

• P.F. Changs Frozen Beef and Broccoli (½ bag or one serving) is 3264 mg
• Spicy chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-a is 1620 mg
• 1 can of diet soda is generally 40 mg
• Deli lunch meat can range quite a bit, but often has between 400 and 1200 mg
• 1 can of condensed Campbell’s chicken noodle soup is 890 mg

Seeing the problem here?

The Good News About DASH Diet

As long as you don’t surpass your sodium intake allotment, you can eat as much as you want! That means you can eat plenty of hearty, filling, delicious meals!

What Can I Eat on the Dash Diet?

The answer varies, but some very healthy options include:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Beans
• Unsweetened, organic dairy
• Sweet potatoes
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Berries
• Oranges, lemons, grapefruit and other citrus
• Kiwi
• Apples
• Wild caught salmon
• Pasture-raised eggs
• Grass fed beef
• Virgin coconut oil
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Olive Oil
• Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and barley