DASH Diet for High Blood Pressure: A Simple Guide

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) lowers blood pressure with plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, pulses and low-fat dairy, and less salt, red meat and sweets. Keep sodium under 2,300 mg a day, ideally 1,500 mg, for the biggest effect. Blood pressure often starts to improve within a few weeks.

To turn DASH into a week of meals that fits your calories and cuisine, use the free high blood pressure diet plan maker. It builds a 7-day desi or Western plan with portions and a grocery list.

Why does DASH work?

DASH was tested in large studies run by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It lowers blood pressure in several ways: less sodium, more potassium, magnesium and calcium from plant foods and dairy, more fibre, and less saturated fat. The low-sodium version gave the biggest results.

How many servings do you need each day?

For about 2,000 calories, DASH suggests:

• Vegetables: 4 to 5 servings (1 cup raw leafy or ½ cup cooked each)
• Fruit: 4 to 5 servings (1 medium fruit or ½ cup chopped)
• Whole grains: 6 to 8 servings (1 slice bread, 1 small roti or ½ cup cooked rice or oats)
• Low-fat dairy: 2 to 3 servings (1 cup milk or yogurt)
• Lean meat, poultry or fish: 6 servings of 1 ounce (about 170 g in total) or less
• Nuts, seeds and pulses: 4 to 5 servings a week
• Fats and oils: 2 to 3 teaspoons
• Sweets: 5 or fewer small servings a week

How do you cut salt in everyday food?

Most salt comes from packaged and restaurant food, not the salt shaker. Try these:

• Cook at home more often, and add salt at the end, tasting first.
• Flavour with lemon, garlic, ginger, cumin, black pepper, coriander and mint.
• Limit achar (pickles), papad, namkeen, chips and instant noodles.
• Watch bread, cheese, sauces, stock cubes and processed meats.
• Check labels: under 120 mg sodium per 100 g counts as low.
• Rinse canned beans and chickpeas before using them.

What foods should you eat and avoid?

Eat: leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, beans, gourds, bananas, oranges, guava, melon, oats, whole-wheat roti, brown rice, daal and chana, low-fat dahi and milk, fish, skinless chicken, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Limit: red meat, full-fat cheese, white bread and refined grains, and caffeine if it raises your readings.

Avoid: very salty foods, processed meats, fried snacks, sugary drinks, and alcohol in more than small amounts.

What does a DASH day look like?

• Breakfast: oats with low-fat milk, sliced banana and a spoon of flaxseed
• Mid-morning: an orange
• Lunch: 2 whole-wheat roti, palak with low-fat paneer (light on salt), cucumber raita, salad with lemon
• Snack: a small handful of unsalted almonds
• Dinner: grilled fish or chicken with herbs, ¾ cup brown rice, mixed vegetables
• Evening: a cup of low-fat yogurt with berries

A Western version: wholegrain cereal with milk and fruit, a salad with beans and olive oil dressing, and baked chicken with sweet potato and greens.

Who should be careful with DASH?

DASH is high in potassium. That's good for most people but can be dangerous with kidney disease or medicines that raise potassium (spironolactone, ACE inhibitors, ARBs). If that's you, ask your doctor before increasing fruit, vegetables and pulses, and see the kidney disease diet guide.

Which other habits help blood pressure?

• Lose some weight if you're overweight; even a few kilograms helps.
• Be active most days, such as a brisk 30-minute walk.
• Limit alcohol and stop smoking.
• Take your medicines as prescribed; diet works alongside them, not instead.

When is high blood pressure an emergency?

A reading of 180/120 or higher with chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, confusion, weakness or vision changes needs emergency care.

What are DASH-friendly snacks?

• A piece of fruit such as an orange, banana or guava
• Unsalted roasted chana or peanuts
• Low-fat yogurt with berries
• Carrot, cucumber and capsicum sticks with hummus
• A small handful of unsalted almonds or walnuts

How do you eat out on DASH?

Ask for less salt and no extra sauces, choose grilled or tandoori items, skip pickles and papad, and avoid soups and gravies, which are often very salty. At home, keep the salt shaker off the table and taste food before adding any.

How do you track your progress?

Check your blood pressure at home at the same time each day, sitting quietly for five minutes first, and keep a log to show your doctor. Most people see a difference within two to four weeks of steady DASH eating and lower salt.

What should you do next?

If you also have heart disease or high cholesterol, read the heart patient diet plan. Then create your own DASH week with the high blood pressure diet plan maker, and check a typical day's salt and fibre with the food calorie and fibre checker.