DASH Eating Plan
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Topic pages summarize public health information in plain language. They may describe common causes and treatments in general terms; your own plan of care depends on your clinician’s exam, history, and tests. Use what you read here to prepare questions—not to start, stop, or change medications or to self-diagnose.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is an eating plan that is based on research studies sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). These studies showed that DASH lowers high blood pressure and improves levels of cholesterol. This reduces your risk of getting heart disease.
The DASH eating plan:
- Emphasizes vegetables, fruits, and whole-grains
- Includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
- Limits foods that are high in saturated fat. These foods include fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils.
- Limits sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets
Along with DASH, other lifestyle changes can help lower your blood pressure. They include staying at a healthy weight, exercising, and not smoking.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute