It regularly ranks No 1. in the U.S. News & World Report's annual “Best Diets” rankings. It’s doctor- and dietician-approved. It lowers the risk of a number of diseases and has been proven to dramatically lower blood pressure. As an added bonus, it promotes weight loss. So why aren’t more of us talking about the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan, aka the DASH diet?
‘The DASH diet originated in the US and although the approach is well researched and very consistent with UK guidelines on healthy eating, it’s not well known in this country,’ says Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian at the British Heart Foundation (BHF). ‘However, DASH diet research has helped us to understand that diet is one of the tools we can use to help keep our blood pressure under control.’
What is the DASH diet?
If this is the first time you’ve heard of the health-boosting eating plan, you’re far from alone. In fact in its native US, a survey found that just one in a hundred people had tried it within the last year, despite the fact that heart disease is the leading killer of Americans. In the UK, circulatory issues kill around 168,000 annually and about 14.4 million people in the UK suffer from high blood pressure – a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage, and a condition that’s increasingly effecting the under-35s.
What makes the invisibility of the DASH diet even more surprising is that it is scaffolded by scientific evidence and clinical trials and despite being discovered over two decades ago, is still topping healthiest diet rankings - just last year, it scored a perfect 100 in the American Heart Association’s list of the most popular diets, tying for first place with the world-famous Mediterranean diet.
What makes the DASH diet so effective?
‘The DASH diet was specifically designed to support heart health by focusing on reducing high blood pressure (hypertension),’ says Lynne Garton, Dietetic Advisor at Heart UK. ‘High blood pressure is one of the key risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is responsible for 44% of all CVD deaths in the UK.
‘The DASH diet is predominantly a plant-based diet that prioritises fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, while containing moderate amounts of low-fat dairy and limited amounts of red and processed meat as well as sugary foods and drinks. As such, it’s a good source of a number of minerals associated with lowering blood pressure – potassium (fruits and vegetables), magnesium (nuts and wholegrains) and calcium (low-fat dairy), and low in sodium. As well as these nutrients, it’s also a good source of fibre, lean proteins and contains a healthy balance of fats, all important for cholesterol management and overall heart health.’ The DASH diet has been associated with a 20% reduced risk of CVD – and in the two decades since the diet was first discovered, more than two dozen clinical have confirmed the DASH diet’s remarkable ability to lower blood pressure.
And that’s not all. The DASH diet has also been associated with a reduced risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and cognitive decline. And if you’re looking for weightloss, this diet can deliver it – though as a happy by-product of the blood pressure-lowering eating plan it advocates. ‘Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, lean protein and low-fat dairy as well as cutting back on salt and salty foods and keeping alcohol in moderation are highlighted in both the DASH diet and UK healthy eating guidelines,’ says the BHF’s Victoria Taylor. ‘Other things you can do to help reduce your blood pressure include being more active, stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.’
So, how do you do the DASH diet?
- Increase your intake of vegetables. At least half your plate should be piled with veg at every meal.
- Eat less meat, limiting red meat to once a week; a portion should be no bigger than the palm of your hand.
- Have a piece of fruit with every meal.
- Cook with vegetable oils.
- Limit your intake of foods high in added sugars, like fizzy drinks and sweets (though the diet does allow for small treats).
The DASH diet recommends specific numbers of servings according to your recommended calorie intake. To find out more, click here or read The DASH Diet: Lower your blood pressure in just 21 days by Priya Tew.