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Eating smart is a wonderful way of controlling blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has come up with a healthy eating plan that is specifically meant for fighting high blood pressure. This eating plan called DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. DASH has been clinically proven to help control high blood pressure. Putting this diet plan into practice, you can reasonably hope to prevent and manage high blood pressure. The DASH Eating plan is shown below; it is based on a 2,000 calorie diet per day.The actual number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed in the below given table, depending on your specific caloric needs.
| GRAINS |
| Daily Servings: 7-8 |
| Serving Size:Any of the following: 1 slice bread, 1 oz dry cereal , 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal |
| Examples: Whole wheat bread, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, crackers, unsalted pretzels and popcorn |
| Comment: Major sources of energy and fiber |
| VEGETABLES |
| Daily Servings: 4–5 |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 1 cup raw leafy vegetable , 1/2 cup cooked vegetable, 6 oz vegetable juice |
| Examples: Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, squash, broccoli, turnip greens, kale, spinach, artichokes, green beans, lima beans, sweet potatoes |
| Comment: Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| FRUITS |
| Daily Servings: 4–5 |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 6 oz fruit juice, 1 medium fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit |
| Examples: grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, prunes, raisins, strawberries, tangerines |
| Comment: Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| LOW FAT OR FAT FREE DAIRY FOODS |
| Daily Servings: 2-3 |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 8 oz milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1 1/2 oz cheese |
| Examples: Fat free (skim) or low fat (1%) milk, fat free or low fat buttermilk, fat free or low fat regular or frozen yogurt, low fat and fat free cheese |
| Comment: Major sources of calcium and protein |
| LEAN MEATS, POULTRY, AND FISH |
| Daily Servings: 2 or less |
| Serving Size:Any of the following: 3 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish |
| Examples: Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or boil, instead of frying; remove skin from poultry |
| Comment: Rich sources of protein and magnesium |
| LOW FAT OR FAT FREE DAIRY FOODS |
| Daily Servings: 2-3 |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 8 oz milk, 1 cup yogurt, 11/2 oz cheese |
| Examples: Fat free (skim) or low fat (1%) milk, fat free or low fat buttermilk, fat free or low fat regular or frozen yogurt, low fat and fat free cheese |
| Comment: Major sources of calcium and protein |
| NUTS, SEEDS, AND DRY BEANS |
| Daily Servings: 4-5 |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 1/3 cup or 1 1/2 oz nuts 2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds, 1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas |
| Examples: Almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, lentils |
| Comment: Rich sources of energy, magnesium, potassium, protein, and fiber |
| FATS AND OILS |
| Daily Servings: 2 servings per week |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 1 tsp soft margarine, 1 Tbsp low fat mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp light salad dressing, 1 tsp vegetable oil |
| Examples: Soft margarine, low fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oil (such as olive, corn, canola, or safflower) |
| Comment: DASH has 27 percent of calories as fat, including fat in or added to foods. |
| SWEETS |
| Daily Servings: 5 servings per week |
| Serving Size: Any of the following: 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp jelly or jam, 1/2 oz jelly beans, 8 oz lemonade |
| Examples: Maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, fruit-flavored gelatin, jelly beans, hard candy, fruit punch, sorbet, ices |
| Comment: Sweets should be low in fat |
[...] The size of servings in the DASH diet are almost the same as in the Eat-Right model noted before. Here you can find details of the DASH [...]