DASH Diet – UR Healthy Choice For Weight Loss

Developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a high fibre diet that is aimed at reducing blood pressure without medication. DASH diet also shows significant results in losing weight, strengthening UR bone health, managing and preventing diabetes together with lowering cholesterol.

The force of blood against artery walls that rises and falls during the day is called blood pressure. When it tends to stay elevated over time, it is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard. This force of the blood flow harms arteries and organs like the heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes. High blood pressure is hard to detect as it doesn’t show warning signs or symptoms. Once UR blood pressure is high, it generally lasts for a lifetime. If it is not controlled, it may lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, and blindness.

The original purpose of the DASH diet was to lower blood pressure, and studies revealed that it contributes to weight loss as well. The best part of this diet is that you need not subdue UR food cravings.

Who Can Adopt The DASH Diet?
Anyone can follow the DASH diet. It is a healthier version of UR everyday diet, which includes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean meats for protein and good fats. It doesn’t restrict you from UR sugar cravings, and UR entire family can follow this diet and benefit from it.

How It Works
The DASH diet is tailored to provide you with key nutrients like calcium, potassium and magnesium – all of these contribute in lowering blood pressure, if UR at risk and otherwise keep you healthy. When more amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy & nuts are included in the regular diet, it decreases the chances of deficiencies. It thereby keeps UR heart and UR body in pink of health.

Excess sodium tends to hold excess fluid in the body. This increases the blood pressure and creates an added burden to the heart.

DASH Diet And Weight Loss
The inclusion of foods like high fibre whole-grain foods, vegetables and fruits, together with the ideal amount of protein makes this diet an acclaimed solution for weight loss.

Types of DASH Diets
A variation in the type of DASH diet to follow is solely based on our sodium intake levels.

There are two types of DASH diets, both aiming to lower the sodium intake in UR regular diet. You can select UR version according to UR health requirements.

Lower sodium DASH diet: 1,500 milligrams sodium per day
Standard DASH diet: 2,300 milligrams sodium per day
2,300 mg of sodium measures to a 2/3rd teaspoon salt per day. The typical Indian diet includes around 10.8-11gms of sodium per day which is more than two teaspoons. Culturally, the South and East Indian diets consume more amount of sodium.

Excess sodium tends to hold excess fluid in the body. This increases the blood pressure and creates an added burden to the heart. The high levels of sodium and low levels of potassium increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.

Learn to cut back on sodium in UR diet. You may notice a difference when you start eating low-sodium foods. If UR food tastes too bland, gradually introduce low-sodium foods and cut back on table salt until you reach UR sodium goal. This will give UR palate enough time to adjust.

DASH Diet Structure
Category Products Serves per day
Whole-grains Brown cereal like millets, quinoa, brown rice 6-7
Fruits Banana, watermelon, apple, oranges 4-6
Nuts and seeds Almond, cashew, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, flax seeds 1 to 2
Dairy products Low-fat yoghurt, buttermilk, curd 2
Fats Butter, cheese, margarine 0-2
Oils Cooking oil 0-2
Red meat Lamb, goat 0-2
Sweets Cookies, chocolates, sugar, pastries 4-5 (per week)
Lean meats Fish and Chicken 0-2

Benefits
Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Averts renal diseases and improves eye health.
The fibre content in the diet controls a lot of UR food cravings and improves gut health.
This high-fibre produces a sufficient amount of B12 in the large intestine, in turn, reduces the micronutrient deficiencies.
Also, fibre helps control blood sugar levels.
Aids in achieving healthy weight.
Contributes to UR bowel health.
Lowers UR bad cholesterol (LDL) and improves good cholesterol(HDL).

Early morning
Warm water with lemon and chia seeds

Breakfast
Oats upma/ oats dosa/ ragi dosa/ egg dosa – with steamed veggies or sambar

Mid-morning
Fruits – banana/ watermelon/ apple/ oranges/ strawberries/ melons/ coconut water

Lunch
Millets/ quinoa/ jowar roti – with spinach/ broccoli/ tomatoes/ sweet potatoes/ beetroot

Snacks
Ragi malt/ fistful of nuts/ sprouts chat/ makhana bhel/ apple, beetroot and carrot juice (1 glass)

Dinner
Millet upma/ quinoa kichdi/ jowar roti/ ragi roti – with lean meats like chicken breast or grilled fish

The potassium content of various food groups
Food groups Potassium (mg)
Vegetables
Potato, 1 medium
Sweet potato, 1 medium

Spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup

Zucchini, cooked, 1/2 cup

tomato, fresh, 1/2 cup

Romaine lettuce, 1 cup

Mushroom, 1/2 cup

Cucumber, 1/2 cup

926
540

290

280

210

140

110

80

Fruit
Banana, 1 medium
Apricot, 1/4 cup

Orange, 1 medium

Cantaloupe chunks, 1/2 cup

Apple, 1 medium

420
380

237

214

150

Nuts, seeds, and legumes
Cooked soybeans, 1/2 cup
cooked lentils, 1/2 cup

cooked kidney beans, 1/2 cup

cooked split peas, 1/2 cup

Almonds, roasted, 1/3 cup

Walnut, roasted, 1/3 cup

Sunflower seeds, roasted, 2 tbsp

Peanuts, roasted, 1/3 cup

440
370

360

360

310

190

124

120

Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products
Milk, 1 cup
Yoghurt, 1 cup

380
370

Lean meats, fish, and poultry
Fish, 85g (approx.)
Chicken, 85g (approx.)

200 – 400
210

DASH Diet Tips
Add a cup of vegetables to both UR meals.
Concentrate on having no-fat or low-fat condiments.
Learn to read nutrition labels to check the amount of sodium in the diet.
Include physical activity as a part of UR lifestyle.
Include fruits as a snack from the potassium table listed above.