The Health & Fitness Center's Blog

DASH DIET: Foods that help Lower Blood Pressure (Hypertension series part 1)

By: WCC Fitness Center Staff

September 20, 2022, 10:00 am - Categories: Health & Fitness, News

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute defines the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan as a flexible and balanced eating pan that creates a heart-healthy eating style for life.

This plan recommends:

• Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
• Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets

Here are 7 food tips courtesy of Harvard Health:

• Eat more fish, nuts, and legumes (beans).
• Select vegetables and fruits instead of sugary or salty snacks and desserts.
• Pick breads, pasta, and other carbohydrate-rich foods that are made from whole grains instead of highly refined white flour.
• Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
• Use unsaturated fats like olive, canola, soybean, peanut, corn, or safflower oils instead of butter, coconut oil, or palm-kernel oil.
• Rely on fresh or frozen foods instead of canned and processed foods.Choose low-sodium foods whenever possible; use herbs, spices, vinegar, and other low-sodium flavorings instead of salt. 

No content on this site should be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. 

REFERENCES:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/beating-high-blood-pressure-with-food
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan