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Sample menus for the DASH eating plan
Interested in following the DASH eating plan but not sure how? Here are sample menus to get you started.
By Mayo Clinic staffThe eating plan known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is used to lower or control high blood pressure. The DASH diet features menus with plenty of vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products, as well as whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. It offers limited portions of red meats, sweets and sugary beverages.
Maybe you want to try the DASH diet, but aren't quite sure how to incorporate DASH into your own daily menus. To help you get started, here are three days' worth of menus that conform to the DASH plan. Use them as a basis for your own healthy meal planning.
Remember that on some days, you may eat more of or fewer than the recommended servings for a particular food group, or you may exceed your sodium goal. That's OK, as long as the average of several days or a week is close to the recommendations. Also note that the values for nutritional information may vary according to specific brands of ingredients you use or changes you make in meal preparation.
Day 1 menu
| Breakfast |
| 1 whole-wheat bagel |
| 2 tablespoons peanut butter |
| 1 medium orange |
| 1 cup fat-free milk |
| Coffee (decaffeinated or regular) |
| Lunch |
|
Spinach salad made with:
|
| 12 reduced-sodium wheat crackers |
| 1 cup fat-free milk |
| Dinner |
| Herb-crusted baked cod (one 3-ounce serving) |
| 1/3 cup brown rice pilaf |
| 1/2 cup fresh green beans, steamed |
| 1 sourdough roll (1*) |
| 1 teaspoon trans fat-free margarine |
| 1 cup fresh berries with chopped mint |
| Herbal iced tea |
| Snack (anytime) |
| 1 cup light yogurt |
| 4 vanilla wafers |
| Day 1 nutrient analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 2,086 | Cholesterol | 61 mg |
| Protein | 91 g | Sodium | 1,786 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 270 g | Fiber | 37 g |
| Total fat | 69 g | Potassium | 3,249 mg |
| Saturated fat | 9 g | Calcium | 1,132 mg |
| Monounsaturated fat | 22 g | ||
| DASH eating plan servings | |
|---|---|
| Grains and grain products | 9 |
| Vegetables | 5 |
| Fruits | 5 |
| Dairy foods (low-fat or fat-free) | 3 |
| Meats, poultry and fish | 3 |
| Nuts, seeds and dry beans | 2 |
| Fats and oils | 2 |
| Sweets | 0 |
(1 of 2)
- Sheps SG, ed. Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2008.
- Your guide to lowering blood pressure with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
- Fung TT, et al. Adherence to a DASH-style diet and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke in women. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2008;168:713.
