The DASH diet: recipes, principles, products, for whom it is recommended

It could be said that the DASH diet is a more relaxed sister of the Mediterranean diet. Although it has a bigger hopla on fats (even healthy ones).

In the diet family, the DASH sister will throw a chicken fillet on the barbecue rather than a pork neck, but she won't look at you crossly if you're tempted either. She'll even let you nibble on some cheesecake from time to time (let's not argue about sultanas right now), although she'll slip you a bowl of fruit every day.

See also:

• Mediterranean diet
• Diet in diabetes
• Ketogenic diet
• SIRT diet
• Dabrowski's Diet
• Light-Digestion Diet
• Healthy breakfast recipes

What is the DASH diet?

The DASH diet is a research-based diet designed to lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer and metabolic conditions (including type 2 diabetes)and.

The acronym DASH comes from the English Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which can be translated as "dietary approaches to treat hypertension"and. This acronym was first used to name a large-scale scientific study conducted on the US population, and later the diet that was created based on its findingsand.

Where did the DASH diet come from?

Experts at the National Institutes of Health ( National Institutes of Health) in the United States set out to see if blood pressure could be lowered with changes in dietary habits alone. To this end, they conducted a study at four medical centres between 1994 and 1996and.

Participants in the study were people with hypertension or with blood pressure classified as high (a pre-hypertensive condition). They were divided into three groups: 

• the first - the control, was to consume a typical American diet (the so-called Western diet), 
.
• the second - to include more vegetables and fruit, 
.
• the third group was to implement principles similar to the Mediterranean diet (reducing red meat, fats, processed foods and sweets and increasing the intake of vegetables, fruit, lean dairy, white meat and fish).

In order to exclude as many variables as possible that could have distorted the results, all participants had to consume the same amount of salt and were not allowed to take medications or dietary supplements.

The study was conducted in the same way.

The study showed, a reduction in blood pressure in both groups that modified their diet, but the results were much better in those following the dietary model, later called the DASH diet.

Among these participants, blood pressure decreased after just two weeks and remained at this level for as long as the patients followed this diet. Blood pressure measurements fell by an average of 6 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and by about 3 mm Hg for diastolicand.

The participants' blood pressure measurements fell by an average of 6 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and by about 3 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure.

The DASH diet - health benefits

Why is correct blood pressure so important? Because it is a factor in cardiovascular function.

Hypertension significantly increases the risk of, among other things, and:

• atherosclerosis,
.
• stroke,
.
• myocardial infarction (heart attack),
.

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide. They are immediately followed by cancerand. Research shows that the DASH diet not only lowers blood pressure, but can extend your life overalland.

Using the DASH diet canand:

.
• reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,
.
• have an anti-cancer effect,
.
• improve lipid and glucose metabolism,
.
• prevent type 2 diabetes,
.

The DASH diet - for whom?

So... the DASH diet is for people with high blood pressure? No. Or rather: not only. The DASH diet is for everyone. If only health is important to you (and who isn't?) - apply the principles of this diet to reduce your risk of serious disease and live longer.

Although anyone can benefit from it, there are certain groups of people to whom the DASH diet is particularly recommendedand:

• seniors,
.
• persons with high blood pressure or hypertension,
.
• persons who are overweight or obese,
.
• diabetics and those suffering from insulin resistance,
.
• have high total cholesterol or 'bad' LDL cholesterol,
.
• persons who smoke tobacco,
.
• persons with a family history of a burden of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or cancer,
.

Principles of the DASH diet

Despite appearances, eating in the DASH spirit is quite simple. If you don't care about weight loss and don't have additional health requirements, you don't need to carry out complicated calculations.

10 simple rules for the DASH diet:

1. Fat can make up a maximum of 27% of kilocalorie intake and ideally should come from plant sources.
2. Low-fat dietary intake.
3. Low-fat dairy, nuts and seeds are excellent snacks - consume them every day.
4. Low-fat dairy, nuts and seeds are excellent snacks - consume them every day.
5. Each of your main meals should be based on vegetables and fruit, but it is the former that you eat the most.
.
6. When choosing cereal products, go mainly for those made from whole grains or multigrains.
7. Main sources of nutrition.
8. The main sources of protein on the DASH diet are low-fat dairy, white meat and fish.
.
9. For at least one day a week, refrain from eating meat.
.
10. Instead of salt, use other spices: herbs, garlic, lemon juice, etc. The daily amount of salt consumed should not exceed ⅔ teaspoon - including that contained in prepared foods. By eating a large packet of crisps, your daily norm is done...
.
11. While we're on the subject of crisps, as you can easily guess any salty snacks are not advisable and should be limited to occasional consumption.
.
12. The DASH diet does, however, allow for small pleasures and assumes that you can eat up to 5 portions of sweets per week (if you don't suffer from diabetes, of course). "A portion of sweets" is, for example, ice on a stick (rather than a whole tin of cake).
13. Eat a variety of foods.
14. Eat varied and regular meals - ideally three main meals and two smaller meals (second breakfast and afternoon tea).

Recommended products

Do you know what the most beautiful thing about the DASH diet is? That there is no list of foods you must consume. You don't have to base your diet on red or green vegetables or eat these 10 super foods that will change your life. Of course, vegetables and fruit should be the basis of your diet, but you can reach for the ones you like best.

Or try new, exotic plants and test unusual flavour combinations. Vegetables can be eaten raw as well as cooked - in the form of sauces, pastes, soups or roasted bites, they will be much easier for your stomach to digest.

For more information, please see our website.

When it comes to sources of protein, go for poultry, rabbit, other types of lean meat, fish and seafood. Do you like eggs? Good - you can even eat them every day.

Another group of products that are recommended is low (or reduced) fat dairy. By eating it, you will provide yourself with an extra source of protein and calcium.

The following products are recommended.

Although the DASH diet assumes a limited intake of fat - don't forget about it. It is where some nutrients dissolve (e.g. ADEK vitamins). Experts recommend mainly fats of vegetable origin - olive oil, rapeseed oil and margarine.

What to avoid?

There are no forbidden products on the DASH diet. From time to time, you may reach for sweets or processed meat - in keeping with the principle that everything is for humans, but in moderation. However, there are certain groups of products that are good to eat in smaller quantities.

On the DASH diet, limitand:

.
• salty snacks (crisps, sticks, sprinkled nuts, salted pistachios),
.
• sweets (reach for them a maximum of 5 times a week),
.
• red meat (especially fatty pork and beef),
.
• highly processed foods (also a source of the sodium you want to reduce),
.
• zoon fats (butter, lard, fatty skins).

DASH diet nutrition pyramid

Most people are visualists, so the tenets of the DASH diet are easiest to understand by looking at their graphical representation. Here is the food pyramid for the DASH dietand:

Does the DASH diet have disadvantages?

Certainly - if you're a big lover of butter, veggies and cheese fondue, and have fat running through your veins instead of blood. Then by starting the DASH diet you may have a big sense of loss.

However, in the context of the scientifically proven benefits of the DASH diet, it has a really non-restrictive premise, so implementing it for most people, will involve little change in diet.

Remember also that if you are a healthy person and don't have any special dietary requirements, every positive change counts, even if you don't follow all the DASH guidelines every day or week.

The DASH diet - recipes

Most of the following recipes have been prepared for you by dietitian Marta Kaczorek. You can also find many suggestions for free menus (created by NFZ dieticians) at diety.nfz.gov.pl.

Breakfast in the spirit of DASH

Winter quinoa 

A serving contains: 535 kcal, 14.26 g protein, 62 g fat, 100.21 g carbohydrate

Ingredients:

• Walnuts - 1/3 handful (10 g)
.
• Banana - 1 piece (120 g)
.
• Granate, raw - 1/2 piece (50 g)
.
• Natural yogurt, 2% fat - 7 and 1/2 tablespoons (150 g)
.
• Xylitol - 1 teaspoon (7 g)
.
• Marshmallow flakes - 5 tbsp (50 g)
.
• Cinnamon, ground - 3/4 teaspoon (3 g)
.

Method of preparation:

1. Pour boiling water over the millet flakes just above their level. Wait a few minutes for them to swell. 
2. Prepare.
3. Add the yoghurt, xylitol, cinnamon and pomegranate seeds - mix well. 
.
4. Dice the banana and layer on top and sprinkle the whole thing with chopped nuts.
.

DASH diet - dinner recipe

Rice casserole with coconut milk 

A serving contains: 573 kcal, 33.16 g protein, 19.27 g fat, 73.14 g carbohydrate

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast meat, skinless - 1/2 piece (100 g)
.
• Onion - 1/4 piece (25 g)
.
• Clove of garlic - 1 clove (5 g)
.
• Cauliflower - 1 portion (200 g)
.
• Corn flour - 1/2 tsp (5 g)
.
• Coconut milk - 10 tbsp (100 ml)
.
• Olive oil - 1/2 tbsp (5 ml)
.
• Curry, powdered - 2 teaspoons (6 g)
.
• Ginger, ground - 1/3 teaspoon (1 g)
.
• Pepper, powder - 1/2 teaspoon (2 g)
.
• Black pepper - 1 pinch (1 g)
.
• Brown rice - 1/3 cup (60 g)
.

Method of preparation:

1. Cook the cauliflower and rice, 
.
2. Dice the chicken and sprinkle with curry powder, then braise in a pan with olive oil and chopped onions. 
3. Cook the chicken in a pan with olive oil and chopped onions.
4. Pour the coconut milk into a pot, add the paprika, ginger, chopped garlic and pepper and bring to the boil. 
.
5. Then add the corn flour dissolved in half a cup of water and bring to the boil again. 
.
6. In an ovenproof dish, arrange the rice and cauliflower, pour the whole thing over the milk mixed with the flour. 
7. Bake at 180°C.
8. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.
.

DASH dinner

Pasta with basil pesto

A serving contains: 410 kcal, 11.19 g of body, 20.2 g of fats, 46.99 g of carbohydrates)

Ingredients:

• Basil, fresh - 10 handfuls (30 g)
.
• Whole grain pasta - 2/3 cup (50 g)
.
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp (10 ml)
.
• Cashew nuts - 2/3 handful (20 g)
.
• Cocktail tomato - 8 pieces (160 g)
.
• Black pepper - 1 pinch (1 g)
.

Method of preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to the recipe on the packet.
2. Cook the pasta according to the recipe on the packet.
3. Roast the cashew nuts in a dry frying pan.
4. Toss in the blender.
5. Throw into a blender along with the basil, pepper and oil - blend.
.
6. Pour this prepared pesto over the pasta. Serve with cherry tomatoes.
.

DASH-compatible snacks

The DASH diet can be really simple. As a second breakfast or afternoon snack, for example, you can eat:

• a handful of nuts,
.
• banana,
.
• an apple,
.
• fruit salad,
.
• smoothie,
.
• carrot and celery sliders with hummus,
.
• natural yoghurt or kefir (can be with added fruit or a teaspoon of honey),
.
• popcorn (without salt or butter),
.

If, however, you like to cook and want to play around with preparing something a little fancier, for example for dessert or a second breakfast, please do:

Vegetables with dip 

A serving contains: 167 kcal, 16.37 g protein, 2.38 g fat, 23.48 g carbohydrate

Ingredients:

• Chives - 2 tbsp (10 g)
.
• Natural yoghurt, 2% fat - 2 and 1/2 tbsp (50 g)
.
• Carrot - 1 piece (45 g)
.
• Cucumber - 1/2 piece (90 g)
.
• Red peppers - 1/2 piece (115 g)
.
• Dill, dried - 1/2 teaspoon (2 g)
.
• Black pepper - 1 pinch (1 g)
.
• Parsley, dried - 2/3 teaspoon (2 g)
.
• Radish - 2 pieces (30 g)
.
• Cottage cheese, lean - 1 and 2/3 slices (50 g)
.

Method of preparation:

1. Shred the cottage cheese with a fork, mix with the grated radish and yoghurt, season with pepper, dill and parsley.
2. Toss the cottage cheese with the cottage cheese.
3. Stir everything in with the chopped chives. 
.
4. Peel the vegetables and cut into posts.
.

Spinach and blueberry cocktail

A serving contains: 178 kcal, 4.24 g protein, 3.87 g fat, 34.52 g carbohydrate

Ingredients:

• Sesame, seeds - 1 teaspoon (5 g)
.
• Blueberries, frozen - 1/6 packet (50 g)
.
• Apples - 3/4 piece (160 g)
.
• Spinach - 2 handfuls (50 g)
.
• Goji berries, dried - 2 teaspoons (8 g)
.

Method of preparation:

1. Into a blender, put the spinach, blueberries, apple, add the sesame, goji berries and water (about 300 ml).
2. Toss the spinach, blueberries, apple, add the sesame, goji berries and water (about 300 ml).
3. Blend the whole thing.
.

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• raspberry tomato
.
• 2-3 slices of whole wheat baguette
.
• spring onion
.
• Olive oil
.
• clove of garlic
.
• a few leaves of fresh basil
.

Method of preparation:

1. Squeeze a clove of garlic through a press and rub it on the bread. Drizzle them with olive oil and roast them in the oven set to grill for about 5 minutes.
2. Take a few minutes to grill.
3. In the meantime, scald the tomato, peel off the skin and cut into small cubes. Drain off any excess juice (or remove the seeds completely).
4. Drain the tomatoes.
5. Smoke and basil are also finely chopped and mixed with the tomatoes.
.
6. When the croutons have browned, remove them from the oven and top them with the tomatoes and toppings.
.

Ricotta pancakes

Ingredients:

• glass of whole wheat flour
.
• a cup of 1.5% milk
• a cup of milk
• an egg
• ¾ cup sparkling water
.
• a pinch of salt
.
• 300 g of any fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
.
• 2 tbsp honey or sweetener
.
• juice of 1/4 lemon or orange
.
• ½ the zest grated from a lemon or orange
.
• a packet of reduced-fat ricotta cheese
.
• canola oil for frying
.

Method of preparation:

1. In a bowl, place the ingredients for the pancake batter: flour, milk, egg, water and a pinch of salt. Blend to a smooth paste without lumps. Spread a drop of oil in the pan with a silicone brush and fry the pancakes.
.
2. If you are using larger fruit (e.g. strawberries) cut them into smaller pieces. You can also blitz them into a sauce.
.
3. Mix the ricotta with lemon or orange juice and the zest grated from one of these fruits. Add two tablespoons of honey and the fruit (if you blanched it for the sauce do not add it to the filling, but pour it over the top of the pancakes).
.
4. Stuff the pancakes with the cheese and fruit filling and roll into rolls or fold into triangles.
.

Omlet with tomato and avocado

Ingredients:

• an egg
• ½ a small avocado
• ½ of a small tomato
• Salt and pepper to taste
.

Method of preparation:

1. Dice the tomato and drain off any excess juice. Peel and slice the avocado.
2. Peel the avocado and slice it.
3. Beat the egg with a fork until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a heated frying pan greased with a little rapeseed oil.
4. Fry briefly.
5. Fry briefly, making sure to distribute the still-unscrambled egg around the pan. When the omelette is fried, place the tomato and avocado slices on top of half of it. Using a spatula, fold the omelette in half so that the fruit (yes, it's fruit) is in the middle.

See also:

• How to take care of your health
• Sleep hygiene tips
• How to take care of your mental health

Summary