The DASH diet weight loss helps people with high blood pressure, and also helps people lose weight in a consistent and long-term way. The DASH diet, in its optimized form, is a simple-to-follow diet plan with no dietary restrictions that you can follow for the rest of your life.
This diet has been shown to play an important role in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels over time. Furthermore, a healthy diet may help to lower blood pressure.
The acronym DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. The diet promotes a healthy eating plan, helps heart health, and has other benefits.
DASH is one of the world’s healthiest diets. It aids in weight loss in addition to its health benefits. It helps you burn fat around your waist, lose weight, and keep it off for a long time.
DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension)
Sugar, processed and refined foods, and other foods that provide “empty” calories, such as sugar, are limited in the DASH diet. Instead, focus on getting as many healthy (unsaturated) proteins and/or fats into your diet as possible. Her eating habits are similar to the Mediterranean diet. It is primarily based on a high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean meat, fish, dairy, and skimmed cheese, as well as a low intake of saturated fats, nuts, and seeds. All of these foods, when consumed in moderation, provide satiety, promoting healthy weight loss and maintenance.
This type of diet promotes abdominal fat burning, lowers triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL), raises good cholesterol (HDL), and keeps blood sugar levels stable.
Type II diabetes can be avoided by maintaining a constant blood sugar level. Furthermore, protein consumption helps to keep muscle mass from degrading during the weight-loss process.
The DASH diet includes foods that are high in essential vitamins and minerals. It promotes the consumption of magnesium-rich foods, as well as calcium and potassium-rich foods. All of these minerals aid in the reduction of blood pressure.
DASH is one of the world’s healthiest diets
Reducing Salt Intake
In addition, the DASH diet restricts daily salt intake to 2,300 mg (half a teaspoon). However, there is a DASH diet variant that recommends an even lower salt intake of only 1,500 mg (a quarter teaspoon) per day.
Reduced salt intake is thought to lead to a slight reduction in high blood pressure. To date, however, no studies have found a clear link between lowering salt intake and lowering the risk of heart disease. However, the fact that the diet encourages a low salt intake, which can be beneficial, is not all bad. The DASH diet “speeds up the metabolism and trains the appetite to withstand the temptations of the holiday season” with no negative health consequences. You simply need to be more selective in the assistance you provide to others.
As a result, the DASH diet helps you lose weight, particularly in the abdomen, while also lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease risk, and diabetes risk.
Phase I (the first two weeks when you lose weight) and Phase II (when you learn to keep the pounds off your figure forever) are divided into two phases:
DASH Diet Phase I – eating low-carbohydrate diet to regulate metabolism
For the first 14 days, you must include moderate portions of the following three food groups in each main meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
A palm-sized portion of meat, fish, or poultry should be used as a guide.
The right amount is a handful of beans, nuts, lentils, and soy food. A piece of cheese should be about the size of a small box of matches.
1. Protein-rich foods with low saturated fat content
- Meat that is lean
- Poultry and fish
- Lentils and beans
- Soy-based foods
- Cheeses with low fat content
- Oysters
- Yogurt that is unsweetened or artificially sweetened (one small glass a day)
2. Fats that are good for your heart
- Acai berry
- Olive, rapeseed, and walnut oils (especially olive, rapeseed, and walnut oils)
This group of foods contains omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats, both of which have been shown to improve blood circulation and lower the risk of heart disease.
3. Foods high in protein and high in healthy fats
- Walnuts and seeds (preferably unroasted and unsalted)
- Fatty fish, such as mackerel and salmon.
All vegetables can be eaten at any time, with the exception of those that contain starch, such as potatoes and corn.
Bread, pasta, potatoes, all buttered foods, sugary foods (including fresh, frozen, dried, or canned fruits), alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and milk are all starchy foods that should be avoided.
The DASH Diet Phase II – include a high-protein, high-vegetable diet
A slice of wholemeal bread, half a wholemeal muffin, half a wholemeal bun, half a wholemeal pasta or brown rice, half a baked potato or three new peeled potatoes, or a tablespoon of whole grains – are all good options (maximum 3 servings) and fruit – half a glass of fruit juice, a teaspoon of dried fruit, or two tablespoons of canned fruit juice – (maximum 2 servings).
You can do aerobics and toning exercises at the same time.
In the DASH diet, what do you eat?
7-8 servings of cereal per day
Instead of refined grains, choose whole grains. They are high in fiber and other nutrients that provide you with energy and satiation for a longer period of time.
Whole wheat bread, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal sticks, oatmeal, quinoa, and corn should all be part of your daily diet. A serving of cereal allowed by the DASH diet is a slice of wholemeal bread, 30 g of brown rice, pasta, or other unleavened whole grains, or about 100 g (half a cup) cooked.
4-5 servings of vegetables per day
Include as many green leafy vegetables in your daily diet as possible, such as spinach, kale, green onions, lettuce, arugula, parsley, dill, oregano, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, peas, greens, sweet potatoes, celery and so on.
Vegetables, whether fresh or frozen, should be included in every meal. You can eat them cold or hot in salads, steamed, baked, or grilled as a garnish, or use them in a variety of recipes. Vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber, are abundant in these foods.
A serving of vegetables is 30 grams of green leafy vegetables, 50 grams of chopped raw or cooked vegetables, or half a cup of vegetable juice, as an example.
3-5 servings of fruits per day
Fruits, like vegetables, are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It is critical that they consume a healthy diet on a daily basis. Eat apples, pears, apricots, peaches, nectarines, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, kiwis, mangoes, pineapples, melons, and bananas without restriction.
Fresh, dried, or frozen fruit can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack in between meals. Fruit salads, fruit juices, smoothies, and compotes are good, but definitely, no added sugar. Avoid commercial juices or compotes, which are typically high in sugar.
Consume dried fruit in moderation, with about 50 g per serving. A medium-sized fresh fruit, half a cup of fresh or frozen strawberries or berries, and half a cup of fresh fruit constitute one serving.
2-3 servings of dairy products and cheeses per day
The DASH diet recommends low-fat, low-fat milk, eggs, and cheese when it comes to dairy products. Include them in your diet, as they are an important source of protein and calcium.
Reduce your saturated fat intake by choosing low-fat milk, low-fat yogurts and kefir, and low-fat cottage cheese. Avoid fruit yogurt, in particular, because it contains added sugar. You can eat a cup of skim milk/yogurt or 50 g of cheese, for example.
2 servings of meat, fish, and eggs per day or less
Choose lean meats, fish, or seafood. Red meat (pork, beef) should be consumed only once or twice a week. Protein, B vitamins, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc are abundant in these foods. However, the DASH diet recommends limiting meat consumption if you want to lose weight. Instead, try to incorporate as much vegetable protein from legumes as possible into your diet.
If you eat meat, limit yourself to two servings of poultry meat per day, and choose poultry meat that is high in polyunsaturated fats.
A serving of meat should not be larger than the palm of your hand or the size of a stack of books. Instead of snacking, cook meat or fish on the grill, in the oven, or in the water. In fact, it is recommended that the skin and visible fat from the meat be removed. Eat no more than one egg per day!
Also, avoid sausages, smoked meats, and other processed and semi-prepared foods in your diet. They contain salt, which is prohibited on the DASH diet.
4-5 servings per week of walnuts, seeds, and legumes
Nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, or peanut butter should all be on your menu. These are high in healthy fats and provide satiety. Eat them as snacks in between meals in small amounts, no more than 50 g of nuts and seeds per serving, or as much as will fit in one serving, and avoid dried and salty ones.
Protein-rich legumes include dried beans, dried peas, lentils, and chickpeas. They are high in fiber and provide long-term satiation. However, they should be consumed in moderation; half a cup of cooked legumes is sufficient for one serving. Limit your intake of vegetable oils and other fats.
The DASH diet allows for the inclusion of vegetable oils or other fats in the diet, but only in small amounts. They should not account for more than 27% of daily caloric intake.
The majority of the fats in vegetable oils are healthy (unsaturated). As a result, you can add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, pumpkin oil, corn or soybean oil, etc. to DASH diet recipes. You can eat 5 g of low-fat butter, a tablespoon of light mayonnaise, or two tablespoons of salad dressing on the DASH diet. Foods high in fat, margarine, and trans fats should be avoided.
The DASH Diet – How to lose weight in two weeks
Limited number of sweets
Unlike other diets, this one does not prohibit the consumption of sweets. You can eat something sweet on the DASH diet if you want to, but only in small amounts. Choose low-fat sweets like jams, jellies, hard candies, ice cream, sorbet, maple syrup, honey, and even diet cakes. Consume them sparingly and as infrequently as possible.
Also, as much as possible, avoid refined sugar and artificial sugar substitutes. A teaspoon of sugar can be used to sweeten coffee or tea. Even if they claim to be “natural,” stay away from commercially sweetened beverages.
Daily Menu for the DASH Diet
The DASH diet menu is based on dietary guidelines that will help you lose weight while also improving your health. You should eat three main meals and two snacks per day on this diet. Even if you want to lose weight, starvation is not a viable option.
DASH diet’s daily menus should include as many colored vegetables as possible. They are nutrient-dense, vitamin-rich, filling, and low in calories. Lean protein and low-fat dairy should be included. Snack on nuts and seeds in between meals, as well as fruits, to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way.
Here are some suggestions for how a DASH diet daily menu should look. We did not specify the quantities because they will match each person’s caloric requirements.
Monday
- A medium slice of wholemeal bread with low-fat cottage cheese and fresh orange for breakfast
- Apple as a snack
- Lunch: arugula salad with brown rice and grilled or baked turkey breast
- Raw almonds as a snack
- Dinner: wholemeal stick and hummus with olives
Tuesday
- Oatmeal with low-fat yogurt and raisins for breakfast
- Banana as a snack
- Lunch: baked trout with vegetables and couscous, as well as a green salad with onions and radishes.
- Snack: unsweetened apple compote made from scratch
- Vegetable salad with chicken breast for dinner
Wednesday
- Chia pudding with skim milk and fresh or frozen raspberries for breakfast
- Stop or taste
- Lunch: two slices wholemeal bread, turkey breast, lettuce leaf, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light mayonnaise
- Raw almonds as a snack
- Brown rice with shrimp and arugula salad for dinner
Thursday
- Breakfast: a slice of wholemeal bread slathered in low-fat butter and topped with homemade strawberry jam
- a low-fat yogurt as a snack
- For lunch, try grilled salmon with green beans or pan-fried asparagus, and a baby spinach salad.
- stop or taste
- For dinner, whole-wheat pasta with mushrooms and a vegetable salad
Friday
- A boiled egg, a slice of toast, a cucumber, and a half avocado for breakfast
- Fruit smoothie as a snack
- Lunch: sauteed vegetables, cabbage salad, and stewed beef steak with garlic
- Raw nuts or almonds as a snack
- Dinner: raw quinoa salad with grilled chicken breast
Saturday
- A slice of wholemeal toast with skim cheese spread and fresh cherry tomatoes for breakfast
- Orange as a snack
- Lunch: duck breast with baked orange sauce, natural potatoes, and a tomato and cucumber salad
- A low-fat yogurt as a snack
- Sea bream with grilled vegetables and lettuce for dinner
Sunday
- Breakfast: two small slices of wholemeal bread with lean chicken ham and cucumber slices
- A glass of fruit juice as a snack
- Pork chops baked in the oven with pea puree and pickles for lunch
- A banana or a kiwi as a snack
- For dinner, bake cauliflower with lean cottage cheese, an iron egg, and a few bacon slices in the oven.
This is a diet that you can enjoy with your entire family
Menus that follow the DASH diet in other ways
Breakfast is an important meal for everyone (optional choice)
- A boiled egg, one or two slices of lightly cooked, grilled bacon, and a small glass of tomato juice, sliced
- Two-egg omelet with sliced tomatoes and a small slice of baked beef
- A turkey and cheese roll (wrap a large slice of turkey around a low-fat slice of cheese), as well as a glass of vegetable juice
- Egg white omelet with lean ham and mushrooms (made with two egg whites)
- A serving of different nuts and vegetables (celery, radishes, carrots, cucumbers or peppers).
Snack foods (one in the morning and one in the afternoon)
- A carrot portion and a piece of light cheese
- 10 nuts or cashews and a low-fat yogurt
- Celery sticks with a teaspoon of peanut butter
- A light cheese slice with celery sticks
- Vegetables with two tablespoons of cottage cheese
Lunch will be served (choose a variant, plus a glass of sugar-free jelly for dessert)
- A grilled chicken breast accompanied by a large green salad dressed in oil and vinegar.
- Two or three ham and cheese rolls, plus cucumbers, served with a tablespoon of raw cabbage salad dressed in oil and vinegar.
- A large salad with oil and vinegar, as well as a can of tuna mixed with light mayonnaise and finely chopped peppers and onions
- One large tomato with light cottage cheese, chives, and black pepper stuffed inside, served with salad garnish
- Topped with a thin slice of ham and grated cow’s cheese, a Portobello mushroom.
Before dinner, have a snack (optional)
- Red pepper strips with a tablespoon of guacamole
- A handful of pistachios or unsalted fried nuts (about 20)
- Vegetables and a tablespoon of low-fat hummus
Dinner is served (choose an option, plus a glass of sugar-free jelly for dessert)
- Steamed vegetables with a grilled lean beef burger
- A roast chicken portion with a vegetable salad, pine nuts on top, and a vinegar dressing
- A fried salmon portion with Chinese vegetables (for flavor: a paste of Chinese or Thai spices)
- Balsamic-dressed grilled pork chop with cauliflower puree and pods
- A three-bean salad (a traditional American salad made from a variety of canned beans), as well as a large green salad.
Advantages and disadvantages
PROS
The DASH diet promotes the consumption of low-saturated-fat foods, as well as low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low-sugar, low- On the other hand, it encourages people to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. These are high in vitamins and minerals and provide numerous health benefits to the body. All of this adds up to a diet that is healthier than a diet. As a result, anyone can follow the diet’s principles.
This is a diet that you can enjoy with your entire family. The DASH diet has been linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents, according to research. People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol (LDL), high triglycerides, metabolic syndrome, and those who want to improve their heart health and prevent cardiovascular disease can all benefit from it.
The DASH diet may be appropriate for people who have diabetes or are at risk of developing it. It can also be a postmenopausal or menopausal woman’s diet plan. It is primarily beneficial to people who have excess abdominal fat, as it helps to slim the waist. Those who want to lose weight slowly and safely can follow this diet, as well.
Consult your doctor before starting the DASH diet or making any other dietary changes, especially if you have any medical conditions.
CONS
Don’t expect to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time! As we mentioned previously, the DASH diet was created first to aid in the reduction of high blood pressure and then to aid in the weight loss process. As a result, losing weight is more of a bonus.
To lose weight on the DASH diet, you must keep track of your food portions and know how to put together the right food combinations. As a result, you should not consume more calories than you require on a daily basis. This is not for the faint of heart! Furthermore, if you are used to eating a lot of meat, fat, or salt, it may be difficult to stick to this diet.
Reduced consumption of starches, fats, and sugar, on the other hand, can result in a caloric deficit, which leads to weight loss over time. However, if you want to lose weight with the DASH diet in a semi-effective way, you should probably stick to a low-calorie diet until you reach your ideal weight. We recommend consulting a nutritionist who will be able to provide you with sound advice in this area.
