The DASH diet is an eating plan that can help lower your blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It includes eating fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy foods. It also includes eating whole grains, fish, and poultry.
Here is a sample menu for the DASH diet. It is based on a 2,000-calorie diet with 1,500 mg of sodium. This is a menu for one day.
Breakfast
- 3/4 cup bran flakes cereal
- 8 ounces fat-free milk
- 1 medium banana
- 1 slice whole wheat toast
- 1 teaspoon jelly
- 4 ounces orange juice
Lunch
- 3 oz skinless chicken breast
- 1 pita bread
- 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
- Raw vegetables: 3 or 4 carrot sticks, celery sticks, radishes, 2 loose lettuce leaves
- 1 peach
Snacks
- 1/4 cup dried apricots
- 1/3 cup mixed, unsalted nuts
- 1 cup fat-free milk
Dinner
- 3 ounces grilled salmon
- 1/2 cup brown rice
- 1 cup steamed broccoli
- Spinach salad with 1 cup raw spinach, 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 cucumber slices
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium, homemade vinaigrette salad dressing
- 1 cup melon cubes
