Diet Plan to Control High Blood Pressure – Importance of DASH Diets

Reviewed by: | Author: Manoja Kalakanti

Doctors always suggest us to follow a proper diet plant to control high blood pressure. But many people tend to loose their will power in maintaining a balanced diet chart and result in serious health issues. Diet is a very important factor when it comes to controlling the blood pressure. Researchers have revealed that high-sodium diet tends to increase blood pressure. Diets low in sodium brings about a significant drop in the blood pressure for the sufferers. Potassium, Magnesium and Fibre which are found in the fruits and vegetables abundantly, have also been found to affect blood pressure. In addition, these are low in sodium, which is great to be used for daily life. Also nuts, seeds, legumes, lean, meats, and poultry are good sources of magnesium.

diet plant to control high blood pressure

Diet Plan to Control High Blood Pressure:

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) was a study of the effect of different dietary patterns of reducing high blood pressure. It was found that people who followed the DASH diet had notable lower or normal blood pressure after just few weeks.

Features of the DASH Diet

  1. DASH diet is low in sodium, reducing it to 1,500 milligrams a day, which is about 2/3 teaspoon of salt.
  2. The diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts legumes, and low fat dairy are high in key nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, fibre, and protein.
  3. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium and should be included in the diet. Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, peas, and prunes and raisins should be added to the diet.
  4. Salt use should be minimized. Salt can be substituted with lime, garlic, pepper or other herbs and spices.
  5. Alcohol, if consumed, should be in moderate quantity.

green vegetables

DASH Limits of Diet Plans: Serve Table Analysis

Grains: Daily servings for about 7 to 8 times.

Serving Sizes: 1 slice bread, ½ cup cooked rice or pasta, 1 ounce dry cereal.

Vegetables: Daily serving for about 4-5 times.

Serving Sizes: 1 cup raw leafy greens, ½ cup cooked vegetables.

Fruits: Daily serving for about 4-5 times.

Serving Sizes: 1 medium fruit, ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit, ¼ cup dried fruit, 6 ounces fruit juices.

Low fat or Fat free dairy products: Daily servings for about 2-3 times.

Serving Sizes: 8 ounces milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1.5 ounces cheese.

Lean meat, poultry and fish: Just about 2 or fewer daily servings.

Serving Sizes: 3 ounces cooked meat, poultry, or fish.

Nuts seeds and legumes: 4-5 servings per week.

Serving Sizes: 1/3 cup nuts, 2 tablespoon seeds, ½ cup cooked dry beans or seeds.

Fats and oils: 2-3 servings per day.

Serving Sizes: 1 table spoon of vegetable oil or soft margarine, 1 table spoon low fat mayonnaise, 2 table spoons light salad dressing.

Sweets: Try to limit to less than 5 servings a week.

Serving Sizes: 1 table spoon sugar or jelly jam. The following foods in the below section should be included in your diet to increase the intake of potassium, magnesium and fibre.

The following foods in the below section should be included in your diet to increase the intake of potassium, magnesium and fibre.
Apples, Beat greens, Green beans, Grapes, Melons, Pineapples, Spinach, Tangerines, Yogurt(fat free),Apricots, Broccoli, Dates, Green peas, Oranges, Potatoes, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Bananas, Carrots, Mangoes, Peaches, Resins, Sweet potatoes, Tuna. It is been evident in the stats of DASH diet that, including these vegetables and fruits in the diet can lower or normalize the blood pressure. Follow the serve table analysis for more accurate and evident results. We hope this information will surely help you to control the high blood pressure very soon. Please leave us your queries and comments in the below section.

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