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DASH Diet: Tops as the Best Diet of 2013
By scoring 4.1 points out of 5, the DASH diet won the first place among the list
of Best diets of 2013, published by the U.S. News and World Reports.
U.S. News evaluated and ranked 29 diets with input from a panel of health
experts. To be top-rated, a diet had
to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, and effective forweight
loss and against diabetes and heart
disease. The DASH diet continues to be a model plan, incorporating all of
the objectives of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It was developed in
research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, entitled "Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension" or DASH.
What is DASH Diet?
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet eating plan is a diet
rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat or nonfat dairy. It also includes grains,
especially whole grains; lean meats, fish and poultry; nuts and beans. It is
high fiber and
low to moderate in fat.
It is a plan that follows US guidelines for sodium content.
In addition to lowering blood pressure, the DASH eating plan lowers cholesterol
and makes it easy to lose
weight. It is a healthy way of eating, designed to be flexible enough to
meet the lifestyle and food preferences of most people. And, it contains all the
healthy foods from the Mediterranean diet.
Type of food
|
Number of
servings for 1600 - 3100 Calorie diets
|
Servings
on a 2000 Calorie diet
|
Grains and grain products
(include at least 3 whole grain foods each day)
|
6 - 12
|
7 - 8
|
Fruits
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4 - 6
|
4 - 5
|
Vegetables
|
4 - 6
|
4 - 5
|
Low fat or non fat dairy foods
|
2 - 4
|
2 - 3
|
Lean meats, fish, poultry
|
1.5 - 2.5
|
2 or less
|
Nuts, seeds, and legumes
|
3 - 6 per week
|
4 - 5 per week
|
Fats and sweets
|
2 - 4
|
limited
|
|
Foods and Food Components to Reduce
-
 Reduce daily sodium intake to less than
2,300 mg and further reduce intake to 1,500 among persons who are 51 and
older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension,
diabetes, or chronic kidney diseases. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to
about half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of
adults.
-
Consume less than 10 percent of calories
from saturated fatty acids by replacing them with monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fatty acids.
-
Consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol.
-
Keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as
possible by limiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans
fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils, and by limiting other solid
fats.
-
Reduce the intake of calories from solid
fats and added sugars.
-
Limit the consumption of foods that contain
refined grains, especially refined grain foods that contain solid fats,
added sugars, and sodium.
-
If alcohol is consumed, it should be
consumed in moderation--up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per
day for men--and only by adults of legal drinking age.
Foods and Nutrients to Increase
Individuals should meet the following recommendations as part of a healthy
eating pattern while staying within their calorie needs.
- Increase vegetable and
fruit intake.
- Eat a variety of vegetables, especially
dark-green and red and orange vegetables and beans and peas.
- Consume at least half of all grains as
whole grains. Increase whole-grain intake by replacing refined grains with
whole grains.
- Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk
and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy beverages.
- Choose a variety of protein foods, which
include seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products,
and unsalted nuts and
seeds.
- Increase the amount and variety of seafood
consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
- Replace protein foods that are higher in
solid fats with choices that are lower in solid fats and calories and/or are
sources of oils.
- Use oils to replace solid fats where
possible.
- Choose foods that provide more potassium,
dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D, which are nutrients of concern in
American diets. These foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and
milk and milk products.
Building Healthy Eating Patterns
-
 Select an eating pattern that meets nutrients needs over time at an appropriate
calorie level.
-
Account for all foods and beverages consumed and assess who they fit within a
total healthy eating pattern.
-
Follow food safety recommendations when preparing and eating foods to reduce the
risk of food borne illnesses.
Recommendations for specific population groups
Women capable of becoming pregnant
-
Choose foods that supply heme iron, which is more readily absorbed by the body,
additional iron sources, and enhancers of iron absorption such as vitamin C-rich
foods.
-
Consume 400 mcg per day of synthetic folic acid
(from fortified foods and/or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate
from a varied diet.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
-
Consume 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week from a variety of seafood types.
-
Due to their high methyl mercury content, limit white (albacore) tuna to 6
ounces per week and do not eat the following four types of fish: tilefish,
shark, swordfish, and king mackerel.
-
If pregnant, take an iron supplement, as recommended by and obstetrician or
other health care provider.
Individuals ages 50 years and older
-
Consume foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as fortified cereals, or dietary
supplements.
DASH Diet & Weight loss
 Though not originally developed as a weight-loss
diet, some studies have looked at DASH diet's potential to help dieters shed
pounds.
-
In one study, published in 2010 in the
Archives of Internal Medicine, 144 overweight or obese adults with high
blood pressure were assigned to one of three approaches: DASH, DASH plus
exercise and classes on weight
loss, and a control diet where participants maintained their usual
eating habits. After four months, those in the beefed up DASH group lost on
average 19 pounds�while the other groups either lost a little or gained
weight.
-
In another study, published in the Annals
of Internal Medicine in 2006, researchers randomly assigned 810 adults with
borderline or mild high blood pressure to three groups. The first received
general advice on lifestyle changes to control blood pressure. The second
had goals of staying under 2,300 mg. of sodium a day, losing
weight, exercising, and
limiting alcohol. The third mirrored the second but participants were also
told to follow DASH�s dietary guidelines. After 18 months, the second group
lost an average of about 8 pounds while the DASH group lost about 9��both
significantly more than the first group�s 3 pounds.
Any or rather every diet needs to be accompanied
with exercise to manage body
weight.
Ref:
Dated 17 December 2013
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