Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

The DASH eating plan was designed to help lower blood pressure. This diet is low in sodium, fat, cholesterol,
and sweets, and includes fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and lean meats.

Food Group Serving Sizes Examples

Grains 1 slice bread Whole-wheat bread, pita bread, bagel, cereals,
1 oz (½ - 1 ¼ c) dry cereal grits, oatmeal, polenta, brown rice, whole-
½ cup cooked rice, pasta, cereal wheat pasta, unsalted popcorn, pretzels
Vegetables 1 c raw leafy vegetables Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, squash,
½ cup raw, cut-up vegetables broccoli, turnip greens, kale, spinach,
½ cup cooked vegetables artichokes, green beans, yams
½ cup low-sodium vegetable juice
Fruits 1 medium fresh fruit Apples, apricots, bananas, berries, dates,
¼ cup dried fruit oranges, grapes, grapefruit, mangos, melons,
½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit peaches, pineapples, prunes, raisins,
½ cup 100% fruit juice strawberries, tangerines
Dairy 1 cup milk Nonfat or 1% milk, kefir, or yogurt
1 cup yogurt Part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 ½ oz cheese Nonfat or low-fat cheese
Meat and 1 oz cooked meat, poultry, or fish Lean meats (less than 10% fat): top round,
Eggs 1 egg sirloin, tenderloin, rump
¼ cup egg whites or egg substitute Chicken or turkey breast
Nuts, Seeds, 1 ½ oz or ⅓ cup unsalted nuts Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, peanut butter,
Legumes ½ oz or 2 Tbsp seeds walnuts
2 Tbsp peanut butter Sunflower seeds
½ cup cooked legumes (beans or peas) Beans: black, garbanzo, kidney, pinto, navy,
Lentils, split peas
Fats 1 tsp soft (tub) margarine or oil Soft (tub) margarine, no trans fat
1 Tbsp mayonnaise Canola, olive, corn, or safflower oil
2 Tbsp salad dressing Low-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing
Sweets 1 Tbsp sugar, honey, molasses, syrup Fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit punch, Kool-Aid®,
1 Tbsp jelly, jam hard candy, maple syrup, sorbet, fruit ice
½ cup sorbet or gelatin

Tips at home: Tips when eating out:

Choose fresh fruits and vegetables instead of Ask for no added salt, no added fat, or low-fat
high-fat, high-salt snack foods such as chips. options.
Choose whole-grain foods such as whole-wheat Ask for your salad dressing on the side and
breads, high-fiber cereals, and brown rice. add just a little to your salad.
Trim off excess fat on meat and remove the skin Choose smaller portion sizes or split your
from poultry. order with a friend.
Broil, roast, grill, or braise meat instead of frying.
Choose spices instead of salt. Use lemon, lime,
herbs, and salt-free seasonings.

Clinical Dietitians, Food & Nutrition Services, UC Davis Medical Center (6/13)
© 2013 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved.
Find Out If You DASH: Meat and Eggs
Write down the number of servings from Fruit Group
each food group that you eat each day.
Sample Serving Your # of
Add up the number of servings and Sample Serving Your # of Food Size Servings/Day
compare to the DASH guidelines on the Food Size Servings/Day Beef, pork, lamb 1 oz __________
next page. Fruit juice ½ cup __________ Poultry 1 oz __________
Whole fruit 1 medium __________ Fish, seafood 1 oz __________
Dried fruit ¼ cup __________ Egg whites or
Canned or egg substitute ¼ cup __________
frozen fruit ½ cup __________
Grains Your Total Daily Servings: __________
Your Total Daily Servings: __________

Sample Serving Your # of Dairy

Food Size Servings/Day Vegetable Group
Bread 1 slice __________ Sample Serving Your # of
Bagel ¼ large or Sample Serving Your # of Food Size Servings/Day
1 mini __________ Food Size Servings/Day Milk 1 cup __________
Rice ½ cup __________ Raw, leafy Kefir 1 cup __________
Pasta ½ cup __________ vegetables 1 cup __________ Cheese 1 ½ oz __________
Cereal ½ cup __________ Cooked Yogurt 1 cup __________
Tortilla 1 (6-inch) __________ vegetables ½ cup __________ Ice Cream 1 cup __________
Vegetable
Your Total Daily Servings: __________ juice ½ cup __________ Your Total Daily Servings: __________

Your Total Daily Servings: __________

Nuts, Seeds, Legumes

Sweets
Sample Serving Your # of Fats
Sample Serving Your # of
Food Size Servings/Day Food Size Servings/Day
Nuts ⅓ cup __________ Sample Serving Your # of
Sugar, honey,
Seeds 2 Tbsp __________ Food Size Servings/Day
or syrup 1 Tbsp __________
Legumes ½ cup __________ Tub margarine 1 tsp __________
Gelatin ½ cup __________
Vegetable oil 1 tsp __________
Your Total Daily Servings: __________ Sorbet ½ cup __________
Mayonnaise 1 Tbsp __________
Jelly, jam 1 Tbsp __________
Salad Dressing 2 Tbsp __________
Your Total Daily Servings: __________
Your Total Daily Servings: __________

Clinical Dietitians, Food & Nutrition Services, UC Davis Medical Center (6/13)
© 2013 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved.
 Number of Serving per Day for Different Calorie Goals
Food Group: 1,600 Calorie Diet 2,000 Calorie Diet 2,600 Calorie Diet
Grains 6 6-8 10-11
Vegetables 3-4 4-5 5-6
Fruit 4 4-5 5-6
Dairy 2-3 2-3 3
Meat & Eggs 3-6 less than 6 6
Nuts, Seeds, Legumes 3 per week 4-5 per week 1
Fats 2 2-3 3
Sweets 0 less than 5 per week less than 2

Sample DASH Menu for 2,000 Calorie Diet

2,400 mg Sodium Menu *Substitutions for a 1,500 mg Sodium Menu
Breakfast: ¾ cup bran cereal* * ¾ cup shredded wheat cereal
1 mini whole-wheat bagel
1 medium banana
1 cup nonfat milk
1 Tbsp jelly
Lunch: Chicken breast sandwich made with:
2 slices (3 oz) skinless chicken breast
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 slice (¾ oz) reduced-fat cheese* *1 slice (¾ oz) low-sodium,
1 large leaf romaine lettuce reduced-fat cheese
2 slices tomato
1 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
Fruit salad:
1 medium pear and 1 medium kiwi, sliced

Dinner: ¾ cup spaghetti sauce (no meat)* *¾ c low-sodium spaghetti

1 cup spaghetti sauce
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
Spinach salad made with:
1 c fresh spinach leaves
¼ c fresh grated carrots
¼ c fresh sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp vinaigrette dressing (no salt added)
½ cup frozen corn, cooked (no salt added)
½ cup fresh berries with 1 c nonfat plain yogurt
Snack: 1 cup popcorn (no salt, no butter added)
¼ cup almonds
1 medium peach
Total Servings: 6 Grain, 5 Vegetable, 5 Fruit, 3 Dairy, 3 Meat, 1 Nut, 0 Fat, 1 Sweet

For your own free copy of the Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH, visit:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf or call 1-800-575-WELL

Clinical Dietitians, Food & Nutrition Services, UC Davis Medical Center (6/13)
© 2013 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved.