The DASH diet, what is it?

DASH, the latest fad diet, at least in the United States and Canada, acclaimed by all medical and nutritional authorities and, like the laundry of the same name, made two in one: lower blood pressure 

and lose weight.

What are the origins of the DASH diet?

DASH Dietary Approach to Stopping = Hypertension.

It originated in two studies DASH and DASH-sodium, the first conducted in 1997 and the second in 2000. And the spectacular results show that by simply changing your diet, it can lower its voltage when it is too high and moreover lose weight.

First DASH study: what were the lessons learned?

The DASH study was done on 400 people divided into three groups:

the first normally eaten his usual North American food so greasy and very sweet,

the second consumed the same but with lots of fruits and vegetables (thus less fat and sugar)

the third was submitted to the DASH diet: the high-fiber cereal, lots of fruits and vegetables, dairy products low in fat, low fat and very low in saturated and some sugar: in other words a perfect food balanced. At the same time, they are strongly encouraged to move!

Second DASH-Sodium study: how?

In the second study, DASH-Sodium, guinea pigs, still divided into three groups, have absorbed the DASH diet but with different amounts of sodium 3300 mg, 2400 mg and 1500 mg (1 g salt = 400 mg sodium ).

All blood pressures decreased but, of course, especially those of 2400 (6 g salt) mg and more than 1,500 mg of sodium (3.7 g salt).

DASH diet: 6-8 cereal portions

One should eat 6-8 servings of grains, whole preferably daily, as part of the DASH diet. For North Americans, one serving = 1 slice of bread 35 grams or half a cup (about 100 g) of rice or pasta or other cooked cereal.

In practice, 30 g of rice or pasta raw weigh 100g when cooked as they absorb about 2 times their weight of water.

If you eat three slices of bread (one at each meal), need to be supplemented with 500 g of cooked cereal (150g floods). What makes beautiful stretches of 165 g on average at all three meals of the day! There is no risk of being hungry.

DASH diet: 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and fruits

4-5 servings of vegetables and 4-5 servings of fruit a day is the dose to the DASH diet. Either 4-5 half cups of cooked or raw vegetables or vegetables or fruit or fruit juice juice.

One half cup = 75 g, which is 300 to 375 g of vegetables and many fruits.

Or 600 to 750 g in total per day. DASH diet: 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and fruits

4-5 servings of vegetables and 4-5 servings of fruit a day is the dose to the DASH diet. Either 4-5 half cups of cooked or raw vegetables or vegetables or fruit or fruit juice juice.

One half cup = 75 g, which is 300 to 375 g of vegetables and many fruits.

Or 600 to 750 g in total per day.

DASH diet: 2 to 3 servings of dairy products

2 or 3 servings of milk and / or low-fat dairy products, yoghurt type every day also.

1 serving = 1 cup or 230 g or 230 cl. 1 yogurt weighs 125 g. What makes roughly 1 cup (cl 250 on average) of milk in the morning and then 2 yogurt at every meal.

DASH diet: 2 servings of meat, poultry or fish

In the DASH diet, one should consume 2 servings of meat or poultry or fish.

1 serving = 100 g. Meat should be lean, poultry without the skin.

DASH diet: what about fat?

In the DASH diet, it can take only 2 to 3 servings of fats only!

1 serving = 5 ml or 1 tablespoon of oil coffee or 5 g margarine or butter 5 g or 15 ml (1 tbsp) of low-fat mayonnaise or 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of salad dressing lightly.

Or 2 to 3 tablespoons oil coffee or 15 g of butter per day.

DASH diet: dried fruits and vegetables are not forgotten

Each week, we must consume 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds, pulses.

1 serving = 1/3 cup, some ten nuts (or hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.) or 1 half-cup of cooked legumes, about 100g.

DASH diet: small sugar!

Sugar is limited to 5 servings per week (warning, not a day !!).

1 serving = 1 tablespoon powdered sugar or jam or honey or 1 glass of soft drink or one half cup of sorbet.

DASH diet: as limited salt!

At the same time, it is advisable to limit salt to 2,400 mg of sodium or 6 g of salt per day, and for that to eat very little processed foods that are rich.

DASH diet: Why does it work?

It is evident that among Americans who are enormous sugar consumers (http://www.e-sante.fr/faut-il-diaboliser-sucre/blog/1464) (more than 60 g per day), sweetened beverages (216 liters per year on average), fat and salt, just reducing drastically as these products can only be spectacularly effective!

Large quantities of cereals rich in carbohydrates and fiber, fruits and vegetables that are also for the latter largely provide the energy needed duly issued during the day. So no cravings or temptations fat / sugary snacks (anyway, it is not right!)

Vegetables, fruits, dairy products, dried fruits and vegetables provide potassium, magnesium and calcium play a positive role in lowering blood pressure.

And all this bringing a lot less calories than the usual diet of Americans, it is quite logical that they lose weight by following the DASH diet.

The DASH diet is actually a balanced diet, close to the Mediterranean diet that has largely proven for years and really very similar recommendations we make about e-health for a long time!