TABLE 2.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan
| Food group | Servings | Examples and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grains | 7–8/day | Whole wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn |
| Vegetables | 4–5/day | Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, squash, spinach |
| Fruits | 4–5/day | Apricots, bananas, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, melons |
| Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods | 2–3/day | Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk, fat-free or low-fat yogurt, fat-free or low-fat cheese |
| Meats, poultry, fish | ≥2/day | Select only lean meats, and trim away fats. Broil, roast or boil; no frying. Remove skin from poultry |
| Nuts, seeds, dry beans | 4–5/week | Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, soybeans, lentils |
| Fats and oils | 2–3/day | Soft margarines, low-fat mayonnaise, vegetable oil (olive, corn, canola or safflower |
| Sweets | 5/week | Maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, hard candy, sorbet |
DASH eating plan available at <www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf>