The dash Plan and Hypertension

By Larry Keller

Tips for Starting the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Plan

• Change gradually to the new diet.
• Limit meat to 6 ounces a day. A 3-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards. Include two or more meatless meals each week.
• Use fruits or other foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories as desserts and snacks. Examples: unsalted pretzels, graham crackers, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, popcorn with no salt or butter added, dried fruits, and raw vegetables.
• Select whole grain foods, such as whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals, to get added minerals and fiber.

Here is a sample DASH menu for one day, based on 2,000 calories a day. Serving sizes should be adjusted up or down to reflect other calorie levels. This menu allows 2,300 milligrams of sodium.

Breakfast

• 3⁄4 cup bran flakes cereal
• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1 small banana
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1⁄2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon soft margarine

Lunch

• Barbecue beef sandwich
• 2 ounces beef, eye of round
• 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
• 1 slice (1 ounce) reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 large leaf romaine lettuce
• 2 slices tomato
• 2 slices whole grain bread
• 1 cup three-bean salad
• 1 medium orange

Dinner

• 3 ounces cod, baked, sprinkled with lemon juice
• 1⁄2 cup long grain brown rice
• 1 cup spinach, cooked in 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 small corn bread muffin
• 1 teaspoon soft margarine

Snack

• 1 cup fat-free fruit yogurt
• 1 ounce roasted almonds
• 2 large graham cracker rectangles
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter