WHAT IS THE
DASH DIET?

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a research-backed healthy-eating pattern recommended to help lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney disease, and gout.

The DASH diet was developed over 20 years ago, when several studies found that the DASH eating plan helps reduce blood pressure and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol, two risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

For best results, the DASH diet needs to be integrated with a low-salt regimen, regular exercise, weight management and low alcohol consumption.

HOW IT WORKS

The DASH diet builds nutrient-dense meals around:

  • whole grains
  • low-fat dairy products
  • vegetables and fruits
  • lean meats such as fish and poultry
  • healthy oils

Meals centre around ingredients that are naturally rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fibre and protein, and low in:

  • salt
  • sugar
  • unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats) 

As with any healthy diet, avoid or limit these foods:

  • added sugars: baked goods, ice cream, candy
  • fried foods: fries, hot dogs, pizza, fried chicken, fish and chips
  • processed and refined carbohydrates: white bread, crackers, cookies, sugary cereals
  • sugar-sweetened beverages: sodas, sports drinks, sugary juices, fruit punch, sweetened tea and coffee drinks.

The DASH diet recommends eating certain foods with recommended servings, and limiting certain foods to a specific serving size.

The sample plans (provided by the US-based National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) are based on 1600, 2000, or 2600  daily. [SA metrics: 1600 kcal = 6694.4kJ; 2000kcal = 8368kJ; 2600kcal = 10878.4kJ] Using 2000 ¹calories as an example, this translates to:

 

Your nutrition needs depend on your age, gender, weight, height, activity level, and weight goal. Generally, a 2,000-calorie diet meets the needs of most adults.

Potassium (K)

Apricots
Lentils
Squash
Prunes
Raisins
Potato with skin
Kidney beans
Soya beans
Banana
Milk
Spinach
Chicken breast
Yoghurt, plain low fat
Salmon
Beef, sirloin
Beetroot 
Avocados
Tuna

Magnesium (Mg)

Pumpkin seeds
Chia seeds
Almonds
Spinach
Cashews
Peanuts
Soymilk
Black beans
Peanut butter
Potato with skin
Brown rice
Yogurt
Oatmeal
Kidney beans
Banana
Chicken breast, roasted

Calcium (Ca)

Yoghurt, plain low fat
Orange juice
Mozzarella
Sardines
Milk, non-fat
Salmon
Cottage cheese
Spinach
Turnip greens
Kale
Chia seeds
Bok choi
Pinto beans
Broccoli
Apple
Ricotta cheese
Tofu

The DASH diet was primarily designed to prevent and treat high blood pressure. However, it has been reported³ to decrease body weight and waist circumference in patients with metabolic syndrome, and thus shown to be an effective approach for safe and sustainable weight loss.

When using the diet for weight loss, keep the following guidelines in mind:

  • Portion sizes: aim for appropriate serving sizes to manage your calorie intake.
  • Calorie content: consider the energy value or food and opt for whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Avoid processed sugary, salty and high-fat foods from your diet.
  • Exercise regularly.

When following the DASH diet for weight loss, it’s generally recommended that women aim for a daily intake of 1,200 to 1,600 calories, while men target 1,600 to 2,000 calories. Individual responses to meal patterns can vary; some may find success with smaller, more frequent meals, while others may prefer fewer but larger meals. Try both eating schedules to help you discover the most effective approach for your weight loss journey.

³ Suri, S., Kumar, V., Kumar, S., Goyal, A., Tanwar, B., Kaur, J., & Kaur, J. (2020). DASH Dietary Pattern: A Treatment for Non- communicable Diseases. Current Hypertension Reviews, 16(2), 108–114. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573402115666191007144608

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Preventing and treating hypertension requires a lifelong approach to healthy eating. Begin incrementally by making small, consistent changes to your diet and work towards incorporating the DASH diet principles into every meal.

  • Meat-free meals: Introduce at least two meat-free meals per week to increase your plant-based food intake.
  • Fruits and vegetables: Add one serving of vegetables or fruit to every meal.
  • Natural Flavours: To minimize your salt intake, use herbs, spices, or lemon to season your food.
  • Healthy snacking: Choose nuts over potato chips.
  • Whole grains: Whenever possible, replace white flour with whole-wheat flour.
  • Regular activity: Incorporate a daily 15-minute walk into your routine.
  • Meal planning: Plan your meals for the week and create a shopping list to help you stay on track with the DASH diet.
Start Cooking!
  1. Ball, L., Burch, E. & Barnes, K. (2023). Calories and kilojoules: how do we know the energy content of food, and how accurate are the labels?. The Conversation [Online]. Accessed on 2 May 2024. Available from https://theconversation.com/calories-and-kilojoules-how-do-we-know-the-energy-content-of-food-and-how-accurate-are-the-labels-211613 
  2. Brazier, Y. (2017). How many calories do you need?. Medical News Today [Online]. Accessed on 24 April 2024. Available from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263028
  3. CREDA Health. (2021). What does the DASH Diet Have to Do with High Blood Pressure?  CREDA Health [Online]. Accessed on 19 April 2024. Available from https://credahealth.com/blog/what-does-the-dash-diet-have-to-do-with-high-blood-pressure/ 
  4. Harvard School of Public Health. (2022). Diet Review: DASH. Harvard School of Public Health [Online]. Accessed on 19 April 2024. Available from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/dash-diet/ 
  5. Hinzey, E. (2024). DASH Diet: Reviews, Recipes, Meal Plans and Tips. US News [Online]. Accessed on 23 April 2024. Available from https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/dash-diet 
  6. Mayo Clinic. (2023). DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings. Mayo Clinic [Online]. Accessed on 23 April 2024. Available from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20050989 
  7. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2021). NIH-supported DASH diet tops rankings for “heart-healthy” and “healthy eating”. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) [Online]. Accessed on 19 April 2024. Available from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2021/nih-supported-dash-diet-tops-rankings-heart-healthy-and-healthy-eating 
  8. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2023). DASH Eating Plan: Tips on What to Eat vs. Limit Fact Sheet. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) [Online]. Accessed on 19 April 2024. Available from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/dash-eating-plan-tips-what-eat-vs-limit-fact-sheet-hoja-informativa-sobre-el-plan-de 
  9. Office of Dietary Supplements. (2022). Calcium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health. Accessed on 16 April 2024.  Available from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/ 
  10. Office of Dietary Supplements. (2022). Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health. Accessed on 16 April 2024.  Available from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ 
  11. Office of Dietary Supplements. (2022). Potassium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health. Accessed on 16 April 2024.  Available from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/ 
  12. Sobel, A. (2023). A 2,000-Calorie Diet: Food Lists and Meal Plan. Healthline [Online]. Accessed on 19 April 2024. Available from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/2000-calorie-diet 
  13. Suri, S. et al. (2020). DASH Dietary Pattern: A Treatment for Non-communicable Diseases. Current Hypertension Reviews, 16(2), 108–114. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573402115666191007144608
  14. West, H. (2018). The Complete Beginner’s Guide to the DASH Diet. Healthline [Online]. Accessed on 16 April 2024. Available from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dash-diet 
Kilojoules & Calories Explained HOW IT WORKS

Kilojoules & Calories Explained

  • Kilojoules (kJ) and calories (kcal) are both units of energy. In nutrition, kilojoules/calories refer to the energy that you get from the food and drink you consume, as well as the energy you use in physical activity. The kilojoule (kJ) is based on the international system of units (SI) measurement whereas the calorie is based on the metric system. 
  • Research on the DASH diet has been largely US-based; therefore, the calorie is used as a unit of measurement. However, in South Africa, we use the term kilojoules for nutrition labelling.
  • Your recommended intake of kilojoules/ calories per day depends on your sex, weight, height, general health, and physical activity. 
  • There are two types of calories:
    • A small calorie (cal) is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram (g) of water by 1º Celsius (º C).
    • A large calorie (kcal) is the amount of energy required to raise 1 kilogram (kg) of water by 1º C. It is also known as a kilocalorie. (1 kcal is equal to 1,000 cal.)
  • Conversions:
    • 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ, so to convert from calories to kilojoules, multiply by 4.184.
    • 1kJ = 0.24 kcal (about ¼), so to convert from kilojoules to calories, divide by 0.24 
  • Empty calories are calories that provide energy but very little nutritional value. Empty calories come mainly from solid fats (often added during food processing), added sugars, and alcohol. 
  • Health problems arise when you consume either too little or too many kilojoules/ calories.

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