Health Benefits of the DASH Diet and 9 Delicious Recipes

by JACKIE NEWGENT, RDN, CDN  Last Updated: Jan 07, 2016

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It’s been ranked the No. 1 Best Diet Overall for six years in a row by “U.S. News & World Report.” No, it’s not some gimmicky, quick-results-promised fad diet. This diet -- the DASH diet (“DASH” is the acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) -- was developed for research sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was originally designed to help lower blood pressure by way of diet. Interestingly, the plan showed improvements in other areas of health, such as reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. And, yes, weight loss! So how does one get started on the DASH diet? The plan is based on eating real foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables. It encourages low-fat or non-fat dairy, plus whole grains and some nuts, beans and seeds. While emphasizing lower sodium intake, the DASH diet plan is rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium and fiber. Lean meats, fish and poultry are included, but the plan can be followed by vegetarians too. Overall, the DASH diet plan is a healthful, flexible eating approach. It can be delicious. Give it a try by enjoying these tasty DASH diet-friendly recipes!