DASH Diet and Recipes for High Blood Pressure
The DASH diet stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. Read more to learn about high blood pressure and hypertension.
In other words, the DASH diet advises on what to eat to lower blood pressure. These include lots of nutrient rich foods (see below for examples), and less sodium and saturated fat.
We’ve included dietary ways that you can manage this condition as well as recipes for high blood pressure.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can be a dangerous condition that can lead to heart disease if left untreated. Blood pressure is considered “high” if it measures at or above 140/90 mmHg.
Among people over the age of 65, hypertension is very common. It’s important to eat heart-healthy foods to manage your blood pressure in order to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
What is the DASH Eating Plan for Hypertension?
DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”, and it’s used to help manage blood pressure. DASH emphasizes heart-healthy foods and suggests to limit foods that raise blood pressure. These foods include: saturated and trans fats, red meat, sodium, and sugary foods and beverages.
So that’s what to avoid, but are there things I can ADD in to my diet to improve blood pressure?
Foods you CAN eat on Dash Diet:
The DASH eating plan recommends eating more servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which are packed with potassium and fiber. Did you know that a diet rich in potassium can help mitigate the effects of sodium?
Also, something to keep in mind about starting the DASH eating plan is to slowly change your eating habits, as the rapid addition of foods high in fiber can cause digestive issues such as bloating and diarrhea.
Some examples of heart healthy foods include:
raspberries, bananas, garlic, potatoes, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, oatmeal, chicken, fish, lowfat dairy products, legumes, pomegranates, seeds, spinach, beets, avocados, quinoa, unsalted pretzels, dark chocolate and unsalted popcorn
DASH Cooking Tips to Eat Less Sodium
- Rinse canned foods (ex: green beans and tuna) before eating to remove some sodium
- Buy fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables with “no salt added” on the label
- Buy fresh chicken, fish, and lean meat rather than processed, as they contain less sodium
- Read the label of salad dressings before buying – some contain a lot of sodium
- Use herbs, garlic, onions, and spices to season food instead of using salt. See our blog on 6 low sodium seasoning recipes
- Opt for low-sodium, reduced-sodium, and no-salt-added foods
What Else Can You Do to Prevent and Manage Hypertension?
Staying physically active is very effective in preventing and controlling hypertension. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise a day such as walking, biking, gardening, and climbing the stairs is all you need.
If exercising for thirty minutes is too much for you, try breaking it up into ten minute intervals and do the activity three times a day.
Alcohol raises blood pressure, so it’s a good idea to limit your intake. If you do drink, it’s recommended to only have one drink a day at most for women and two drinks a day at most for men.
For ideas of fun non-alcoholic drinks, take a look at our mocktail recipes.
If you take medication to lower your blood pressure, still keep the nutritional and lifestyle changes above in mind. Ask your doctor if any of your medication interacts with certain types of food or drinks.
Photo by Laurynas Mereckas on Unsplash
Keep a journal of the food that you’re eating and the amount of physical activity you’re doing every day.
Make sure you bring your journal to your healthcare visits as this information can be very helpful to your doctor and/or dietitian.
Recipes for High Blood Pressure
Recipes for increasing potassium:
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Black Bean Hummus
- Caprese Stuffed Avocado
- Chocolate Nice Cream
- Chunky Vegetable Lentil Soup
- Guacamole and Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Pumpkin Turkey Chili
- Easy Edamame Salad
- Fiesta Black Beans
Questions to ask you doctor if you have Hypertension
These might seem like obvious questions to ask, but it’s important to know as much as you can about your hypertension. Make sure to write these questions and answers down in case you need to refer back to them.
- What is the name and generic name of my medicine?
- What is my blood pressure reading?
- Should I buy a at-home blood pressure monitor?
- What are the side effect of my medicine?
- Is it safe for me to exercise? If so, what exercises are safe for me to do?
- Does my medication react with any food or drinks?
Heart Health Resources
For more tips on managing hypertension, take a look at our hypertension or high blood pressure section.
Sodium and Hypertension
Take a look at this infographic to see how much sodium is hidden in foods:
Making changes for heart health does not have to be difficult, our Registered Dietitians are here to help.
For more information about nutrition to combat chronic medical conditions or to develop a personalized meal plan to follow the DASH diet, contact us.
-Blog reviewed and updated on April 2021.
Rebecca Bitzer loves to empower Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) and their clients. Co-author of Welcome to the Rebelution: Seven steps to the nutrition counseling practice of your dreams and Taste the Sweet Rebellion: Rebel against dieting.
