Debating Diets: What is the DASH diet? – Baylor College of Medicine News

Thinking about starting a new diet? While the amount of information available can be overwhelming, its possible to find a diet that is safe, suitable and effective for your lifestyle.

Dr. Peter Jian with the Medical Weight Management Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine discusses what you need to know about the DASH diet.

A: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is an eating plan that is often recommended to help lower blood pressure. This diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. It is also low in saturated fat, total fat, meats, and sweets.

There are two versions of the DASH diet. The standard version allows up to 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and the low-sodium version allows up to 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

Studies have shown that the DASH diet may lower blood pressure by causing favorable changes in the bodys blood pressure regulating mechanisms, such as the reninangiotensin system and plasma nitrite levels.

A: High blood pressure increases risks of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. The DASH diet can lower cardiovascular disease risk by reducing the blood pressure.

A: The following foods are typically recommended in the DASH diet:

Additionally, the DASH diet suggests the following:

A: The DASH diet is high in fiber, potassium, phosphorus, and protein, and low in saturated fat.

A: Individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease should be careful with the DASH diet because of the high amounts of potassium and phosphorus.

A: Most of the time, no side effects are noticeable.

A: The DASH diet was not developed for weight loss. Whether any type of diet (DASH, Mediterranean, vegetarian, etc.) leads to weight loss depends on many factors. Diet plans need to be individualized for each person.

Dr. Jian is an assistant professor of family and community medicine at Baylor. See more services at Baylor Family Medicine or call (713) 798-7700.

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-By Nicole Blanton

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Debating Diets: What is the DASH diet? - Baylor College of Medicine News