Overview

The DASH diet is an eating plan that can help lower your blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It includes eating fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or non-fat dairy foods. It also includes eating whole grain foods, fish, and poultry.

Here is a sample menu for the DASH diet. It is based on a 2,000-calorie diet with 1,500 mg of sodium. This is a menu for one day.

Breakfast

• 3/4 cup (175 mL) bran flakes cereal
• 1 cup (250 mL) skim milk
• 1 medium banana
• 1 slice whole wheat toast
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) jelly
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice

Lunch

• 3 oz (85 g) skinless chicken breast
• 1 pita bread
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) low-fat mayonnaise
• Raw vegetables: 3 or 4 carrot sticks, celery sticks, radishes, 2 loose lettuce leaves
• 1 peach

Snacks

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried apricots
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) mixed, unsalted nuts
• 1 cup (250 mL) skim milk

Dinner

• 3 oz (85 g) grilled salmon
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown rice
• 1 cup (250 mL) steamed broccoli
• Spinach salad with 1 cup (250 mL) raw spinach, 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 cucumber slices
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) low-sodium, homemade vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 cup (250 mL) melon cubes