Jump to: What is the DASH diet? | Is the DASH diet healthy? | The DASH diet can improve blood pressure | The DASH diet may have moderate effects on weight management | The DASH diet doesn’t come without downsides | Take home message
Is the DASH diet healthy? Theoretically, yes, but with some downsides
From a nutritional perspective, the DASH diet can be viewed as a healthy diet as it prioritises the consumption of whole foods while minimising the intake of ultra-processed foods, particularly those rich in sugar.
It’s been shown to impact blood pressure in individuals living with hypertension positively. Research also suggests it can have moderate effects on weight loss and markers of type-2 diabetes, such as insulin resistance.
However, research has focused on individuals with pre-existing hypertension (or those at risk of hypertension), and it’s unclear whether the diet would have any added beneficial effects on otherwise healthy individuals.
There’s also a lack of long-term data to determine how sustainable it is in practice and whether the restriction of dietary fat and sodium (salt) would have any unintended consequences in the long term.
The focus on restricting fat from whole foods, such as dairy, and consuming more starchy carbohydrates may increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, particularly if individuals opt for refined carbohydrates such as white bread, rice, and cereals.
The DASH diet also recommends consuming very low levels of salt (less than 2g per day). This is despite research showing that salt intakes below 2g per day are associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality than individuals eating moderate to higher intakes.
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet was first introduced in 1997 and is promoted by the US National Institute of Health’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHBLI).
It’s been heavily researched, with many public health organisations advocating it for individuals living with hypertension.
What is the DASH diet?
It’s a low-fat diet with specific recommendations to lower saturated fat, salt, and cholesterol and was designed by the NHBLI to target individuals living with high blood pressure.
The DASH diet encourages the consumption of:
- Whole grains
- Starchy carbohydrates
- Fruits and vegetables
- Low-fat dairy
- Lean meats
- Fish and seafood
- Small amounts of fat from plant-based sources such as avocado and olive oil
The DASH diet discourages the consumption of:
- Red and processed meats
- Sweets and other high sugar, ultra-processed foods
- Added salt
- Foods high in saturated fat, such as butter and cream
At Second Nature, we don’t provide strict guidelines on what to eat. Our nutritional guidelines are designed to be flexible and personalised to the individual while allowing you the freedom to experiment with what works best for you.
You can take our health quiz here if you want to give us a go.
Otherwise, keep reading if you’d like to read the science behind the pros and cons of the DASH diet. You’ll find three sections reviewing different lines of evidence with a brief conclusion at the end.