Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a dietary plan recommended for people to prevent and control hypertension. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods, and the basis of this diet is the proven belief that consuming the right food in the right amounts can fulfill the body’s nutrient requirements and healthy blood pressure levels can be maintained.

The DASH diet has been recommended as a diet tip for lowering blood pressure by many health institutions and has become very popular in the country in recent years. The general guidelines of the DASH diet for the various food groups are as follows:

• Sodium
  The DASH diet strongly recommends reducing sodium consumption and limiting its total daily intake to 1,500mg to 2,300mg.
• Vegetables
  Vegetables provide fiber, potassium, and magnesium, and they are great sources of vitamins. The nitrates in leafy greens are very helpful in reducing hypertension. When following the DASH diet, at least four to five servings of vegetables should be included in the daily diet.
• Fruits
  Another diet tip for lowering blood pressure is to ensure that four to five servings of fruits are included in the daily diet as it provides fiber. Kiwis, avocados, bananas, and watermelon should be included in the diet to maintain blood pressure at the optimum levels. Some fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and grapes contain anthocyanins, which reduce high blood pressure, so they can replace junk food to satiate those hunger pangs in between meals.
• Grains
  At least six to eight servings of whole grains like wheat, brown rice, buckwheat, whole-grain barley, and bulgur should be included in the diet every day. The intake of processed grains like white rice and white flour should be limited.
• Lean meat and poultry
  The intake of red meat should be limited and lean meat, poultry, and fish should be opted for instead. At least six servings of lean meat should be incorporated into the diet every week as it provides protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. However, the DASH diet recommends consuming more vegetables than meat.
• Nuts, seeds, and legumes
  Four to five servings of nuts and seeds should be added to the weekly diet. Nuts are excellent sources of magnesium, potassium, and protein and are high in fiber and phytonutrients. The consumption of magnesium is an effective diet tip for lowering blood pressure, and almonds, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are good sources of magnesium.
• Fats and oils
  The intake of fats should be minimum when on a DASH diet. Instead, steamed and air fried foods should be consumed.
• Sweets
  The intake of sweets should be limited to five servings or less per week. Instead of sugar-based sweets, it is better to opt for low-fat treats and sweets with sugar substitutes.
• Alcohol
  The DASH diet discourages the consumption of alcohol as it increases blood pressure. At the most, the consumption should be limited to 2 to 3 drinks once or twice a week, and an effective diet tip for lowering blood pressure is to opt for wine instead of other hard liquor.