DASH Diet: Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension

What is DASH Diet or Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension? originally this was developed to suppress hypertension in adults, but today it may also help teen girls gain less weight - from
a recent study.

FORMAL STUDY
This study followed 2,379 girls ages 9-10 for ten years. The participants were socio-economically and geographically mixed, and researchers devised a scoring system to determine how
closely the participants came to following the diet.

THE DIET
This diet emphasizes on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat and nonfat dairy foods, lean proteins, nuts and limited amounts of fats and sweets, is said to lower blood pressure in adults even without reducing salt intake.Participants who adhered most closely to the DASH plan had the lowest increase in body mass index (BMI) over the course of the study and the lowest BMI's at the end of the study. Although the participants in the 95th percentile maintained a healthy weight, only 15 percent of girls 9 to 17 years old ate the DASH diet's suggested four servings of fruit a day, and average sugar consumption was ten times higher than what is recommended.

To many, "This study is important," said senior author Lynn Moore of Boston University Medical Center in a news release, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, "because it shows that a
very simple dietary message focused primarily on increasing intakes of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products has the potential to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in
adolescent girls." - a way of sending this message of being health conscious, not only to the young, but also to the old.

DASH Diet was also recently ranked "Best Diet Overall" by U.S. News & World Report after studying its effectiveness in short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss, easiness to follow,
nutritional completeness, ability to prevent or manage diabetes and to also manage heart disease.

DASH DIET
The DASH diet focuses on foods rich in nutrients expected to reduce high blood pressure - potassium, magnesium and calcium. Basic components of the DASH diet are:

1. Limit sodium intake
2. Limits saturated fat and total fat and in turn helps lower cholesterol
3. Emphasizes fruits and vegetables
4. Emphasizes fat-free and low-fat milk and dairy products
5. Rich in protein and fiber

DASH DIET PLAN
You can follow the DASH diet plan by eating the recommended number of servings from each food group. For a 2,000 calorie per day diet (your calorie requirements may be higher or lower), the recommended daily servings are as follows:

Grains: 6-8 servings, serving = 1 slice of bread, 1 oz. dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
Vegetables: 4-5 servings, serving = 1 cup raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, 1/2 cup vegetable juice
Fruits: 4-5 servings, serving = 1 medium fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1/2 cup fresh fruit, 1/2 cup fruit juice
Fat-free or low-fat milk products: 2-3 servings, serving = 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 oz. cheese
Lean meats, poultry, fish: 6 or fewer servings, serving = 1 oz cooked meat, poultry or fish, 1 egg
Nuts, seeds, legumes: 4-5 per week, serving = 1/3 cup, 1 1/2 oz. nuts, 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. or 1/2 oz. seeds, 1/2 cup cooked beans or peas
Fats and oils: 2-3 servings, serving = 1 tsp. soft margarine, 1 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. salad dressing
Sweets and added sugars: 5 or less per week, serving = 1 Tbsp. sugar, jelly or jam, 1/2 cup sorbet, 1 cup lemonade

DASH Diet Sodium Goals
Another important part of the DASH Diet plan is to reduce your intake of salt and sodium. DASH recommends two levels of sodium. The first step is to lower sodium to 2,300 mg or less of per day. A further goal is to lower sodium to 1,500 mg or less per day.

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