Improve Your Health with the DASH Diet

Every year, U.S. News & World Report and its expert panel of nutritionists and physicians evaluates and ranks the best diets for healthy eating. The DASH diet has consistently ranked among the top Best Diets Overall. This eating plan is also recommended for healthy eating, diabetes control, and heart disease prevention.

Which diets are the best for older adults?

So, what is DASH? Developed by the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry and beans, and low in sodium, sweets and red meats.

How to Dine on DASH

The DASH eating plan doesn't require any special foods to meet the daily and weekly nutritional goals. The plan recommends following these guidelines:

• Eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains
• Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as fish, poultry, beans and nuts
• Limiting foods high in saturated fats, like fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils
• Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets

Make sure to choose foods low in sodium and also saturated and trans fats. Instead, plan meals rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and protein. 

Other top-rated diets in the annual magazine ranking include:

• Best Weight Loss Diet – Weight Watchers and Mediterranean
• Best Fast Weight Loss Diet – Keto
• Easiest Diet to Follow – Mediterranean
• Best Plant-Based Diet – Flexitarian 

Tips to Get Started with DASH

Here are tips to get started and gradually change your diet.

• To reduce salt intake, don’t put the salt shaker on the table.
• Instead, experiment with herbs, spices, lemon, lime and salt-free seasoning blends for flavor. Give yourself time to adjust: It can take several weeks for your taste buds to get used to less salty foods.
• Read food labels on processed foods, bakery goods and cereals. Look for foods that contain 5 percent or less of the Daily Value of sodium.
• Increase your servings of fat-free and low-fat milk products (milk, yogurt, cheese) to three a day.
• Cut back portions of meat and replace them with two or more meatless meals a week.
• For snacks and desserts, eat fruit (fresh, frozen or low-sodium canned), raw vegetables and foods low in fats and calories, such as unsalted nuts, raisins, graham crackers and popcorn (salt- and butter-free).

Since DASH has more fruits, vegetables, whole grain and other high-fiber foods than you may be used to eating, gradually increase the servings to reduce bloating and diarrhea.

If you have trouble digesting milk products, try taking lactase-enzyme pills (available at drug stores and groceries) with milk products. Or buy lactose-free milk.

If you take medicines to control your high blood pressure, keep taking them. Make sure you consult with your primary care provider about starting the DASH plan.

Easy and Tasty DASH Recipes to the Rescue

The Mayo Clinic has an online list of dozens of DASH recipes for all your dietary needs, from appetizers, beverages and desserts to salads, sandwiches, sauces and soups. The eclectic sampling includes peanut butter hummus, blueberry lavender lemonade, rhubarb pecan muffins, and grilled chicken salad with olives and oranges.

The DASH diet is a healthy way of eating and can help lower blood pressure and prevent osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Additionally, you may lose unwanted pounds because DASH can help guide you toward healthier food choices.

Your health is important to us at Kendal at Oberlin. Not only do we provide information about and encourage our residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, we provide dietitian-approved meals in the Fox & Fell or Langston Express dining rooms. At Kendal at Oberlin, we promote active living through lifelong learning opportunities, healthy eating and regular physical activity. To learn more about how we support our residents’ active lifestyles, contact us.

This blog was originally published in 2017 and was updated in 2024.

In the past, Molly Kavanaugh frequently wrote about Kendal at Oberlin for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she was a reporter for 16 years. Now we are happy to have her writing for the Kendal at Oberlin Community.

About Kendal at Oberlin: Kendal is a nonprofit life plan community serving older adults in northeast Ohio. Located about one mile from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and about a 40 minute drive from downtown Cleveland, Kendal offers a vibrant resident-led lifestyle with access to music, art and lifelong learning.