In the list of the best diets in the world, there is the DASH diet that has been the best for several years. Doctors say it is the most effective diet that can strengthen health.
According to physicians at the National Institutes of Health, the DASH diet scores 3.3 out of 5 in the “Weight Loss Effectiveness” category and 4.5 out of 5 points in the “Health Usefulness” category.
We discovered the characteristics of this diet and why it is considered one of the best.
What is the DASH Diet?
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a diet specially developed to reduce blood pressure when a person experiences hypertension.
Scientists later understood that this diet solves many other important problems: lowering cholesterol levels, preventing strokes and heart failure, and normalizing weight. Also, this diet is the best diet to prevent diabetes.
What Is The Concept Of The Dash Diet?
All the necessary components (calcium, proteins, vegetable fibers) responsible for the functioning of the brain and internal organs, as well as the health of the hair and skin, are balanced in this diet.
It’s also convenient because you don’t need to calculate and control each component: you only need to eat certain recommended products (fruits, vegetables, grains, foods that contain protein, and dairy products) and reduce the amount of salt in your dishes.
The main feature of the DASH diet compared to other diets is that it was developed for people who need to take care of their diet throughout their lives.
That is why you do not have to endure hunger: you can buy varied and tasty dishes. You just need to keep in mind several basic rules.
DASH Diet Basic Rules:
It’s not about the quantity of the food as it is about the quality. Here are some main principles to follow:
- Drink 2 liters of liquid a day.
- Eat 5 times a day. The serving weight should not exceed 215 g (8.80 oz).
- Daily caloric intake: around 2,000-2,500 kcal.
- Sweets: no more than 5 times a week.
- Try to eat more cereals, seeds, beans, lean meat, and vegetables.
- You should avoid drinking soda or alcohol.
- You can eat a maximum of 8 snacks a day (in addition to basic meals). But eat only if you are very hungry.
- Alcohol and tobacco are prohibited.
- Reduce salt and consume up to 2-3 teaspoons per day.
- Your diet should include whole-wheat bread.
- Exclude smoked or fatty foods, pickles, cakes, canned fish, and meat.
What You Can Eat:
According to the DASH diet, to form a proper diet, you must consider your goals: whether you want to lose weight or become healthier.
If you want to lose weight, your menu should contain fewer calories. In other words, you need to reduce your portions.
Your daily diet may contain the following products:
- Cereals: not less than 7 servings per day (one serving = one slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of oatmeal).
- Fruits: no more than 5 servings per day (one serving = 1 fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1/2 cup juice).
- Vegetables: 5 servings per day (one serving = 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables).
- Nonfat dairy products: 2-3 servings per day (one serving = 50 g of cheese or 0.15 liters of milk).
- Seeds, beans, nuts: 5 servings per week (one serving = 40 g)
- Animal and vegetable fats: 3 servings per day (one serving = 1 teaspoon of olive oil or flaxseed oil).
- Sweet dishes: no more than 5 times a week (a teaspoon of honey or jam).
- Fluids: 2 liters (67 fl oz) per day (water, green tea, juice).
- Protein: 0.2 kg of lean meat or fish, eggs.
What to Avoid:
Obviously, we have to avoid all typical “unhealthy” products.
You can eliminate harmful products step by step and eventually the desire to eat forbidden foods will disappear.
How To Plan Your Diet:
You can create your own menu taking into account the rules of the diet and the products you can eat.
You don’t have to do anything special to create your diet: just include the necessary products and gradually exclude the “bad” ones.
If your goal is to lose weight, reduce the number of recommended servings.
You can also find various tasty dishes suitable for the DASH diet on the Internet.
Conclusion
The DASH diet is an easy, safe, and useful diet that can help you feel better and get rid of excess weight.
This diet provides the necessary amount of microelements and vitamins to your body and there are no deadlines for you to follow this diet.
You can lose weight without problems and without feeling hungry or sudden fluctuations in weight. And that means that your body will not be stressed.
And have you tried this diet? Did that help you? Share your experience with us.
