The DASH diet for high blood pressure gives adults over 45 a practical way to organise meals around
vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and other foods. It is a pattern you can adapt to your budget and cuisine. If you already take blood pressure medication, discuss your overall plan with your clinician and take medication as prescribed.
What the DASH-Sodium trial found
In the DASH-Sodium trial, 412 adults were assigned to DASH or a comparison diet. Participants ate at three sodium levels for 30 days each. In the group with hypertension, average systolic pressure was 11.5 mm Hg lower when comparing low-sodium DASH with the higher-sodium comparison diet. This was a controlled feeding study. Its average is useful evidence, but it cannot predict one person’s response to their home diet.
Build meals with foods you already cook
For breakfast, try oats with fruit and plain yogurt if suitable. At lunch, pair dal or beans with vegetables and brown rice or whole-grain roti. For dinner, try fish, tofu or beans alongside vegetables and a whole grain. The NHLBI DASH eating plan provides example serving patterns, including a 2,000-calorie illustration. Use it to understand the pattern and adapt portions to your own needs.
Change the sodium sources you encounter most
List the meals you eat repeatedly. Compare labels for breads, soups, sauces and prepared foods using the portions you actually eat. Use herbs, lemon or spices to add flavour. If you usually order lunch, start with one repeat order and ask for sauces or salty toppings separately. This gives you a change you can keep using through a busy week.
Make a plan to review progress
Ask your healthcare team about your target and how to record readings if home monitoring is part of your care. Bring a list of realistic food changes to your next review. If you have kidney disease or take medicines that affect potassium, ask before making large changes to potassium intake or using potassium-based salt substitutes. See our portable meal ideas for eating away from home.
If eating out is a regular part of your week, use our restaurant sodium guide to compare serving sizes and find a repeatable order.
Frequently asked questions
What does DASH stand for?
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Is DASH a fixed meal plan?
No. The food pattern can be adapted to your routine and cuisine.
Can I include dal and roti?
Yes. Pair them with vegetables and compare sodium in packaged accompaniments.
Can DASH be vegetarian?
Yes. Beans, lentils and other suitable plant foods can fit.
Should I change everything in one week?
Start with repeat meals and build from changes you can maintain.
Is the trial result guaranteed for me?
No. It was an average from a controlled study.
Can I stop blood pressure medication if I start DASH?
Take medicines as prescribed and discuss any changes with your clinician.
How do I compare sodium on labels?
Use the amount in the serving you actually eat.
Should I use potassium salt?
Check with your clinician if kidney disease or medication could affect potassium.
What if I eat out several days a week?
Start with a repeat order and ask for sauce or salty toppings separately.