Aug 31, 2009

More on the DASH Diet

Of all the diets I've looked at/considered (and there are many many many over the years), I'm having the hardest time getting my mind around the do's and don'ts of this DASH diet. Lots of "examples" but not much of an actual list of "you can eat this much of this but none of that" type list. So far, this is what I've come up with for the 1600 calorie version of this diet. Vegetables - Artichokes, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, jicama, mushrooms, leafy greens (collars, kale, swiss chard, turnip greens), leeks, lettuce or salad greens, onions, peas (green, snap or snow), potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, root vegetables (parsnips, rutabaga, turnips), spinach, squash (zucchini, yellow, crookneck, pattypan, acorn, butternut, pumpkin, spaghetti), tomatoes. 1 1/2 to 2 cups per day Fat Free or Lowfat Milk and Dairy - Buttermilk, hard and soft cheese, cottage cheese, milk, flavored milk, margarine (trans fat free), mozzarella, sour cream, yogurt. 2 - 3 cups per day. Whole Grains/Cereal - Whole wheat whole grain bagels, bread, english muffins, pita, pizza crust tortillas (corn or whole wheat) Bran Cereal, whole grain cereal (hot or cold), lowfat granola, muesli, old fashioned or steel cut oats. Barley, brown rice, bulgur, couscous, kasha, pasta, quinoa, millet, amaranth, spelt, triticale, kamut, wild rice. 6 oz. daily Fruits - Apples, apricots, bananas, berries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, citrus (grapefruit, oranges, tangerines), dates, figs, grapes, kiwi, lemons and limes, mango, melons, nectarines, peaches, papaya, pears, pineapple, plums, prunes, raisins. 2 cups daily. Frozen Foods - Skinless chicken breasts, fish fillets (plain), french toast (whole grain), fruit (no added sugar), 100% fruit juice, 100% fruit juice bars, pancakes (whole grain), vegetables, veggie burgers, waffles (whole grain). Servings according to appropriate group lists above. Canned Foods - Applesauce (unsweetened), beans and lentils (canned or dry - black, garbanzo, kidney, pinto, refried, split peas, white), broth (reduced-sodium), salmon or tuna (canned in water), soup (reduced sodium), tomatoes (reduced sodium), tomato paste, tomato sauce (reduced sodium). Servings according to appropriate group lists above. Condiments, Sauces, Spreads - Bean dip, chili or hot sauce, fruit-only spreads, hummus, marinara sauce (low sodium), mayonnaise (low fat), mustard, oil (canola, olive, sesame), pesto, fresh salsa, salad dressing (reduced sodium), soy sauce (reduced sodium), sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar (balsamic, cider, redwine, rice wine, etc.) Not sure how you count these -- I assume you count the sodium content. Nuts and Seeds - Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, nut butter (peanut butter), peanuts, pecans, seeds (pumpkin or sunflower), soy nuts, walnuts. 3 - 4 ounces per week.

3 comments:

Barb said...

HI there, if you have not been here,
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf,
its a pdf document that is very, very self explanatory. I dont worry about what veggies and fruits I eat per se, I just make sure to eat a wide variety. I also use this website to check my total intake of sodium and fat. It allows you to enter everything you ate and then gives you the totals. Truthfully, you may have to go on meds for awhile, but if you continue on the diet you can always try going off them later and seeing how you have progressed

Karen said...

This kind of diet seems like an awful lot of work. How about a "common sense" diet? Just eat healthier, smaller portions and add a little extra exercise every day.

JBirch22 said...

Believe me, you'll do a lot better if you cut out the dairy category altogether! Dairy's not the best thing for you as it is and none of those seem like very slimming options. Buttermilk? Sour cream? and 2-3 CUPS a day? So not necessary. You'll get all the calcium and everything else you need in all the other foods on this list!