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DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings
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A note about serving sizes
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The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can help you control your blood pressure.
The DASH diet is rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. It limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. The DASH diet also limits sodium to between 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams a day.
Here are recommended servings from each food group for two calorie levels of the DASH diet, followed by examples of a single serving size.
Food group | 1,600-calorie diet | 2,000-calorie diet |
---|---|---|
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | ||
Grains (mainly whole grains) | 6 a day | 6-8 a day |
Vegetables | 3-4 a day | 4-5 a day |
Fruits | 4 a day | 4-5 a day |
Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products | 2-3 a day | 2-3 a day |
Lean meats, poultry and fish | 3-4 one-ounce servings or fewer a day | 6 one-ounce servings or fewer a day |
Nuts, seeds and legumes | 3-4 a week | 4-5 a week |
Fats and oils | 2 a day | 2-3 a day |
Sweets and added sugars | 3 or fewer a week | 5 or fewer a week |