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DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings

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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.

Recommended number of servings
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

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