The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. There is still confusion whether or not salt or sodium causes hypertension or high blood pressure. Most doctors are still convinced that too much sodium in our diets does cause high blood pressure. It is not so much the salt you add to your foods, it is the fast foods and processed foods that are high in sodium. A new study found you can add some meat to the DASH diet and still lower your hypertension and high blood pressure.
The DASH diet has recently been compared to a diet that includes lean beef to study the differences in cholesterol results and lowering high blood pressure.
Hypertension and the DASH Diet
DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Hypertension is high blood pressure. One of the main reasons the DASH diet helps lower hypertension is lower salt or sodium and saturated fats.
Recent studies and media reports have been confusing, one report says sodium doesn’t cause high blood pressure and numerous other reports continue to say a high intake of salt or sodium does cause hypertension. The government has mandated that restaurants and food producers lower the amount of sodium in their food.
The main consensus is that higher than acceptable levels of sodium or salt intake does cause hypertension. Most people think that adding salt to their food is the main reason for this added sodium in their diet.
But it is actually processed foods and fast foods that increase our daily dietary salt or sodium consumption.
For example, a can of soup can contain more than an entire day’s worth of sodium. The highest acceptable level of sodium per day is 2,300 mg per day. To lower your blood pressure, you should limit your sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day.
Most Americans consume 3,000 mg of sodium per day. An acceptable blood pressure level is 120/80 at most and that is what you should aim for, 110/70 is even better. It is helpful to be able to check your blood pressure at home and monitor your progress. One of the best blood pressure meters for home use is the Omron Series 10.
The DASH diet is ranked number one by the US World News and Report’s Best Diets of 2012 in the categories of the best diet for healthy eating and the best diet for diabetics. The Ornish diet also ranked first for the most heart-healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet also ranked high.
For example, a can of soup can contain more than an entire day’s worth of sodium. The highest acceptable level of sodium per day is 2,300 mg per day. To lower your blood pressure, you should limit your sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day.
Most Americans consume 3,000 mg of sodium per day. An acceptable blood pressure level is 120/80 at most and that is what you should aim for, 110/70 is even better. It is helpful to be able to check your blood pressure at home and monitor your progress. One of the best blood pressure meters for home use is the Omron Series 10.
How Diets Ranked
The DASH diet is ranked number one by the US World News and Report’s Best Diets of 2012 in the categories of the best diet for healthy eating and the best diet for diabetics. The Ornish diet also ranked first for the most heart-healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet also ranked high.
Foods of the DASH Diet
The DASH diet is low in saturated fats, overall fat consumption, and low in cholesterol, which means either no meat or lean meat since cholesterol is only found in animal foods. The DASH diet emphasizes a lot of vegetables, fruits, fat-free or low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, nuts, and poultry.
The DASH diet promotes foods that are high in magnesium, potassium, calcium, fiber, and protein from either plant foods or lean meat such as fish.
One study had 459 participants with 27% of those participating having high blood pressure eat three different diets. The diets studied were the normal American diet, the normal American diet with added vegetables and fruits and the DASH diet. DASH Diet Studies
None of these diets were vegetarian and all had about 3,000 mg of sodium. The results were dramatic with the DASH diet showing a reduction in blood pressure within two weeks, and most noticeable in those with the higher blood pressure readings.
Another study had 412 participants eat one of two different meal plans which were followed by a month at three different sodium levels of 3,300 mg sodium, 2,300 mg of sodium and 1,500 mg of sodium.
Once again the results were dramatic with the lowest sodium levels reducing high blood pressure [1].
Those who followed the DASH diet plan also lost weight which helps with lowering high blood pressure. Another important health concern is cholesterol and eating the DASH diet can also help with high cholesterol. Cholesterol is usually talked about concerning LDL (the bad cholesterol) and HDL (the good cholesterol).
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical of Nutrition wanted to find out how adding lean meat to the DASH diet would affect hypertension and cholesterol levels, especially the LDL levels of cholesterol [2].
They compared the DASH diet with other diets known as the Beef in an Optimal Lean Beef Diet (BOLD), the BOLD+ diet which has more beef and the Healthy American Diet (HAD).
Those who followed the DASH diet plan also lost weight which helps with lowering high blood pressure. Another important health concern is cholesterol and eating the DASH diet can also help with high cholesterol. Cholesterol is usually talked about concerning LDL (the bad cholesterol) and HDL (the good cholesterol).
DASH Diet compared with Other Diets
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical of Nutrition wanted to find out how adding lean meat to the DASH diet would affect hypertension and cholesterol levels, especially the LDL levels of cholesterol [2].
They compared the DASH diet with other diets known as the Beef in an Optimal Lean Beef Diet (BOLD), the BOLD+ diet which has more beef and the Healthy American Diet (HAD).
The study used 36 participants with high cholesterol and had them eat these different diets for five weeks. All of these diets were close to 2100 calories per day and between 45% and 55% carbohydrates. The diets contained the following:
The HAD diet was the control diet and contained more refined grains and had twice the amount of saturated fat than the other diets. The HAD diet contained 33% total fat, 12% saturated fat, 17% protein and 20g (0.7 ounces) of beef per day.
The final results of this study found that the healthy American diet (HAD) had the least amount of cholesterol reduction compared to the other diets. Here are the results:
- DASH diet had 27% total fat, 6% saturated fat, 18% protein and 28 grams (1 ounce) of beef per day.
- BOLD diet had 28% total fat, 6% saturated fat, 19% protein and 119g (4.2 ounces) of beef per day.
- BOLD + diet participants consumed 28% total fat, 6% saturated fat, 27% protein and 153g (5.4 ounces) of beef per day.
The HAD diet was the control diet and contained more refined grains and had twice the amount of saturated fat than the other diets. The HAD diet contained 33% total fat, 12% saturated fat, 17% protein and 20g (0.7 ounces) of beef per day.
The Results of the Study
The final results of this study found that the healthy American diet (HAD) had the least amount of cholesterol reduction compared to the other diets. Here are the results:
- The DASH diet reduced overall cholesterol by 4% and reduced the LDL (bad cholesterol) by 6%.
- The BOLD diet reduced overall cholesterol by 4% and reduced the LDL cholesterol by 5%.
- The BOLD+ diet reduced the overall cholesterol by 5% and decreased the bad LDL cholesterol by 4.5%.
The Healthy American Diet with the highest amount of saturated fat slightly raised cholesterol.
DASH Diet Conclusion
The bottom line for this study is that you can have a small amount of healthy lean beef or meat and still lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. Lean beef is considered to be about 93%. Grass-fed beef and buffalo are very lean.
The Healthy American Diet had twice the amount of saturated fat as the other diets and it does appear that saturated fat in our diets is the main reason for high cholesterol and too much sodium contributes to high blood pressure.
This study once again states what has been proven time and again, eat your vegetables and eat small portions of lean meat and lower your consumption of salt (sodium) and saturated fat. You can add lean beef to a pot of chili and stew with a lot of vegetables for a healthy meal.
Today, the DASH diet is still recommended for those that need to lower high blood pressure and lower their cholesterol numbers. Another reason the DASH diet works for the most people is because it is not overly difficult to stick with.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Copyright © 2012-2019 Sam Montana
Resources:
[2] The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - Roussell MA, Hill AM, Gaugler TL, West SG, Heuvel JP, Alaupovic P, Gillies PJ, Kris-Etherton PM. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Jan;95(1):9-16. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.016261. Epub 2011 Dec 14. PMID: 22170364; PMCID: PMC3238465.
