DASH diet or the “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” is a successfully studied diet pattern by the medical fraternity to control blood pressure.

 In 1992, National Institute of Health in the USA started funding research projects to see if specific dietary interventions showed improvements in blood pressure. Based on these projects, the DASH diet was devised, which has shown a decrease in BP by about 10 to 15 mm Hg.

DASH diet is a perfect blend of ancient dietary patterns and modern-day foods. It emphasizes on intake of fresh vegetables and fruits. Some of the key foods studied are as follows-

Carbohydrates- Healthy carbohydrates in DASH include green leafy vegetables like spinach, collards, mustards and Whole grains like cracked wheat and millets.

Fats- Fats rich in omega 3 fatty acids like olive oil, avocados and flax seeds

Proteins- Lean meats and low-fat dairy products

It also advocates low salt intake and inclusion of foods rich in potassium and calcium.

Though the initial idea was to create a diet template specific for high blood pressure, DASH diet also works for people with diabetes, high cholesterol level and heart diseases.

Here is a link to the article I published in the medical journal PubMed on DASH diet-

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482514/#article-38838.s1