Dash Diet Grocery List
By now, you must have heard about random diet plans that can help you lose weight or stay fit. But yes, there is a diet plan in place that can help you in keeping the ‘hypertension” issue at bay.
The diet is famously known as the DASH diet plan (Dietary approaches to stop hypertension) and as the name suggests, it’s mainly targeted towards controlling hypertension (high blood pressure) issues.
Although the diet specifically focuses on controlling the high blood pressure issue, it can also come good in your weight loss goals.
As most of the food items included are healthier, the quantity and quality matter a lot in the process.
What all eatables and beverages are allowed in a DASH diet?
The DASH diet mainly includes healthy foods which need to be consumed in the most balanced manner.
You can consume caffeine and alcohol during this phase, but that should be under certain limitations.
Also, your daily sodium intake must not cross 2300 mg/ day and try to keep it around 1500mg/day if you want to see the best results.
As Sodium is the biggest trigger for high blood pressure, you must be careful in the whole process.
If you are a non-vegetarian, you must consume at least six servings of lean meat daily.
A vegetarian must replace the same lean meat with some beans to feed the body all the daily protein requirements.
You may find this DASH diet a bit complicated at first, but the results are tremendous in the long durations.
With that said, let’s look at the list of items you must shop from the grocery store while on a DASH diet.
Here is the Essential Dash Diet Grocery List
Vegetables
Vegetables are unarguably the first and foremost source of nutrients, irrespective of your diet plan.
Besides feeding your body with all the essential Vitamins, Minerals, and Fiber, they act as a good source of energy in the whole process. Similarly, in the DASH diet, veggies have a big role to play.
So, going specifically for this diet, you must avoid veggies low in carbs and sugar. With that said, let’s look at the veggies that must make it into your grocery list.
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- carrots
- kale
- green beans
- arugula
- spinach
- beets
- Onions
- green onions
- shallots
- garlic
- lima beans
- squash
- sweet potatoes
- tomatoes
Fruits
After the veggies, it’s time to talk about the fruits consumed in a DASH diet.
Well, Fruits are one of those food items which are highly loved and cherished by everyone as a part of their breakfast, lunch, or even as a snack.
They offer the right fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients to your body, facilitating its overall growth and development.
So, regarding the DASH diet, you must follow the following list of fruits to be added to your dash diet grocery list.
- apples
- bananas
- apricots
- grapes
- dates
- grapefruit
- oranges
- mangoes
- peaches
- melons
- pineapples
- nectarines
- raisins
- tangerines
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- blackberries
Dairy items
When it’s about Dairy, you are talking about the complete foods like Milk, Yogurt, cheese, and butter, which help your body with all the required calcium and iron.
All of this help significantly in the strengthening of bones and muscles and this is why dairy items are always recommended in almost every diet.
Still, you must be a little cautious while following the DASH diet. You are only allowed to consume low-fat dairy of every sort.
It has been observed that higher fat triggers higher cholesterol in the body which then spikes your blood pressure. Considering this, look at the below dairy items to opt for while going to a grocery store.
- Low-fat Milk
- Low-fat cheese
- Low fat cream
- Low-fat yogurt
(it must be noted that a recent observation and research by a group of doctors has suggested that these fat-free dairy items will be replaced by Fully fat-dairy items in the future.
This is backed by the reason that full-fat dairy products ensure a low risk of metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome, conversely, is highly associated with hypertension and type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Taking this into account, we can surely see an amendment in the coming future by the health experts)
Nuts, seeds, and legumes
These will work as the main source of Proteins in the DASH diet (if you are a vegetarian).
Nuts and seeds will be the perfect source of healthy fats, proteins and magnesium in the whole dietary regimen.
Conversely, Legumes will act as the right source of healthy carbs and proteins. To get it clearer in the whole perspective, have a look at the below list.
- Almonds
- Black beans
- Lentils
- Peanuts
- Kidney beans
- Split peas
- Walnuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Lentils
Lean protein
As we just said, you must consume lean protein in six servings daily, ensuring quality in the whole process.
For non-vegetarian people, these will be the main source of dietary proteins supporting muscle growth and development. Refer to the below list for any further clarity.
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Fish
Fats and oils
Talking about the oils that can be used in the DASH diet, you must use only low-fat healthy oils.
These may include options like Olive oil, sunflower oil and so on. Whatever option you choose at the grocery store, always try to find the best quality healthy oil to get the best results.
Look at the options below for oils to be on your DASH diet grocery list.
- Olive oil
- Low-fat mayonnaise
- Sunflower oil
- Canola oil.
See Also
What to Eat on a Vegetarian Diet
Damla Sengul, a seasoned Food Editor at Dietsmealplan.com, boasts a 5-year worth of expertise as a digital editor, with a specific focus on authentic recipe content. Her expertise extends to various crucial aspects of the cookery world, including in-depth research on renowned chefs worldwide and innovative recipe development. Additionally, Damla is an enthusiastic baker who dedicates part of her time crafting delightful celebration cakes for her friends.