7-Day DASH Diet Meal Plan

Dash to a healthier you! Voted by health experts as the best overall diet three years in a row, the
DASH Diet – originally developed to fight high blood pressure – is a safe and easy-to-follow
eating plan that fights diseases and can even help you lose weight. Incorporate this two-phase
plan from Marla Heller's The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution with bonus sample day menus
for both phases. Find out if the DASH Diet is right for you. For more meal ideas, try these
recipes!

Posted on 2/18/2013 | Comments (219)

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The overall goal of the DASH Diet – short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – is to
lower your consumption of sodium, which aids in lowering your blood pressure. Since the diet
focuses on eating the right foods with the right portions, it's also effective for short- and long-
term weight loss. Find out more about the DASH Diet and if it's right for you.
Dietician Marla Heller's version of the DASH Diet, from her book The DASH Diet Weight Loss
Solution, is divided into two phases:

Phase 1: Two Weeks to Shrink Your Waistline

During the 14 days of phase 1, you will learn how to satisfy your hunger and, as a result, feel
fuller longer. To regulate your blood sugar and help curb your cravings, avoid fruit and whole
grains, which have a lot of natural sugar, and alcohol, which also contain sugars. That said, you
can enjoy 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy per day. This would include 1 cup of skim milk or low-
fat yogurt. Avoid regular or even fat-free cheese because they are often high in sodium.

By avoiding starchy foods with sugar, you’re helping to regulate your blood sugar and diminish
cravings. Try leafy greens like lettuce and spinach or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or
cabbage. You can also eat cucumbers, squash, peppers and tomatoes.

You can also enjoy up to 6 ounces of lean meats, fish and poultry a day. Aim for 4 to 5 servings
of beans or lentils a week.

Opt for protein-rich foods that have healthy fats, like fresh nuts and seeds, or fatty fish like
salmon or mackerel. Avocados are loaded with monounsaturated fats as well as antioxidants
lutein, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Toss them in a salad along with vegetable oils, especially
olive, canola and nut oils, which you can use as salad dressing.

Phase 2: Kick It Up a Notch!

After the first 14 days, you will continue to eat the foods from Phase 1 but re-introduce some
other healthy foods that will help you continue your weight loss. How long does Phase 2 last?
It’s your life plan, so it should last forever so you can keep your blood pressure low and keep
weight off.

Whole Grains: Choose from cereals, breads and pasta. Aim for 6 to 8 servings a day.

Fruit: Make fruit (fresh or frozen) a part of your diet every day. Aim for 4 to 5 servings a day.

Low-Fat Milk or Yogurt: Stick to 2 to 3 servings a day as in Phase 1. 

Sugar: You can have 3 to 4 servings of sugary foods each week.

Alcohol: You can have a small glass of red wine occasionally, which represents one fruit
serving.
The next page has a week’s worth of meals! Phase 1 has 3 sample days, and Phase 2 has 4
sample days.

Phase 1: Two Weeks to Shrink Your Waistline

Day 1

Breakfast

 Hard-boiled egg. (Hint: Make several hard-boiled eggs, and peel. Store in a zipper bag in
the refrigerator. Then you will have them when you need them for super-quick
breakfasts. You can also find prepackaged, peeled hard-boiled eggs in some stores).
 1 or 2 slices Canadian bacon
 6 ounces tomato juice, low-sodium

Midmorning Snack 

 1 stick light cheese

 Baby carrots

Lunch

 Acapulco Tuna Salad

 Cherry tomatoes
 Small side salad: dressed with Italian or oil and vinegar dressing
 Strawberry Jell-O cup, sugar-free

Midafternoon Snack

 4 ounces lemon light yogurt, fat-free, artificially sweetened

 18 cashews (1 ounce by weight, 1/4 cup by volume, or small handful)

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 Pepper strips. (Hint: To make the strips quickly, cut off the tops and bottoms of some red,
yellow, or orange bell peppers. Remove seeds and cut in half. Flatten each half and take a
very sharp knife and cut along the surface, removing the membranes. Then cut into
1-inch strips. These are great to dip into guacamole, as a chip substitute).
 2 ounces guacamole, which is about 1/4 cup

Dinner

 Crispy Grilled Chicken

  1 cup (or more) mixed carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower blend: steamed or microwaved
 Salad: Romaine blend with Italian dressing
 Raspberry Jell-O cup, sugar-free

Day 2

Breakfast

 Mini-Egg Beaters Southwestern Style omelet. Spray microwave-safe dish or cup with
cooking spray. Add 1/4-1/2 cup Egg Beaters Southwestern Style. Microwave on high for
1 minute. Stir, and cook an additional 15 seconds.
 4-6 ounces tomato juice, low-sodium

Midmorning Snack

 1 light cheese wedge

 6 grape tomatoes

Lunch

 2-3 Turkey-Swiss roll-ups. Cheese on the outside, as the wrap. Deli turkey slices for the
meat. Add whatever condiments you like, such as mustard. You could also add lettuce as
the outermost layer of the wrap.
 1/2-1 cup coleslaw
 Raw snow peas or sugar snap pea pods (as much as you like)
 Orange Jell-O cup, sugar-free

Midafternoon Snack

 1 stick light cheese

 Baby carrots

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 10 peanuts in the shell (20 individual peanuts) (Hint: Shelling nuts slows you down, so
you are less likely to overeat them.)

Dinner

 Roasted sliced turkey

 Sautéed carrots and onions. Sauté 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, in 1 tablespoon olive oil
or canola oil. Add about 8 ounces sliced carrots, and continue to sauté until the carrots are
 soft. Add 1 thin pat of butter at the end. (Hints: Top the turkey with the sautéed carrots
for extra flavor. If you like very soft carrots, microwave first before sautéing.)
 Side salad topped with Italian dressing
 Lime Jell-O cup, sugar-free

Day 3

Breakfast

 Scrambled eggs
 1-2 slices Canadian bacon
 4-6 ounces diet cranberry juice

Midmorning Snack

 4 ounces raspberry light yogurt, nonfat, artificially sweetened

 23 almonds (1 ounce by weight, 1/4 cup by volume)

Lunch

 Cold fried chicken breast (don’t eat the skin or coating) [Hint: The chicken doesn’t have
to be cold. This could be a fast-food lunch but only if you can choose whole chicken
parts. (Definitely do not choose chicken tenders, patties, crispy chicken, or nuggets. They
have too much breading for the amount of meat.) Most fried chicken places have
coleslaw as a side. When you get back to your office, you can have the carrots and
Jell-O.]
 Coleslaw
 Baby carrots
 Lemon Jell-O cup, sugar-free

Midafternoon Snack

 1-2 light cheese wedges

 6 grape tomatoes

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 Pepper strips
 Guacamole

Dinner 

 Super-Savory Sliders
  1 cup broccoli
 Side salad with balsamic dressing
 1-2 strawberry Jell-O cups, sugar-free

Phase 2: Kick It Up a Notch!

Day 1

Breakfast

 3/4 cup Wheaties (1 ounce by weight)

 8 ounces skim milk
 4-6 ounces strawberries or raspberries

Midmorning Snack (Optional)

 1-2 light cheese wedges

 Grape tomatoes

Lunch 

 2-3 turkey and Swiss roll-ups

 Baby carrots
 Small plum

Midafternoon Snack

 6 ounces blueberry light yogurt

 10 cashews 

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 10 peanuts in the shell (20 individual peanuts)

Dinner

 Pan-seared tilapia. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook
about 4 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Before finishing, place
about 1 pat of butter or margarine in the pan, and allow the melted butter to coat all the
pieces. (To serve four, choose four 4-ounce tilapia filets.)
 Mango-Melon Salsa
 Fresh asparagus
 Strawberry Jello-O cup, sugar-free
Day 2

Breakfast

 Hot chocolate. To 8 ounces skim milk, add 1 heaping teaspoon unsweetened cocoa and 2
packets Splenda or Truvia.
 1-2 hard-boiled eggs
 6-8 ounces light cranberry juice. Hint: Light cranberry juice has more calories than the
diet version, but you may prefer it.
 4-6 ounces strawberries

Midmorning Snack (Optional)

 6 ounces key lime light yogurt, nonfat, artificially sweetened

 10 ounces almonds

Lunch

 Turkey and Swiss sandwich. Put 2-4 ounces turkey and a slice of reduced-fat Swiss
cheese on two pieces light whole wheat bread; add lettuce, tomato, and any other veggies
or condiments that you choose.
 Pepper strips
 Coleslaw or side salad
 Raspberry Jell-O cup, artificially sweetened

Midafternoon Snack

 1 clementine orange
 1-2 light cheese wedges

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 Pepper strips
 1/4-1/2 cup hummus

Dinner

 Meaty Sauce Over Spaghetti Squash

 Side salad, with Italian, oil and vinegar, or vinaigrette dressing
 Fudge bar

Day 3
 

Breakfast

 1/2 cup oatmeal, cooked: topped with cinnamon, Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, or Truvia,
and 1 tablespoon chopped almonds (optional)
 1/2 banana, medium or large
 4-6 ounces tomato juice, low-sodium
 Latte: 8 ounces skim milk, 2 ounces espresso

Midmorning Snack (Optional)

 1 stick light cheese

 Baby carrots

Lunch

 Acapulco Tuna Salad in 1/2 whole wheat pita pocket. (Hint: Feel free to add other
veggies, such as lettuce, tomatoes, red cabbage, and grated carrots).
 Sliced bell peppers
 Orange Jello-O cup, artificially sweetened

Midafternoon Snack

 4-6 ounces strawberries

 10 cashews

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 10 peanuts in the shell (20 individual peanuts)

Dinner

 Naked Chicken Piccata

 Green beans
 Sliced tomatoes
 Side salad, with Italian dressing
 4-6 ounces raspberries on 1/2-1 cup frozen yogurt, nonfat, artificially sweetened

Day 4

Breakfast
  1-3 scrambled eggs
 1 slice whole-wheat toast (light, if desired)
 1 tablespoon jelly or jam
 4-6 ounces orange juice
 Latte or 8 ounces skim milk

Midmorning Snack (Optional)

 4-6 ounces blueberries

 10 almonds

Lunch

 2-3 Muenster cheese and roast beef roll-ups. (Hint: Accessorize per your taste. You could
add lettuce for the wrap and stuff with grated carrots or red cabbage in the center.)
 Italian coleslaw (Hint: This is regular coleslaw with thin pepper strips, grated carrots, and
an oil and vinegar dressing.)
 Small peach

Midafternoon Snack

 6 ounces strawberry light yogurt, nonfat, artificially sweetened

Before-Dinner Snack (Optional)

 Baby carrots dipped in 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Dinner

 Zucchini Lasagna
 Side salad: Lettuce, grape tomatoes, red cabbage and blue cheese crumbles or small slice
of goat cheese, with oil and vinegar or vinaigrette dressing.
 Fudge bar or other low-calorie, low-sugar, low-fat ice cream bar

Dash, o dieta complexa

Postat de culinar

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Tipăreşte articol

Dieta Dash a fost initial conceputa pentru persoanele hipertensive, dar si pentru
bolnavii de diabet si osteoporoza. Apoi nutritionistii au recomandat-o ca pe un
regim sanatos de viata ce poate fi urmat cu incredere de oricine isi doreste sa
manance bine, sa slabeasca si sa duca o viata mai buna.

 Dash este o dieta extrem de complexa, bine pusa la punct si cu o lista

variata de alimente ce pot fi consumate.

La fel ca aproape in orice dieta sunt interzise: sarea, zaharul, grasimile,

dulciurile si carnea rosie.

Se poate bea apa din belsug sau suc proaspat de fructe si legume. Sarea va
fi inlocuita cu mirodenii, iar dimineata pe stomacul gol se recomanda sa iei
o lingurita de miere de albine cu scortisoara.

Nutritionistii au propus si o lista cu variante de meniuri pentru cei care

doresc sa urmeze aceasta dieta. Iata care sunt acestea:

La micul dejun:

- lapte de soia cu cereale integrale si felii de banana;

- coktail de iaurt probiotic, fulgi de ovaz si afine

- doua felii de paine graham cu branza de vaci, stafide sau felii de banana

- omleta din doua oua cu ciuperci si rosii

- fresh de portocale cu lamaie si un sandwich cu branza dietetica;

La pranz:

- supa crema de mazare cu crutoane;

- sote de legume;

- peste fiert cu orez salbatic;

- salata de cruditati;

- salata greceasca

- supa crema de ciuperci sau de rosii cu oregano si busuioc;

- orez sarbesc cu ciuperci si ardei gras

- salata orientala

- conopida pane

- chiftelute de spanac si pilaf

- varza cu orez la cuptor

- dovlecei in sos de rosii la cuptor

- mancare de bame;

 
 

La cina:

- salata de ton cu porumb, lamaie si ceapa rosie;

- legume la gratar;

- salata de fasole verde cu usturoi

- toast cu tofu, avocado, rosii si busuioc

- paste integrale cu sos de rosii si usturoi;

La desert:

- frigarui de fructe, alune, nuci, fistic, caju, seminte, stafide, mere la cuptor
cu iaurt, salata de fructe, orez cu lapte de soia.