Bella Adams
First the blood pressure is to lower, then the Kilos – that promises the DASH Diät thanks little salt, sugar and meat. How successful is this form of nutrition?
US scientists have made a great discovery: If you eat a diet that is friendly to blood pressure, you will also lose pounds quickly.
This life wisdom is captured in the DASH diet, which was voted the healthiest diet a few years ago, and not for nothing.
What is the DASH diet?
DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”, which can be translated as “Dietary Tips to Lower Blood Pressure”.
In Germany, according to the German Hypertension League, about 35 million people (as of 2015) suffer from hypertension: their levels are around 140/90 mmHg (millimeter mercuric acid) and higher, compared to a healthy blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg.
In the course of their work with hypertension patients, the scientists found that a dietary lifestyle also has a positive effect on weight.
Those who cut out foods that increase blood pressure become slim more quickly. Therefore the DASH Diät is not to be understood also as classical Diät, but as nourishing change.
DASH diet: What’s on the table?
The menu includes mainly fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, protein-rich foods such as eggs, beans or lentils and low-fat dairy products.
Meat is more of a side dish and is mainly on the table in the form of lean chicken. Foods with unsaturated fats such as avocados or nuts (not roasted, unsalted) should also not be missing.
When frying, reach for vegetable oils (olive, rapeseed, nut oils), which lower your blood pressure with omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats.
The recommended calorie intake is 2,000 kcal per day; if you want to lose weight specifically, you can reduce this to 1,500 kcal per day.
You should replace table salt with spices and avoid sweets, convenience foods, alcohol and also cigarettes as much as possible.
In the morning
You can start your day with a mix of lean yogurt, oatmeal and fruit (bananas, apples, etc.). You can spice it up with a few nuts.
Midday
For the second half of the day you need a fresh kick, so prepare a vegetable pan with brown rice.
For example, peppers, carrots and beans are suitable. A lean chicken breast is an excellent side dish. For dessert you can have fruit.
Evening
A big plate of salad rounds off your day. If that’s not enough for you, you can also make sandwiches – but please avoid the secret sources of fat in sausage and cheese and instead opt for low-fat cream cheese, cooked ham or poultry sausage.
Snacks
If you can’t make ends meet with three meals a day, you can treat yourself to vegetable crudités to fill in the gaps: Carrots, cucumbers, peppers taste wonderful with a delicious herb curd.
Tips for implementing the DASH diet
Like at the beginning of every big change, you will feel tired and listless for the first few days – this is because your body is missing the fats and energy sources it is used to.
Allow yourself plenty of sleep and rest during this phase, after which you will feel fresher and more energetic than ever before.
