What exactly should I eat to adhere to the DASH diet?

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    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the DASH diet recommends eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils; limiting foods that are high in saturated fat (e.g., fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils like coconut, palm kernel and palm oils); and limiting sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages. A 2,000 kcal daily diet would include 6-8 servings of grains, 6 or less servings of meat, poultry or fish, 4-5 servings of vegetables, 4-5 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of low fat or fat-free dairy products, 2-3 servings of fats and oils, and either 2,300 milligrams of sodium or 1,500 milligrams of sodium, which is roughly half[1] of what the typical American consumes. In addition, the diet would include 4-5 weekly servings of nuts, beans, seeds, or peas and 5 or less servings of sweets.