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Reducing Dietary Salt Lowers Blood Pressure In Most
People
A low salt diet called the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches To Stop
Hypertension) significantly lowers blood pressure in both people with
hypertension and normal blood pressure, according to a report published in
the New England Journal of Medicine January 4, 2001 issue.
Hypertension affects almost 50 million people in the United States and
places them at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. The risk for
cardiovascular disease, increases as the blood pressure levels elevate.
The DASH diet study, demonstrates that a diet high in fruits and
vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and includes whole-grain products,
poultry, fish, and nuts, and that contained only small amounts of red
meat, sweets, and sugar containing beverages, that contains decreased
amounts of total saturated fat and cholesterol, lowers blood pressure
significantly in people with hypertension and those without hypertension,
as compared to a typical diet in United States. The DASH diet is now
recommended in national guidelines, for blood pressure control.
A total of 412 participants were assigned to eat either a control diet
typical of intake in United States or follow the DASH diet. While on the
assigned diet, participants ate foods with high, intermediate, and low
levels of sodium for 30 consecutive days. "The effects of sodium were
observed in participants with and those without hypertension, blacks and
those of other races, and women and men," the investigators write.
Researchers found that reducing sodium intake from the high level (150
mmol/d) to the intermediate level (100 mmol/d) resulted in a decreased
average systolic blood pressure of 2.1 mm Hg of those on the control diet,
and an average of 1.3 mm Hg of those on the DASH diet. When salt was
decreased to the lowest level (target 50 mmol/d), there was additional
reduction in the systolic pressure of an average of 4.6 mm Hg among those
on the control diet and an average of 1.7 mm Hg on the DASH diet. The DASH
diet was associated with a significantly lower systolic blood pressure at
each sodium level; and the difference was greater with the high sodium
level than with low ones. Compared with the high sodium control diet, the
low sodium DASH diet resulted in an average lowering of systolic blood
pressure of 7.1 mm Hg among normal blood pressure participants and 11.5 mm
Hg among high blood pressure participants.
This trial produced several key findings that are important in the
prevention and treatment of hypertension. The reduction of sodium intake
significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure in stepwise
fashion, in both the control diet and the DASH diet. The level of sodium
had approximately twice as great an effect on blood pressure with the
control diet as it did with the DASH diet. As compared with the
high-sodium diet, the low-sodium DASH diet produced greater reductions in
systolic and diastolic blood pressure than either the DASH diet alone or a
reduction in sodium alone.
Researchers found that the reduction of dietary sodium (only)
significantly lowered the blood pressure in persons without hypertension
who were eating a typical diet in United States. These results should
settle the controversy over whether the reduction of sodium has a
worthwhile effect on blood pressure in persons without hypertension.
The DASH Eating Plan
The dash plan below is based on 2000 calories a day. The number of
servings per food group may vary from those listed, depending upon your
needs.
|
Food Group |
Daily Servings |
Serving Size |
|
Grains and grain products
|
7-8
|
1 slice bread
1cup ready-to eat cereal*
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal |
|
Vegetables |
4-5 |
1 cup raw leafy vegetable
1/2 cup cooked vegetable
6 oz. vegetable juice |
|
Fruits |
4-5 |
1 medium fruit
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
6 oz. fruit juice |
|
Low-fat or fat-free dairy products |
2-3 |
8 oz. milk
1 cup yogurt
1 ½ oz. cheese |
|
Lean meats, poultry, and fish |
2 or less |
3 oz. cooked lean meats, skinless poultry, or fish |
|
Nuts, seeds, and dried beans |
4-5 per week |
1/3 cup or 1 1/2 oz. nuts
1 tbsp. 4 1/2 oz. feeds seeds
1/2 cup coat dried beans cooked dry beans |
|
Fats and oils** |
2-3 |
1 tsp. salt margarine
1 tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp. light salad dressing
1 tsp. vegetable oil |
|
Sweets |
5 per week |
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. jelly or jam
1/2 oz. jelly beans
8 oz. lemonade |
*Serving size is very between ½ to 1 1/4 cups. Check the product’s
nutrition label.
**Fat content changes serving counts for fats and oils: for example, 1
tbsp. of regular salad dressing equals one serving; 1 tbsp. of low-fat
dressing equals 1/2 serving; 1 tbsp. of a fat-free dressing equals 0
servings.
Tips To Reduce Salt And Sodium
1. By fresh, plain frozen, or canned "with no salt added"
vegetables.
2. Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meats, rather than canned or
processed types.
3. Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and
at the table.
4. Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on
instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have
added salt.
5. Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut
back on frozen dinners, mixed dishes such as pizza, packaged mixes,
canned soups or broths, and salad dressings-these have a lot of sodium
in them.
6. Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some of the sodium.
7. When available, by low-sodium or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added
versions of foods.
8. Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are low in sodium.
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