The DASH Diet - Following the DASH Diet

The DASH eating plan shown below is based on 2,000 calories a day. The number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed depending on your caloric needs. Use this chart to help you plan your menus or take it with you when you go to the store

Food Group	Daily Servings (Except as Noted)	Serving Sizes	Examples and Notes	Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH Plan
Grains/grain products	7 to 8	1 slice bread 1 cup dry cereal* 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal	whole wheat bread, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, crackers, unsalted pretzels and popcorn	major sources of energy and fiber
Vegetables	4 to 5	1 cup raw leafy vegetable 1/2 cup cooked vegetable 6 oz vegetable juice	tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green peas, squash, broccoli, turnip greens, collards, kale, spinach, artichokes, green beans, lima beans, sweet potatoes	rich sources of potassium, magnesium and fiber
Fruits	4 to 5	6 oz fruit juice 1 medium fruit 1/2 cup dried fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit	apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, prunes, raisins, strawberries, tangerine	important sources of potassium, magnesium and fiber
Lowfat or fat-free dairy foods	2 to 3	8 oz milk 1 cup yogurt 1 1/2 oz cheese	fat free (skim) or lowfat (1%) milk, fat free or lowfat buttermilk, fat free or lowfat regular or frozen yogurt, lowfat and fat free cheese	major sources of calcium and protein
Meats, poultry, and fish	2 or less	3 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish	select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or boil, instead of frying; remove skin from poultry	rich sources of protein and magnesium
Nuts, seeds, and dry beans	4 to 5 per week	1/3 cup or 1 1/2 oz nuts 2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds 1/2 cup cooked dry beans	almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, lentils and peas	rich sources of energy, magnesium, potassium, protein, and fiber
Fats & Oils**	2 to 3	1 tsp soft margarine 1 Tbsp lowfat mayonnaise 2 Tbsp light salad dressing 1 tsp vegetable oil	soft margarine, lowfat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oil (such as olive, corn, canola or safflower)	besides fats added to foods, remember to choose foods that contain less fat
Sweets	5 per week	1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp jelly or jam1/2 oz jelly beans 8 oz lemonade	maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, fruit flavored gelatin, jelly beans, hard candy, fruit punch, sorbet, ices	sweets should be low in fat

Prepared by: Rosemary Rodibaugh, Ph.D., R.D., Extension Nutrition Specialist, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

Source: The DASH Diet, NIH Publication No. 98-4082, September 1998. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Pictures of chickens, flowers, wheat, a boy looking through a magnifying glass, irrigation pipe, soybean pods, and fruits and vegetables.	Cooperative Extension Service





Cooperative Extension Service	Agricultural Experiment Station
Search \| Publications \| Jobs \| Personnel Directory \| Links County Offices \| Departments

2001 Volunteer Leader Training Guide Following the DASH Diet

2001 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Following the DASH Diet