According to experts, the DASH diet should allow you to lose weight healthily in the long term. We reveal what is behind the method.
What is the DASH Diet?
The DASH diet (DASH = dietary approach to stop hypertension) was developed years ago by doctors as a remedy for high blood pressure. And what is good for high blood pressure patients can also generally be applied to people who are overweight: Often the two go hand in hand. The concept is based on a diet that is low in fat and cholesterol, which not only helps with high blood pressure, but also allows us to lose weight in a long-term and healthy manner.
What's the Best Diet? The DASH Diet!
Experts unreservedly recommend the DASH diet: The diet won the title of "Best Nutritional Method" eight times in a row from the news magazine "U.S. News & World Report" For the ranking, a team of doctors, nutritionists and consultants put 38 different weight-loss concepts under the microscope.
Lowering blood pressure and losing weight at the same time: how does the DASH diet work?
The DASH diet includes particularly low-calorie foods and lots of fruit and vegetables on the menu. Salty foods or foods with a high cholesterol content are largely avoided. Instead of salt, spices and herbs are used in cooking. By the way: Strictly speaking, the DASH diet is not a diet at all, but a change in diet that can be used permanently.
It is positive that you can also start the diet slowly – that means you don't have to follow every rule immediately. Instead, you can also implement each recommendation of the diet individually and only gradually change the entire diet.
What rules do I have to follow with the DASH diet?
Anyone who opts for the DASH diet for weight loss must observe a few rules. So you should keep your hands off various foods or reduce them very much for the entire diet period. These include:
- salt
- Sweets
- Ready meals
- alcohol
- Fatty meat
What can I eat on the DASH diet?
The DASH diet is largely based on the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). The following rules apply to the diet:
- Whole grain products: 7 to 8 servings a day. One serving is roughly equivalent to a slice of bread or a small bowl of wholemeal flakes.
- Vegetables and fruit: 5 a day is mandatory, three servings should consist of vegetables. Salad, for example, is suitable here.
- Flesh: If meat, then lean meat, please! A maximum of two servings of 80 to 100 grams are allowed per day.
- Fats: 2 to 3 servings of high quality oils with omega-3 fatty acids are allowed. One serving is equivalent to one teaspoon.
- Proteins: Vegetable protein in the form of legumes or nuts and seeds should be on the daily menu. 4 to 5 servings (40 grams each) are allowed.
- Dairy products: 2 to 3 servings a day are allowed. One serving is equivalent to a cup of (natural) yogurt or 200 milliliters of milk.
- Sweets: You can treat yourself to sodas or sweets in small portions five times a week. One serving is roughly equivalent to a tablespoon of sugar or 200 milliliters of lemonade.
And which foods can I now exactly eat?
First and foremost, one should stick to fresh and unprocessed foods that are low in fat and low in calories. You don't actually have to count calories. With the DASH diet, the following foods should often be on the menu:
- fresh fruit
- fresh vegetables
- Potatoes
- Whole grain products such as whole grain bread and pasta, oat flakes or brown rice
- lean fish
- lean meat
- legumes
- healthy fats, for example from vegetable oils
Is the DASH Diet Healthy?
The best thing about the DASH diet: It is healthy and does not cause a yo-yo effect! If you stick to the rules and permanently adjust your diet accordingly, you will soon see the pounds drop.
How much can I lose weight with the DASH diet?
Since the diet, unlike typical crash diets, is designed to melt the pounds in the long term, you will not see a big effect on the scales immediately, but only gradually. About 0.5 kilos of weight loss per week is realistic – what is healthy and what is recommended by the German Nutrition Society. This makes the yo-yo effect very unlikely.
More tips for the DASH diet
Do you want to lose weight with this diet? Then you can too following tips for implementation help:
- Eat regularly: Make sure that you eat your meals throughout the day, the main meals should be in the morning, at noon and in the evening. This also protects you from cravings.
- Plan snacks: Do not keep grabbing snacks all day – this is how you often lose sight of what you have eaten. Better: one snack each morning and afternoon. Something healthy works well, for example nuts, low-fat yogurt or fruit and raw vegetables.
- Cooking on my own: It is a bit more complex, but it is always better to cook yourself when you change your diet instead of relying on ready-made products. On the one hand, you know what is in the food and avoid traps such as hidden fat.
- Treat yourself to something: Most people do not stick to a diet or even a change in their diet if they have to completely avoid sweets or salty snacks. So treat yourself to your favorite snack in small quantities.
- Put on herbs: Check your spice rack. Since salt has to be avoided to a large extent, spices ensure the right taste. For example, thyme or herbs from Provence can spice up dishes in terms of taste.
- Spice spicy: Hot spices such as chilli, turmeric or ginger get the metabolism going. Use them frequently in cooking to aid weight loss.
- Drink a lot: You should drink at least two liters of water a day. Some herbal tea or a juice spritzer a day is also allowed – the water content should be higher than the juice content.
Recipes for a day
You want to try the DASH diet now and are wondering how you can organize a day for your diet change? The following ideas for recipes will help:
- In the morning: A small portion of oatmeal with fresh berries and skimmed milk. Alternatively, wholemeal bread can be topped with a little low-fat quark and cucumber. A green smoothie, for example, tastes good with it.
- Noon: A chicken breast fillet with around 200 grams of potatoes and a large vegetable garnish. Broccoli, carrots or peas are suitable here. A light apple spritzer tastes good with it.
- In the evening: A small portion of low-fat quark that can be spiced up with chopped fruit, for example. A spicy tea, for example made from ginger, tastes good with it – it also stimulates the metabolism.
Against the small hunger in between you can for example a handful of nuts eat. Walnuts are especially good.
Reading tips: Are you looking for more healthy and sustainable diets? Then discover the delicious Mediterranean diet! We also explain intermittent fasting and give away even more weight loss tips.
Do you want to talk to others about health topics? Then take a look at our BRIGITTE Community!