What is the name of the diet for hypertension? The DASH Plan Explained

January 4, 2026 •

2 min read

According to the American Heart Association, a healthy diet can significantly lower blood pressure. For many, the definitive answer to what is the name of the diet for hypertension is the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This eating plan is a flexible and balanced approach designed to help prevent and control high blood pressure.

Quick Summary

The DASH diet is a well-regarded eating plan focused on lowering high blood pressure and improving heart health. It emphasizes nutrient-rich foods while limiting sodium, saturated fats, and sugars.

Key Points

DASH Diet Name: The diet for hypertension is called DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Nutrient-Rich Focus: The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy to increase intake of blood pressure-lowering nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Sodium Reduction: A central tenet of the DASH plan is to significantly reduce sodium intake, typically aiming for 2,300 mg or less per day.
Benefits Beyond Blood Pressure: In addition to lowering high blood pressure, the DASH diet can help reduce cholesterol, manage weight, and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sustainable Eating Plan: DASH is designed as a flexible and balanced long-term eating strategy, not a temporary, restrictive diet.
Lifestyle Amplification: Combining the DASH diet with other healthy habits like exercise, weight management, and stress reduction can further improve blood pressure control.

Understanding the DASH Diet

The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a research-backed nutritional strategy developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health aimed at lowering high blood pressure. It focuses on foods rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and fiber, while limiting sodium, saturated fats, and sugar. Studies show that the DASH diet can reduce blood pressure within weeks.

Core Principles of the DASH Eating Plan

The DASH diet is a sustainable, balanced eating plan that can be integrated into a lifelong healthy eating style. Its core principles include emphasizing plant-based foods, lean protein, and dairy, while limiting harmful fats, added sugars, and controlling sodium intake.

Following the DASH Diet: Food Groups and Servings

The DASH diet provides recommended daily and weekly servings based on a 2,000-calorie plan. Key food groups and typical serving suggestions include grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean meats, poultry, and fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes, fats and oils, and limiting sweets.

Comparison: DASH Diet vs. Mediterranean Diet

Both DASH and Mediterranean diets benefit heart health but differ in focus. The table below highlights key differences:


Feature	DASH Diet	Mediterranean Diet
Primary Focus	Lowering blood pressure through specific nutrient goals and strict sodium limits.	Overall heart health through a lifestyle pattern, less focused on specific nutrients.
Key Components	Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and nuts.	Emphasizes plant-based foods, healthy fats (especially olive oil), fish, moderate dairy and wine, and limited red meat.
Sodium Intake	Highly structured with specific limits (1,500mg or 2,300mg).	Generally lower sodium due to less processed food consumption.
Dairy	Encourages low-fat or fat-free dairy products.	Includes moderate amounts of dairy.
Flexibility	More structured with clear serving guidelines.	More flexible, often described as a lifestyle.

Choosing between them depends on individual needs and preferences.

Incorporating Lifestyle Changes with the DASH Diet

The DASH diet's benefits are enhanced when combined with other healthy lifestyle habits. These include regular exercise, weight management, limiting alcohol, quitting smoking, managing stress, and monitoring blood pressure.

Conclusion: A Lifelong Commitment

To answer the question, the name of the diet for hypertension is the DASH diet. It is a proven, balanced approach to lower blood pressure and improve overall heart health through whole foods, reduced sodium, and key nutrients. It's a sustainable lifestyle change that helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. Consulting a healthcare provider or dietitian is recommended. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website offers further resources, including meal plans and recipes {Link: NHLBI, NIH https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main purpose of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is to prevent and control high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

The DASH diet emphasizes eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, along with lean protein from poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

The diet lowers blood pressure by increasing the intake of key nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, while simultaneously reducing the amount of sodium and saturated fat in your diet.

The standard DASH diet recommends limiting sodium to no more than 2,300 mg per day. A lower-sodium version exists that restricts intake to 1,500 mg daily for those who need it.

Yes, because the DASH diet encourages consuming nutrient-dense, lower-calorie foods and is low in saturated fat and added sugars, it can be an effective strategy for weight management.

The DASH diet is generally considered easy to follow because it doesn't require special foods. It focuses on readily available items from grocery stores and provides clear daily and weekly serving goals.

Significant reductions in blood pressure can begin within two weeks of starting the DASH diet, though full benefits become more apparent with consistent, long-term adherence.

You should limit or avoid high-sodium foods, red and processed meats, saturated and trans fats, sweets, and sugary beverages.