The DASH diet is an eating pattern published by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the NIH. It needs no special foods: at 2,000 calories a day it sets daily servings of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy and lean protein, weekly servings of nuts, seeds and legumes, a small allowance for sweets, and a sodium ceiling of 2,300 mg, with a lower 1,500 mg version [1].
Key Takeaways
- DASH is a research-based pattern from NIH-funded controlled feeding trials, published as a free plan by NHLBI [1, 6, 7].
- At 2,000 calories: 6-8 grains, 4-5 vegetables, 4-5 fruits, 2-3 low-fat dairy, 6 or fewer ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish, and 2-3 fats and oils per day [1].
- Weekly: 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds and legumes and 5 or fewer servings of sweets [1].
- Sodium is capped at 2,300 mg a day, or 1,500 mg in the lower-sodium version; more than 70% of the sodium Americans eat comes from packaged and prepared foods [1, 4].
- On a Nutrition Facts label, 5% Daily Value of sodium or less per serving is low and 20% or more is high [4].
Evidence grade: Strong. DASH was defined and tested in large, randomized, controlled NIH feeding trials (459 and 412 adults), its food-group targets are published by NHLBI, and a meta-analysis pooled 13 randomized trial reports of the pattern [6, 7, 8].
What the DASH Diet Is and Where It Came From
DASH is a pattern, not a product or a list of forbidden foods. NHLBI describes it as a flexible, balanced plan built on vegetables, fruits and whole grains; fat-free or low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and vegetable oils; and limits on fatty meats, full-fat dairy, tropical oils, sugary drinks and sweets. The foods chosen should be low in saturated and trans fats, rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and protein, and lower in sodium [1].
The pattern comes from research rather than a diet book. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, the name of the research program behind it. In the original DASH trial, published in 1997, 459 adults were fed a typical American control diet for three weeks and then randomly assigned for eight weeks to the control diet, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, or a "combination" diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy with less saturated and total fat; all meals were provided and blood pressure was the measured outcome [6]. The follow-up DASH-Sodium trial (2001) fed 412 adults either the control diet or the DASH diet at high, intermediate and low sodium levels for 30 days each [7]. NHLBI's DASH eating plan is based on the combination diet from those studies; its serving table notes, for example, that the DASH study diet had 27% of calories from fat [2].
DASH Servings at 2,000 Calories
NHLBI publishes servings for several calorie levels. The 2,000-calorie column is the one most people use as a reference [1, 2].
| Food group | Servings (2,000 kcal) | What counts as one serving | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grains (mostly whole) | 6-8 per day | 1 slice bread; 1 oz dry cereal; 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal | Whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted popcorn |
| Vegetables | 4-5 per day | 1 cup raw leafy greens; 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables | Broccoli, carrots, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes |
| Fruits | 4-5 per day | 1 medium fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit; 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit | Apples, bananas, oranges, berries, melon, mangoes |
| Fat-free or low-fat dairy | 2-3 per day | 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1 1/2 oz cheese | Low-fat milk, yogurt, reduced-fat cheese |
| Lean meats, poultry and fish | 6 or less per day | 1 oz cooked meat, poultry or fish; 1 egg | Skinless poultry, fish, lean cuts, trimmed of visible fat |
| Nuts, seeds and legumes | 4-5 per week | 1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz) nuts; 2 Tbsp peanut butter or seeds; 1/2 cup cooked beans | Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, lentils, kidney beans |
| Fats and oils | 2-3 per day | 1 tsp vegetable oil or soft margarine; 1 Tbsp mayonnaise; 2 Tbsp salad dressing | Olive, canola or corn oil; light dressing |
| Sweets and added sugars | 5 or less per week | 1 Tbsp sugar, jelly or jam; 1/2 cup sorbet; 1 cup lemonade | Low-fat sweets |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg per day (or 1,500 mg) | Sodium limit, not a serving | |
Two practical notes from NHLBI: whole grains should make up most grain servings, and people who are lactose intolerant can try lactase enzyme pills or lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk [2].
How Servings Change With Your Calorie Needs
Serving counts scale with energy needs, which depend on age, sex and activity level; NHLBI's chart puts a sedentary woman aged 31-50 at about 1,800 calories a day, for example. At 1,600 calories the plan drops to 6 grain servings, 3-4 vegetable servings and 3-4 ounces of lean protein; at 2,600 calories it rises to 10-11 grain servings, 5-6 each of vegetables and fruit, and a daily serving of nuts, seeds or legumes. The sodium limit stays the same at every level [2].
The Lower-Sodium Version
NHLBI's plan has two sodium levels: a maximum of 2,300 mg a day, or 1,500 mg a day for people who choose the lower-sodium version [1, 3]. The 1,500 mg level corresponds to the low-sodium arm tested in the DASH-Sodium trial [7], and NHLBI publishes weekly sample menus at both levels [3].
For context, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 advise that people aged 14 and older consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, with lower limits for younger children [5]. The FDA notes that Americans average about 3,400 mg a day, and that 2,300 mg is roughly the amount in one teaspoon of table salt [4]. So even the standard DASH ceiling is a real change for most people.
DASH also leans on potassium. NHLBI describes the plan as designed to be rich in potassium, with a target of 4,700 mg a day from foods such as potatoes, yogurt, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, bananas and fish [3]. For comparison, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists the current Adequate Intakes as 3,400 mg for adult men and 2,600 mg for adult women [9]. You can read more about the mineral in our guide to potassium benefits and food sources.
Where Sodium Actually Comes From
The salt shaker is a small part of the picture. According to the FDA, more than 70% of dietary sodium comes from packaged and prepared foods, not from salt added while cooking or at the table [4]. Citing CDC data, the FDA lists the foods that supply about 40% of the sodium Americans eat: deli meat sandwiches, pizza, burritos and tacos, soups, savory snacks, poultry, pasta mixed dishes, burgers, and egg dishes and omelets [4].
The FDA also points out that additives such as MSG, baking soda, sodium nitrite and sodium benzoate add sodium, and that taste is not a reliable guide: cereals and pastries can contain sodium without tasting salty, and bread eaten several times a day adds up [4].
Specialty salts are still sodium; our article on how much Celtic sea salt per day looks at that question in detail.
How to Read a Label for Sodium
The Daily Value for sodium on the Nutrition Facts label is less than 2,300 mg a day. As a general guide, 5% DV or less per serving is considered low and 20% DV or more is considered high. Always check the serving size and how many servings you actually eat [4].
Package claims are defined by the FDA [4]:
| Label claim | What it means |
|---|---|
| Salt/sodium-free | Less than 5 mg sodium per serving |
| Very low sodium | 35 mg or less per serving |
| Low sodium | 140 mg or less per serving |
| Reduced sodium | At least 25% less sodium than the regular product |
| Light in sodium / lightly salted | At least 50% less sodium than the regular product |
| No-salt-added / unsalted | No salt added during processing; not necessarily sodium-free |
NHLBI's practical tips: choose fresh poultry, fish and lean meat over cured foods, fresh or frozen produce over canned, rinse canned foods, skip instant flavored rice and pasta, and season with herbs, spices, lemon or lime instead of salt [3].
A Sample DASH Day
This is an illustration built from the NHLBI serving sizes at about 2,000 calories, not an official NHLBI menu (NHLBI publishes its own week of menus) [2, 3]. Exact sodium depends on the brands you buy, so check labels.
| Meal | Foods | DASH servings |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 medium banana, 1 cup low-fat milk | 2 grains, 1 fruit, 1 dairy |
| Lunch | Sandwich on 2 slices whole-wheat bread with 2 oz home-cooked chicken, lettuce and tomato; 1 cup raw carrots; 1 apple | 2 grains, 2 meat, 2-3 vegetables, 1 fruit |
| Snack | 1 cup low-fat yogurt with 1/2 cup berries; 1/3 cup unsalted almonds | 1 dairy, 1 fruit, 1 nuts |
| Dinner | 4 oz fish baked with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 1 cup leafy salad with 2 Tbsp light dressing | 4 meat, 2 grains, 3 vegetables, 2 fats |
| Evening | 1 orange | 1 fruit |
Totals land at about 6 grain, 5 vegetable, 4 fruit, 2 dairy, 6 meat and 2 fat servings, with one of the week's 4-5 nut servings. On other days, beans or lentils can stand in for part of the meat.
DASH and Body Weight
The original DASH trials held body weight steady on purpose, so they were not weight studies [6]. Later trials did look at weight. A 2016 meta-analysis of randomized trials found that adults following DASH lost on average about 1.4 kg (roughly 3 pounds) more than control groups over 8 to 24 weeks, with small differences in BMI and waist size; the difference was larger when DASH was combined with a calorie target and in participants with higher starting weight [8]. These are modest, average effects from relatively short trials.
NHLBI's position is that DASH can be used for weight loss if you also reduce total daily calories gradually [3]. The pattern itself does not change the basic energy-balance math [2].
Tips for Getting Started
- Change one thing at a time, adding a new habit once the last one feels settled [3].
- Start with produce and grains: add a vegetable at lunch and dinner and switch to whole-grain bread, pasta and rice [2].
- Audit your top sodium sources by comparing labels on bread, deli meat, soups, sauces and snacks [4].
- Keep a log and expect slips; NHLBI offers a daily DASH log and suggests simply restarting after a slip [3].
DASH overlaps with other whole-food patterns; see what the Mediterranean diet is for a comparison point, and our healthy diet guide for the basics that apply to any pattern.
Safety and Interactions
DASH is built from ordinary foods, but a few groups should check with a clinician before making big changes:
- Potassium-rich eating and kidney function. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that people with impaired potassium excretion, including those with chronic kidney disease, can develop high blood potassium even from dietary potassium [9]. If you have kidney problems, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before raising potassium intake.
- Medications. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you take an ACE inhibitor or a potassium-sparing diuretic, since ODS lists both as reducing the body's ability to excrete potassium [9].
- Salt substitutes. Many replace sodium chloride with potassium chloride and contain roughly 440 mg to 2,800 mg of potassium per teaspoon, so the same cautions apply [9].
- Very active people. The Dietary Guidelines note that highly active individuals may benefit from more sodium to offset sweat losses [5].
- Dairy fat. DASH specifies low-fat dairy, while the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines recommend including full-fat dairy with no added sugars [1, 5]. If you have been told to follow a specific plan, ask your clinician which applies to you.
DASH is not a substitute for medical care, and it does not require any supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DASH stand for?
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, the name of the NIH-funded research program that designed and tested the eating pattern in the 1990s [6, 7].
How much sodium is allowed on the DASH diet?
Up to 2,300 mg a day in the standard plan, or 1,500 mg a day in the lower-sodium version [1]. On labels, 5% DV or less per serving is low and 20% DV or more is high [4].
Can you lose weight on the DASH diet?
Trials found a modest average difference, about 1.4 kg more than control diets over 8 to 24 weeks, and more when DASH was paired with a calorie target [8]. NHLBI says weight loss on DASH depends on also reducing calories gradually [3].
Do I need special foods or supplements to follow DASH?
No. NHLBI states that the plan requires no special foods and can be followed with common grocery-store items [1, 2].
Sources
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. DASH Eating Plan. NIH. Updated 2026.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Following DASH (calorie needs, servings by calorie level, serving sizes). NIH. Updated 2026.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Living with DASH (sodium, calories, potassium, tips). NIH. Updated 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet. FDA. 2024.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. 2026.
- Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. DASH Collaborative Research Group. N Engl J Med. 1997.
- Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Vollmer WM, et al. Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. N Engl J Med. 2001.
- Soltani S, Shirani F, Chitsazi MJ, Salehi-Abargouei A. The effect of dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet on weight and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Obes Rev. 2016.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Disclosure: OPA Nutrition sells supplements, including products mentioned in this article. This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before using any supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition.
Written and reviewed by Michael Gonzales, Founder, OPA Nutrition · Last reviewed: · How OPA researches and writes
