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DASH diet: Top 5 tips for shopping and cooking

3. Keep your kitchen stocked with DASH diet staples

You're more likely to prepare healthy dishes if you have healthy foods on hand. Try to keep these staples in your home:

  • Fruits. Choose a variety of fresh fruits, such as apples, oranges and bananas. Add variety by looking beyond the ordinary to apricots, dates and berries. Select fruit canned in its own juice or water, not heavy syrup, and frozen fruit without added sugar.
  • Vegetables. Buy fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and spinach. Choose frozen vegetables without added salt, butter or sauces, and opt for canned vegetables low in sodium.
  • Low-fat dairy products. Look for low-fat, fat-free or reduced-fat milk, buttermilk, cheeses, yogurt and sour cream.
  • Grains. Aim for whole-grain and low-fat varieties of bread, bagels, pitas, cereal, rice, pasta, crackers and tortillas.
  • Nuts, seeds and legumes. Almonds, walnuts, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzos) and sunflower seeds are among the healthy options. But get the unsalted or low-salt varieties.
  • Lean meats, poultry and fish. Opt for lean selections, such as fish, skinless chicken and turkey, pork tenderloin, extra-lean ground beef, and round or sirloin beef cuts.
  • Condiments, seasonings and spreads. Herbs, spices, flavored vinegars, salsas and olive oil can add zest to your meals without the salt overload.

4. Choose healthy cookware

Your cookware and kitchen gadgets can make it easier to follow the DASH diet. Helpful items include:

  • Nonstick cookware. Nonstick cookware can reduce the need to use oil or butter when sauteing meat or vegetables.
  • Vegetable steamer insert. A vegetable steamer insert that can fit into the bottom of just about any saucepan can help you prepare steamed vegetables without any butter or oil.
  • Spice mill or garlic press. These items may make it easier to add flavor to your food without reaching for the shaker of salt.

5. Practice healthy cooking techniques

Unhealthy cooking habits can sabotage your other efforts to stick to the DASH diet. Use these tips to help reduce sodium and fat:

  • Spice it up. To enhance flavor without adding salt or fat, use onions, herbs, spices, flavored vinegars, fresh peppers, garlic or garlic powder, ginger, lemons, limes, sodium-free bouillon, or even small amounts of reduced-sodium soy sauce.
  • Rinse it off. Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, beans and vegetables, before using to wash away some excess salt.
  • Beware of broth. Saute onions, mushrooms or other vegetables in water or a little low-sodium broth. But because even low-sodium broth can add lots of unnecessary sodium, in some cases a healthy oil may be the best option.
  • Make substitutions. Use lower fat dairy products, such as reduced-fat cream cheese and fat-free sour cream, instead of their higher fat counterparts.
  • Reduce meat. Prepare stews and casseroles with only two-thirds of the meat the recipe calls for, adding extra vegetables, brown rice, tofu, bulgur or whole-wheat pasta instead.

If you tend to cook or bake in ways that call for lots of fat and sodium, don't be afraid to modify your recipes. Experiment with spices, substitutions or recipes you wouldn't normally try. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you create — and it could be the start of new family traditions.

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References
  1. Your guide to lowering blood pressure with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  2. Healthier eating with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/h_eating/h_e_dash.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  3. Tips on how to make healthier meals. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/h_eating/tips.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  4. A word about fats. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/h_eating/fats.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  5. Sheps SG, ed. Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2008.
  6. DASH eating plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/dash/dash_follow.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  7. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Bethesda, Md.: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  8. Blumenthal JA, et al. Effects of the DASH diet alone and in combination with exercise and weight loss on blood pressure and cardiovascular biomarkers in men and women with high blood pressure: The ENCORE study. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2010;170:126.
  9. Sheps SG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 30, 2011.
  10. Zeratsky KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 30, 2011.
HI00020 July 16, 2011

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