(Yahoo UK) — 1. Where does the DASH diet come from and how was it designed?
The DASH diet is the product of an in-depth study carried out in the 1990s by three, prestigious American universities (Harvard, John Hopkins and Duke) on behalf of the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre and the National Health Institute. The DASH diet is centred around lean meats, grains, fruit and all vegetables, green or otherwise.
2. Has the DASH diet’s effectiveness really been demonstrated?
In one of many studies, American scientists tested this DASH diet on 459 individuals with high blood pressure, who were divided into three groups: the first had to follow an unhealthy diet; the second had to eat more vegetables but had to avoid fatty foods and the last group followed the DASH diet. For the third group, maximum blood pressure was reduced by an average of 1.14 points and minimum blood pressure was reduced on average by 0.5 points. The DASH diet is now recognised by medical professionals and nutritionists the world over.
3. Is the DASH diet only beneficial for people with high blood pressure?
No, DASH is suitable for lots of different people. This type of diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, can even reduce the risks of developing certain cancers. Since the DASH diet incorporates dairy products, crammed full of calcium, it can also contribute to the reduction of risks of osteoporosis (a conclusion made by Duke University in the United States, and Cambridge University in the UK). Finally, because the DASH diet is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, it prevents certain problems connected with the heart from occurring.
4. What role do vegetables play in this DASH diet, designed to fight hypertension?
First of all, vegetables are not very calorific, and we know there is a link between being overweight and hypertension. Furthermore, vegetables have considerable anti-oxidising properties, which help blood vessels stay in good working order. On top of this, when a group of vegetarians was studied, it was noticed that the rate of individuals suffering from high blood pressure was much lower.
5. Why does DASH recommend that sugary and fatty foods be kept to a minimum?
Yet again, the number one objective for an individual suffering from, or at risk of hypertension is to control weight better, and sugary and fatty foods are very calorific. But this is not the only benefit: the DASH strategy can improve the balance of lipidic molecules (fat molecules) in the blood. Another objective is to reduce the level of “bad cholesterol” or LDL.
6. Why does the DASH diet put emphasis on milk and dairy products?
This is because dairy foods are full of calcium, one of the minerals needed for dilation and contraction of blood vessels. But let’s be clear on one thing; the DASH diet prescribes “light” dairy products, which means they are based on skimmed milk. Different studies have shown that the calcium consumed during a meal only slightly reduces blood pressure. The secret lies in combining foods which are eaten with dairy products.
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1.14 and .5 points reduction is INSIGNIFICANT based on the stats on the Dash Diet reported in this email today. Are the stats a mistake? It’s really not worth the article. Those numbers can not make any difference unless reported incorrectly or I’m missing something. I’d expect 10 to 20 points to be worthy of reporting.
I just wanted to agree totally with Paul. 1.14 and 0.5 point changes in BP are ridiculously low changes to be reporting on. From hour to hour, day to day, our blood pressure is changing minutely (at least mine is). Ok, my own results from self-testing with a high-quality BP monitor recommended by my doctor is not a scientific study. It is just anecdotal. However, I notice that my BP generally goes up late at night and early in the morning snf later returns to normal. My diastolic and systolic BP often changes 5 to 10 points depending on the time of day, how I am feeling, stress levels, etc. That is enormously more of a change than the 1.14 and 0.5 points reported in this study.