If you are following the DASH diet to control or lower high blood pressure (aka hypertension), you might feel limited with the types of foods you can eat or frustrated that you can’t find snacks that taste good. If you want to be able to realistically follow the DASH diet long term, it is important to have foods that not only taste good, but are also easy to make. In this post you’ll learn about the DASH diet, what it can do for your health, and crazy delicious and easy snack combinations.
Table of Contents
Let’s dive in!
What is the DASH diet?
The DASH diet stands for “dietary approach to stop hypertension”. As I shared with Singlecare.com for an article on this diet; the focus of this diet is to include foods naturally low in sodium and added sugars such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, legumes, low fat dairy, and whole grains.
This diet limits salt anywhere from 1,500mg to 2,300mg of sodium a day. This sounds like a lot, but 2,300 mg of sodium is only 1 teaspoon of salt. Check with your doctor or medical professional to how much salt you need to limit for your high blood pressure.
Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may be surprised how much sodium is in everyday products like bread, cereal, pasta sauces, cured meats, and frozen entrees. According to the American Heart Association, most people are consuming over 3,000mg of salt a day.
I would say compared to other diets like keto, paleo, low carb, or vegan, the DASH diet is less restrictive and may be easier to stick with long term.
Health Benefits of the DASH diet
1. Lower LDL “bad” Cholesterol
In a meta-analysis that looked at 17 different studies on the DASH diet, it was found that this pattern of eating can reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.
This way of eating is high in soluble and non soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is responsible for blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the blood stream. Foods high in soluble fiber include pears, oats, apples, legumes, lentils, nuts, avocado, sweet potato and brussle sprouts.
A diet that includes more plants also means it has rich sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants remove free-radicals in your body. If you have a lot of free radicals in your blood stream, they can build up in your blood vessels leading to heart disease.
If your blood pressure is also high and you are living with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, this article I was featured in EatingWell has a list of cheeses that are actually good for you!
2. Improved Blood Pressure
Magnesium, potassium, and nitric oxides are all nutrients that relax your blood vessels. This means blood can flow easier through your body without constriction. When your blood vessels are rigid and constricted, it makes it harder for blood to flow through them, and puts more stress on your heart.
The DASH diet’s emphasis on fruits and vegetables will naturally increase the amount of potassium, magnesium, and nitric oxides you eat.
Below are just a few rich sources of these nutrients.
- Potassium
*Spinach, cooked
*Beans
*Broccoli, cooked
*Melon- cantaloupe, honeydew
*Tomato
*Banana
*Oranges
*Sweet Potato
*Cucumbers
*Peas - Magnesium
*Avocado
*Acorn Squash
*Baked potato
*Banana
*Black beans
*Edamame
*Swiss chard
*Spinach
*Pumpkin seeds - Nitric Oxides
* Arugula
* Celery
*Carrots
*Parsley
* Beets
* Spinach
3. Weight Management
Weight loss is way more than just “eat less move more”. The diet industry has completely overlooked the role of hormones and fixing underlying metabolism issues that might make weight loss very challenging for some people.
Regardless of low carb, paleo, high fat, or high protein- the key in most successful diets is a focus on less processed whole foods. The DASH diet places a huge emphasis on these. Not only are the foods free from added sugar, they are also high in fiber which helps with satiety and energy.
If you are considering Paleo for lowering your cholesterol, I would encourage you to read my overview Mediterranean Diet vs Paleo Diet: Which is Better for Heart Health?.
4. Prevent Cognitive Decline
Having a heart healthy diet is a foundation for better brain health. When your blood vessels are clear of plaque and flexible, you can reduce your risk for having a stroke or aneurism.
The MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet focuses more on certain foods from the DASH diet, and can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. I was featured in a local news segment and go into details in the interview here.
Who is the diet recommended for?
This diet is recommended for those with high blood pressure. But its not just for those with high blood pressure. It can also help with lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. DASH diet foods that are good for a generally healthy eating pattern too.
If you have high blood pressure but also have obesity, high cholesterol, and or prediabetes you may have metabolic syndrome. The DASH diet is effective for helping improve insulin resistance, weight management, and lowering cholesterol.
If you have high blood pressure and kidney disease, many of the foods in the DASH diet could help you. However, because the diet includes many high potassium or oxalate foods and doesn’t provide an individualized amount of protein, you will want to work with a Registered Dietitian.
A Registered Dietitian can help you plan out how much potassium, phosphorus, and protein to follow based on the stage of kidney disease that you have.
Most insurances have nutrition counseling services covered, including medicaid, if you have Chronic Kidney Disease. Call your insurance member services to see if meeting with a Registered Dietitian is included in your insurance benefits. Additionally you can find an Kidney RD specialist using a directory here.
How does it work?
By eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, low fat dairy, and whole grains you will be naturally lowering your sodium intake, while increasing your potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These 3 nutrients help relax your blood vessels which is important for lowering blood pressure.
Including more of these unprocessed and high fiber foods can be beneficial for weight loss. Blood pressure can be lowered even after losing 5-10% of your current body weight.
Including DASH diet snacks in between meals can provide you stable energy during your day and prevent feeling overly hungry before your next meal.
How effective is the diet?
According to Dashdiet.org, the DASH diet way of eating can lower blood pressure in only 14 days if followed correctly. That is incredible!
It definitely will take some intentionality when it comes to eating this way. However, since almost all whole food groups are apart of this diet, you might find it easier than you think to stick with it. Compared to say eating low carb where either certain foods are off limits or entire food groups are cut out.
DASH Diet Snack Ideas
Below are the best healthy DASH snacks that you can make yourself or buy pre-made.
- Celery with unsalted almond butter and raisins
- Plain greek yogurt with muesli and fresh or frozen fruit
- Sliced bell peppers + 2 Tablespoons hummus or guacamole
- Ezekiel 4:9 Low Sodium Sprouted Whole Grain Bread + unsalted natural almond butter + apple slices
- Unsalted or lightly salted rice cakes with unsalted natural peanut butter and banana
- 3 pitted dates topped with unsalted almond butter
- DIY smoothie- 1 cup frozen fruit, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or low fat dairy milk, 1/4 cup riced cauliflower
- Chia seed pudding- 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice (almond or low fat dairy) 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds, handful of sliced strawberries. Mix everything in a jar with a lid and let sit in refrigerator overnight
- Frozen Edamame (shelled or whole) + Mrs Dash salt-free seasoning
- DIY snack mix- unsalted cashews, raisins, and air popped popcorn
- Milk or Ultra-filtered milk + Low Sodium Cereals found in Best Low Sodium Cereal: 23 Dietitian Approved Brands (2026)
- Low sodium or regular cottage cheese + Cherry tomatoes + Mrs. Dash Italian Blend
If you only can eat vegetables with a dip or dressing, no problem at all! Be sure to pick a dressing low in sodium. I provide a handful of low salt options in Low Sodium Salad Dressings: Top Brands From a Dietitian
Pre-Packaged/On the Go DASH Diet Snacks
1. Sargento balanced breaks
2.Think! Plant based protein bars
3. OWYN Strawberry Banana Protein shake
4. Bada Bean Bada Boom dried bean snacks (honey mustard, sweet siracha, zesty ranch)
5. Snyders Unsalted Pretzels + unsalted peanut butter
6. RXbars
7. Roasted Edamame Beans
8. Almond Butter Squeeze Pouch + Banana
9. BUILT Puff Bars (Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Cookie Dough)
10. Skinny Pop Popcorn + Individual serving Bag of Cashews + Dried Apricots
11. Single Guacamole Cup + Singer serve bag of Baby Carrots
12. GoodCulture cottage cheese cup + Peach
Other Heart Healthy Guides
1. Delicious Low Sodium Desserts (Dietitian Approved + Heart Healthy!)
2. Cholesterol Lowing Smoothie Ideas
3.McDonald’s Low Sodium Meal Options: Top picks from a Dietitian
4. Best Low Sodium Bread: [Heart Healthy + Delicious]
5. Low Sodium Protein Powder [Best Tasting + Highly Rated 2026]
6. Best Low Sodium Protein Shakes: A Dietitian Shares All
Conclusion
In conclusion, the DASH diet is a heart healthy diet that is good for both lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure when followed consistently. The emphasis on unprocessed whole foods that are high in fiber are good for your overall health and can be beneficial for weight loss as well. These foods are more filling and higher in vitamins and minerals than ultra-processed foods.
Laurie is a Registered Dietitian passionate about helping healthcare professionals lower their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol so that they can regain confidence and energy to live a more full life.
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