1. My Eating Plan DASH Diet
Food Group Recommendation Serving Sizes Examples/Notes Goal/Remark
Grain
1 slice bread
1 oz dry cereal
½ cooked cereal/rice/pasta
Whole wheat bread, English muffin,
pita, bagel, cereal, grit, oatmeal,
cracker, unsalted pretzel and popcorn
Vegetable
1 cup raw leafy vegetable
½ cooked vegetable
6 oz vegetable juice
Tomato, potato, carrot, green pea,
squash, broccoli, kale, collards,
spinach, green beans, sweet potato
Fruit
6 oz fruit juice
1 medium fruit
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup fresh/frozen/canned
Apricot, banana, grape, orange, orange
juice, grapefruit, mango, melon, peach,
pineapple, prune, raisin, strawberry
Dairy
8 oz milk
1 cup yogurt
1-1/2 oz cheese
Skim/1% milk, low fat or fat free
yogurt, low fat or fat free cheese
Meat
1 oz cooked meat
1 egg
Beef/pork (loin/round), fish, chicken
Select lean meat, trim away visible fat,
broil, roast, boil instead of frying,
remove skin from poultry
Beans
Nuts/Seeds
1/3 cup nuts
2 Tbsp seeds
½ cup cooked beans
Almonds, mixed nuts, peanuts,
walnuts, sunflower seeds, lentil, kidney
beans
Fat and Oil
1 tsp soft margarine
1 Tbsp low-fat mayo
2 Tbsp light salad dressing
1 tsp vegetable oil
Soft margarine, low-fat mayo, light
salad dressing, vegetable oil (olive,
canola, corn, or safflower)
Sweets
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp jelly/jam
½ oz jelly beans
8 oz lemonade
Maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, jelly
beans, hard candy, fruit punch, sorbet
Exercise
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2. My Eating Plan DASH Diet
Read the Food Label
Food labels can help you choose foods lower in sodium, as well as calories,
saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The label tells you:
Number Of Servings
The serving size is cup. The
package contains about 3 servings.
Amount Per Serving
Nutrient amounts are given for one
serving. If you eat more or less than a
serving, add or subtract amounts. For
example, if you eat 1 cup of peas, you
need to double the nutrient amounts
on the label.
Percent Daily Value
Percent Daily Value helps you
compare products and tells you if the
food is high or low in sodium. Choose
products with the lowest Percent
Daily Value for sodium.
Nutrients
You'll find the milligrams of sodium
in one serving.
Frozen Peas
Serving Size cup
Servings Per Container about 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories 60
Calories from
Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 125 mg 5%
Total
Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 15%
Vitamin C
30%
Calcium 0% Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are
based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Quick Facts on Salt
Reducing salt in the diet can lower blood pressure
Try to have less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day — that's the
same as 6 grams of salt a day, or about 1 teaspoon
That includes ALL sodium and salt — what's in the product, and
added in cooking and at the table
Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt consumed
Tips on How to Prepare Lower Salt Meals
Add less salt at the table and in cooking. Reduce the amount a little
each day until none is used. Try spices and herbs instead
Cook with low-salt ingredients. Remove salt from recipes whenever
possible. Rice, pasta, and hot cereals can be cooked with little or no
salt
Use fewer sauces, mixes, and "instant" products this includes flavored
rices, pasta, and cereal, which usually have salt added
Rinse salt from canned foods
Limit smoked, cured, or processed beef, pork, or poultry
Tips for Reducing Sodium in Your Diet
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned "with no salt added" vegetables.
Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed
types.
Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the
table.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or
flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on
frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and
salad dressings — these often have a lot of sodium.
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added
versions of foods.
Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.
For additional information, visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/index.html