Looking to promote heart health and bone density while reducing your risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol? The DASH diet is an effective choice, particularly for individuals over 50.

What is the DASH diet, exactly? DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which significantly increases in individuals over 50.

The DASH diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products. It’s an attainable way to eat healthier and improve your quality of life at any age, but it can be particularly effective for those over 50. Let’s explore why in this post.

Benefits of a DASH Diet Meal Plan

If lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol is what the doctor ordered, the DASH diet checks every box! Here are some appealing benefits of incorporating a DASH diet meal plan into your routine.

Lower Blood Pressure

The DASH diet promotes foods that are low in sodium and high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Combined, these vitamins and minerals are highly effective at lowering blood pressure. The DASH diet also limits alcohol intake, which is known to increase blood pressure depending on consumption levels.

Lower Cholesterol

High levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease, so maintaining healthy levels is critical, especially as you get older. As you add more fiber, fish, and other lean protein to your diet, you will likely see your cholesterol levels improve on the DASH diet.

Lose Weight

While weight loss may not be high on your priority list, as you add healthier foods to your diet and eliminate sugar, you may see the numbers on the scale decrease.

Since the DASH diet limits sweets and sugary beverages, eliminating these from your daily diet may cause you to lose weight. You’ll also avoid alcohol and saturated fats, which can cause weight gain.

Improved Skin

A well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provides the body with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can help your skin glow. These include avocados, some fish (salmon and mackerel), leafy greens (kale, spinach, broccoli), and bell peppers. Many of the nourishing foods you’ll consume on the DASH diet directly correlate to promoting youthful skin.

Tips for Incorporating Dash Diet Recipes

Since you’ve Googled “What is the dash diet?” and learned about this popular diet change, it’s time to get started. Here are a few tips that will help make the transition seamless.

Try New Spices

If you’re missing sodium and salty flavors, it’s time to venture into new flavors and spices! Add tasty herbs like cilantro, parsley, and rosemary to your meals and cook with aromatic vegetables like onion, spicy peppers, and garlic.

Aim for Color

Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily may seem like a lot, but you can easily consume this recommended serving size by adding a rainbow of color to your plate at every meal. Cover half your plate with vegetables and fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and reach for different options to keep things interesting.

Snack Prep

Set yourself up for success during busy work days by snack-prepping! You may feel hungry between meals, so having healthy snacks that will tide you over til your next meal is very helpful. Opt for almonds, kale chips, homemade trail mix, or Greek yogurt with berries.

Zero Effort Nutrition with Z.E.N. Foods

Looking for heart-healthy meals delivered right to your door? Z.E.N. Foods is here to help! Our goal at Z.E.N. is to support people on their health journeys.

Our meal delivery plans will save you time and energy so you can keep up with all your other commitments. Look at our sample menu, and call us at (310) 205-9368 to set up a plan with one of our consultants today!