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Following the DASH Eating Plan
The DASH eating plan is easy to follow using common foods available in your grocery store. The plan includes daily servings from different food groups. The number of servings you should have depends on your daily calorie (energy) needs.
To figure out your calorie needs, you need to consider your age and physical activity level. If you want to maintain your current weight, you should eat only as many calories as you burn by being physically active. This is called energy balance. (For more information about energy balance, go to the Health Topics Overweight and Obesity article.)
If you need to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories than you burn or increase your activity level to burn more calories than you eat.
Consider your physical activity level. Are you sedentary, moderately active, or active?
- Sedentary means that you do only light physical activity as part of your typical daily routine.
- Moderately active means that you do physical activity equal to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus light physical activity.
- Active means that you do physical activity equal to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus light physical activity.
Use the chart below to estimate your daily calorie needs.
Daily Calorie Needs for Women
| Age (years) | Calories Needed for Sedentary Activity Level | Calories Needed for Moderately Active Activity Level | Calories Needed for Active Activity Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 2,000 | 2,000–2,200 | 2,400 |
| 31–50 | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,200 |
| 51+ | 1,600 | 1,800 | 2,000–2,200 |
Daily Calorie Needs for Men
| Age (years) | Calories Needed for Sedentary Activity Level | Calories Needed for Moderately Active Activity Level | Calories Needed for Active Activity Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 2,400 | 2,600–2,800 | 3,000 |
| 31–50 | 2,200 | 2,400–2,600 | 2,800–3,000 |
| 51+ | 2,000 | 2,200–2,400 | 2,400–2,800 |
After figuring out your daily calorie needs, go to the table below and find the closest calorie level to yours. This table estimates the number of servings from each food group that you should have. Serving quantities are per day, unless otherwise noted.
DASH Eating Plan—Number of Food Servings by Calorie Level
| Food Group | 1,200 Cal. | 1,400 Cal. | 1,600 Cal. | 1,800 Cal. | 2,000 Cal. | 2,600 Cal. | 3,100 Cal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grainsa | 4–5 | 5–6 | 6 | 6 | 6–8 | 10–11 | 12–13 |
| Vegetables | 3–4 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 5–6 | 6 |
| Fruits | 3–4 | 4 | 4 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 5–6 | 6 |
| Fat-free or low-fat dairy productsb | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3 | 3–4 |
| Lean meats, poultry, and fish | 3 or less | 3–4 or less | 3–4 or less | 6 or less | 6 or less | 6 or less | 6–9 |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | 3 per week | 3 per week | 3–4 per week | 4 per week | 4–5 per week | 1 | 1 |
| Fats and oilsc | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3 | 4 |
| Sweets and added sugars | 3 or less per week | 3 or less per week | 3 or less per week | 5 or less per week | 5 or less per week | ≤2 | ≤2 |
| Maximum sodium limitd | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day | 2,300 mg/day |
a Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as a good source of fiber and nutrients.
b For lactose intolerance, try either lactase enzyme pills with dairy products or lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk.
c Fat content changes the serving amount for fats and oils. For example, 1 Tbsp regular salad dressing = one serving; 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing = one-half serving; 1 Tbsp fat-free dressing = zero servings.
d The DASH eating plan has a sodium limit of either 2,300 mg or 1,500 mg per day.
DASH Eating Plan—Serving Sizes, Examples, and Significance
| Food Group | Serving Sizes | Examples and Notes | Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH Eating Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grainsa | 1 slice bread 1 oz dry cerealb ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cerealb | Whole-wheat bread and rolls, whole-wheat pasta, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted pretzels and popcorn | Major sources of energy and fiber |
| Vegetables | 1 cup raw leafy vegetable ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable ½ cup vegetable juice | Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes | Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Fruits | 1 medium fruit ¼ cup dried fruit ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit ½ cup fruit juice | Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines | Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber |
| Fat-free or low-fat dairy productsc | 1 cup milk or yogurt 1½ oz cheese | Fat-free milk or buttermilk; fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese; fat-free/low-fat regular or frozen yogurt | Major sources of calcium and protein |
| Lean meats, poultry, and fish | 1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish 1 eggd | Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or poach; remove skin from poultry | Rich sources of protein and magnesium |
| Nuts, seeds, and legumes | ⅓ cup or 1½ oz nuts 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2 Tbsp or ½ oz seeds ½ cup cooked legumes (dried beans, peas) | Almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas | Rich sources of energy, magnesium, protein, and fiber |
| Fats and oilse | 1 tsp soft margarine 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 2 Tbsp salad dressing | Soft margarine, vegetable oil (canola, corn, olive, safflower), low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing | The DASH study had 27% of calories as fat, including fat in or added to foods |
| Sweets and added sugars | 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp jelly or jam ½ cup sorbet, gelatin dessert 1 cup lemonade | Fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit punch, hard candy, jelly, maple syrup, sorbet and ices, sugar | Sweets should be low in fat |
a Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as a good source of fiber and nutrients.
b Serving sizes vary between ½ cup and 1¼ cups, depending on cereal type. Check the product's Nutrition Facts label.
c For lactose intolerance, try either lactase enzyme pills with dairy products or lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk.
d Because eggs are high in cholesterol, limit egg yolk intake to no more than four per week; two egg whites have the same protein content as 1 oz of meat.
e Fat content changes the serving amount for fats and oils. For example, 1 Tbsp regular salad dressing = one serving; 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing = one-half serving;
Have questions about sodium? Join The Heart Truth®, the American Heart Association, and Million Hearts™ for a Twitter chat on January 25 at 1 p.m. ET. Get tips on how to manage sodium intake through lifestyle changes and learn why sodium is important to staying heart-healthy. Follow The Heart Truth on Twitter and look for #SodiumChat to join the chat.
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