In the previous section, we wrote about what the DASH diet is and what benefits you will benefit from observing it. We also started to exchange elements of the DASH diet, but we managed to write only about cereal products. It is time for the most important element of the DASH diet - vegetables.
Vegetables - 4 to 5 servings a day
Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, green-leafed vegetables and many others are a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. One serving is one cup of raw green leafy vegetables, such as spinach or ½ cup of raw or cooked vegetables.
How to eat such amounts of vegetables every day? Do not treat them as a symbolic addition to a meal - a mass of multi-colored vegetables with brown rice or whole-grain pasta can be a nutritious dinner. Fresh vegetables are best, but frozen ones are also good. However, when you buy frozen vegetables or vegetable preserves in cans or jars, make sure that they do not contain salt.
You still doubt if you can increase the amount of vegetables you eat? Be creative - use the same recipes as before, but cut in half the meat portions and give twice as much vegetables instead.
Fruit - 4 to 5 servings a day
Surprised? Rarely does a diet meet where you can improve your health, lose weight and eat as much fruit. It will be easier for you to eat salads every day when adding a fruit to them - for example mango or pineapple. What's more, the fruit does not need any special preparation to be able to eat it - it's another convenience for you! As if that was not enough, the fruits are also a great source of fiber, potassium and magnesium and they have low fat content (of course, coconut is an exception here).
An example of one portion of fruit is the average fruit, eg apple, ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruit or ½ cup of fruit juice - choose those without added sugar!
Do you need inspiration? Eat one portion of fruit to each meal and one as a snack. In turn, for dessert, spoil your palate with a portion of fresh fruit with low-fat yogurt. In their recipes, use eared skins of apples, pears and other fruits that diversify the appearance and taste of dishes, and at the same time contain a lot of fiber.
Remember that citruses and juices from them may interact with some drugs, so consult your doctor before putting them into your diet.
Dairy - 2 to 3 servings a day
Milk, yogurt, cheese and other milk products are the main source of calcium, vitamin D3 and protein in the DASH diet. The key to success is eating low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Why? Unfortunately, most dairy fats are unhealthy saturated fats.
An example of one serving is 1 cup of skim milk (maximum 1%), 1 cup of low-fat yogurt or 42 grams of lean cheese.
Watch out for the yellow cheese, because even in the non-fat version it can contain a lot of sodium.
Meat is a rich source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Do you think 168 grams that you can eat during the day are not enough? This way you will free up space for more vegetables, so the game is worth the candle.
How to prepare meat, poultry and fish so that they are low-fat? Instead of frying, you can grill, cook or bake. If you eat fish, choose salmon, herring or tuna, because they are a rich source of Omega-3 acids that are good for the heart.
Almonds, sunflower seeds, beans or peas and other products from this group are a good source of magnesium, potassium and protein. In addition, they contain a lot of fiber and active ingredients of plant origin that can protect against certain types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, this group is also quite caloric, so you can reach for it only a few times a week.
Examples of 1 portion are 1/3 cup of nuts, 2 tablespoons of seeds or peanut butter, ½ cup of cooked beans or peas.
Do you want to know more? Look here and you will find out how much fat you can eat and ... sweetness!