Are you eager to discover some tasty and nourishing treats that align perfectly with your journey to lower blood pressure? Then you’re in the right place! Let’s dive into the wonderful world of DASH diet snacks.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that’s been proven to help manage blood pressure and promote overall health. What’s more, it doesn’t mean you have to forego your favorite midday munchies or late-night nibbles.
Yes, you read that right: the DASH diet is not just about main meals; it also embraces a variety of satisfying and delicious snacks that can help lower your blood pressure.
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Top Takeaways
- The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a healthy eating plan proven to help manage blood pressure while allowing for satisfying and delicious snacks.
- The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and limits saturated fats and sodium. It was found to be highly effective in lowering blood pressure in research trials.
- Key nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are encouraged in the DASH diet, play essential roles in blood pressure regulation.
- When choosing DASH diet snacks, aim for foods from different food groups, read nutrition labels for lower saturated fat, sugar, and sodium content, and practice mindful eating to control portion sizes and frequency of snacking.
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What Is The DASH Diet?
The DASH diet is an eating pattern that emphasizes fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy and limits saturated fat (like butter) as well as total fat. In a research trial called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, the DASH diet was shown to reduce blood pressure.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension trial evaluated how eating patterns affect blood pressure (1). Participants followed one of three diets for a total of 8 weeks. The first diet was comparable to the usual American diet, the second diet was comparable to the usual American diet with additional fruits and veggies and the last diet was the DASH diet (1,2).
What did the researchers find? Drumroll, please… those on the DASH diet saw the biggest drop in their blood pressure, more so than any other group! Even those who just added a few more fruits and veggies to their diet noticed a difference. But those who stuck with the DASH plan really hit the blood pressure jackpot!
In a nutshell, it’s quite clear from this study: not only does the DASH diet work, but it also outperforms the usual American diet when it comes to lowering blood pressure. So, if you’re looking for the biggest health-boost, it seems like DASH is the way to go!
Nutrients And What They Do For Blood Pressure
The DASH diet encourages having foods that will up your intake of potassium, magnesium, and calcium, that will restrict your intake of sodium. Let’s delve deeper into what these minerals do for blood pressure.
Sodium
Research shows that lowering sodium can help manage your blood pressure (3). The best ways to lower sodium in your diet include:
- reducing consumption of highly processed foods and choosing foods that are low in sodium like these low sodium bagels, tortillas, mayonnaise, cereals, and protein bars (just to name a few great guides to get you started).
- leaving out salt when cooking/preparing your meals and snacks.
Visiting a registered dietitian can help you learn about how much sodium you’re getting from your diet and about what to do to decrease your sodium intake. In the meantime, here’s a list of useful tips and tricks that can help you reduce the amount of sodium you’re getting from foods.
- Reduce your fast food consumption as much as possible; fast food establishments will prepare food with lots and lots of salt. If you do eat fast food, look to guides like this low sodium subway choices and low sodium burger king options.
- When you’re eating out, ask about how the kitchen prepares its menu items and if these menu items can be served to you with no added salt.
- Use condiments (like mustard, ketchup and, pickles), dips and sauces less often or make your own low sodium sauces, low sodium dips, and low sodium hummus at home. There are lots of other recipes to choose from in these DASH diet cookbooks and low sodium cookbooks.
- Pick fruits or vegetables often, or try these low sodium breakfast recipes, low sodium lunch recipes, low sodium dinner recipes, or dash diet desserts at home.
Another useful way to reduce the amount of sodium you’re getting from foods is to read nutrient content claims on food packaging (3). These claims can help you identify the lower-sodium option at the store. Here are two that I find helpful to look for:
- “Low sodium” on food packaging translates to the food item containing ≤ 140 mg of sodium per serving (4).
- “No added sodium”, “no added salt”, “without added sodium”, or “without added salt” on food packaging translates to the food item not containing any added salt, sodium salts, or sodium-containing ingredients (4).
Potassium
Hypertension Canada’s 2020 Guidelines recommend having more potassium from foods to decrease blood pressure for people who are not at risk of having elevated levels of potassium in their blood (5).
Potassium can play a part in managing blood pressure by lessening the effect of sodium (6). Furthermore, potassium acts as a vasodilator – meaning potassium is involved in the relaxation of blood vessels which, in turn, helps with reducing blood pressure (6).
Magnesium And Calcium
Magnesium is involved in the relaxation of blood vessels, whereas calcium is involved in both the relaxation and the tightening of blood vessels (7). Therefore, both magnesium and calcium are vital for the regulation of blood pressure (7).
Food Groups
Now that we know the history of the DASH diet and that following this diet can help control blood pressure, let’s have a closer look at the food groups that make up this dietary pattern.
Vegetables And Fruits
The DASH diet recommends getting 4 to 5 servings of fruit and 4 to 5 servings of vegetables each day.
A serving of fruit can be:
- 1 medium-sized fruit (e.g., an apple)
- ¼ cup of dried fruit (e.g., prunes or raisins)
- ½ cup fresh/frozen/canned fruit (e.g., frozen berries or canned pineapple)
A serving of veggies can be:
- 1 cup of uncooked leafy veggies (e.g., raw spinach)
- ½ cup of cooked veggies (e.g., cooked carrots)
Protein Foods
One of the food groups included in the DASH diet is the ‘lean meats, poultry, and fish’ food group – which we can refer to as animal sources of protein. The DASH diet recommends getting ≤6 servings of lean meat, poultry, or fish each day. A serving of lean meat, poultry, or fish is a 1 oz. portion that is cooked.
When preparing a serving of lean meat, poultry, or fish, keep the following tidbits in mind:
- Opt for lean choices.
- Remove the fat.
- Try broiling, roasting, or poaching.
- Have poultry (like chicken and turkey) without the skin.
Another one of the food groups included in the DASH diet is the ‘nuts, seeds, and legumes’ food group – which we can refer to as plant sources of protein.
The DASH diet recommends getting 4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes each week. A serving of nuts, seeds, and legumes can be 1/3 cup of nuts, 2 tbsp. of peanut butter, 2 tbsp. of seeds, or ½ cup of cooked dry beans/peas.
Whole Grains
‘Grains’ are also a part of the DASH diet, and the aim is to consume mostly whole grains. The number of servings recommended is 6 to 8 servings each day.
A serving of grains can be 1 slice of bread or ½ cup of cooked cereal/pasta/rice.
Dairy Foods
Getting 2 to 3 servings of no- or low-fat dairy each day is recommended when following the DASH diet. A single serving of dairy can be 1.5 oz. of cheese or 1 cup of milk or yogurt.
Fats And Oils
As for fats and oils, you should aim to get 2 to 3 servings each day. A serving of fats and oils can be 1 tsp. of soft margarin, 1 tsp. of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. of low-fat mayonnaise, or 2 tbsp. of light salad dressing.
Avocado has been shown to lower blood pressure, and so has olive oil.
Sweets And Added Sugars
The DASH diet recommends having no more than 5 servings of sweetsand added sugars in a week.
Food items that fall under this category ought to be low in fat.
A serving of sweets and added sugar can be 1 tbsp. of sugar, 1 tbsp of jam/jelly, ½ cup of sorbet/gelatin dessert, or 1 cup of lemonade.
What Should Be Had Less Often On The DASH Diet?
The DASH diet also highlights what foods should be eaten less often. These foods include:
- Fatty meats
- Full-fat dairy
- Tropical oils – coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and palm oil
- Sugar-sweetened beverages
- Sweets
Tips For Choosing A DASH Diet Snack
We know that foods with lots of saturated fats, trans fats, sugar, and sodium are limited on the DASH diet. Therefore, foods like chips, donuts and cookies are not the best options for those go-to snacks that we may want to incorporate into our diets. So, how do we choose snacks for high blood pressure?
- Try having foods from different food groups (i.e., fruits and veggies, grains, dairy, and protein foods) so that your DASH diet snacks are balanced.
- Read Nutrition facts tables on food packaging and opt for those items that are lower in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to snacking habits:
- Engage in mindful eating when having your high blood pressure snacks:
- Snack slowly and without being distracted by something else.
- Serve yourself small portions.
- Reach for a DASH snack when you’re hungry and think about if you’re snacking for another reason like boredom, stress, or tiredness.
- Consider how frequently you have high blood pressure snacks. Having snacks too frequently may result in eating beyond what you require.
- Brainstorm ideas for snacks for high blood pressure beforehand and create a list of food items to grab from the grocery store. Keep your kitchen stocked with DASH diet snacks so that healthy snacking is made convenient for you. Here is a great low cholesterol food list and anti-inflammatory list to get you started.
20 DASH Diet Snacks
The following 20 DASH diet snacks include foods that will lower blood pressure :
1. Roasted Black Beans – The Heart Dietitian
This Roasted Black Beans recipe is cost-effective and so simple. It really doesn’t get any easier than tossing a can of ‘no sodium added’ black beansin some household spices and leaving them to bake in the oven.
This DASH snack works well as part of the DASH diet because it incorporates beans, which not only help to meet the requirement for ‘nuts, seeds, and legumes’, but also because black beans are a source of potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
2. A Smoothie To Lower Cholesterol – The Heart Dietitian
If you struggle to get the recommended number of servings for fruits and vegetables throughout the day, preparing a smoothie with fruits as well as veggies can be a quick and delicious way to meet recommendations.
A Smoothie To Lower Cholesterol – The Heart Dietitian is made up of oats, spinach, ground flaxseed, blueberries, cinnamon, natural almond butter, avocado, and soy milk.
Not only does this smoothie recipe help you meet the DASH diet guidelines for fruit and veggies, but it also incorporates plant sources of protein in the form of ground flaxseed and natural almond butter. This makes it a perfect DASH snack.
3. A Beet Smoothie To Lower Blood Pressure – The Heart Dietitian
A Beet Smoothie To Lower Blood Pressure is chock-full of fruits and veggies! Whiz together beets, spinach, red grapes, apples, strawberries, almonds, and soy milk and you’ve got yourself a DASH snack. With apples being a source of potassium and almonds being a source of magnesium, you can up your intake of these two nutrients with this smoothie.
Check out other DASH diet smoothie recipes here!
4. Chocolate Covered Chickpeas – The Heart Dietitian
The Chocolate Covered Chickpeas recipe only requires three ingredients: chickpeas, avocado oil, and chocolate. Snacking on these will provide you with that extra bit of protein, fiber, potassium, and calcium.
5. Peanut Butter Avocado Toast – The Heart Dietitian
A peanut butter avocado toast can be a quick snack for high blood pressure. A great way to make whole grains and plant proteins a part of your day is to have a slice of whole grain bread with avocado, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds.
6. Black Bean Toast with Avocado – The Heart Dietitian
Another quick snack for high blood pressure is The Heart Dietitian’s Black Bean Toast with Avocado. This recipe is made with whole grain toast, avocado, black beans, and seasonings of your choice and it provides blood pressure lowering plant protein and fiber.
7. Cookie Dough Baked Oats – The Heart Dietitian
This Cookie Dough Baked Oats will hit the spot if you’re craving something chewy. This recipe provides potassium, calcium, magnesium, protein (which comes from the eggs, soy milk, almond butter, and oats in this recipe), and fiber (which comes from the oats and banana in this recipe). A perfect high blood pressure snack.
8. Flaxseed Pudding: 4 Ways – The Heart Dietitian
With ground flaxseed being a source of magnesium and fortified soy milk being a source of calcium, having Flaxseed Pudding can fit right into the DASH diet. This DASH snack is completely customizable; add your choice of fruits, nuts, nut butters, or seeds and enjoy!
9. No-Bake Pumpkin Protein Balls – The Heart Dietitian
No-Bake Pumpkin Protein Balls are a snack for high blood pressure, prepared by using pumpkin puree, natural almond butter, rolled oats, ground flaxseed, honey, chocolate chips, and some spices. Pumpkin is a vegetable that is a great source of potassium (a nutrient we know can play a part in managing blood pressure).
Try out these pumpkin protein balls to get that extra bit of potassium in your diet to lower your blood pressure fast.
10. Salmon Nachos – The Heart Dietitian
Salmon Nachos are a good snack for high blood pressure because it incorporates many of the food groups that make up the DASH diet – you’ll get servings of dairy (from the cheese), of nuts, seeds, and legumes (from the black beans), fish (from the salmon), of grains (from the tortilla chips), and of vegetables (from the onions and bell peppers).
11. Unsalted Mini Pretzels
Pretzels can be an easy grab-and-go snack for those of us with busy schedules. When picking up pretzels at the store, you should opt for unsalted pretzels since the DASH diet recommends restricting the amount of sodium we consume in a day.
An option on the market for unsalted pretzels are the Unsalted Mini Pretzels from Snyder’s of Hanover. The unsalted variety of Mini Pretzels provides 0 mg of sodium per serving size (which is approximately 19 Mini Pretzels.
12. Trailmix
Much like pretzels, trail mix is also a great option for a grab-and-go DASH snack. Trinity Trail Mix from The Roasted Nut has almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cranberries, and Goji berries without any added sugars and salt.
The dried fruit, nuts, and seeds in Trinity Trail Mix can help you meet the DASH diet guidelines for fruit as well as for nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Use Code HEART for 10% off your order.
13. Yogurt Parfait
Try out 0% fat Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts or seeds like hemp and chia or steel cut granola as toppings. Using plain 0% Greek Yogurt as one of your high blood pressure snacks is perfect, as it does not contain any added sugars, and it also contributes calcium and potassium to the diet.
14. Original Popped Popcorn
Popcorn is also a snack that you can incorporate into the DASH diet. Original Popped Popcorn Popcorn – SkinnyPop is an example of a low-sodium popcorn that you can try out. The original variety of Skinny Pop Popcorn is a low-sodium option because it contains only 75 mg of sodium per serving size (which is approximately 3 ¾ cups), making it a great high blood pressure snack.
Check out this article about Low Sodium Popcorn Brands, Recommended by a Dietitian (theheartdietitian.com)for more information about low-sodium popcorn options.
15. OWYN Protein shakes
OWYN protein shake is a low sodium drink made from pea protein blend which can reduce blood pressure, and it makes an excellent DASH diet snack.
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16. LOVE CORN Cheezy | Delicious Crunchy Corn
Corn kernels can also be a part of your snack rotation on the DASH diet. These cheesy, crunchy corn kernels from LOVE CORN are considered a low-sodium option because they provide only 120 mg of sodium per serving size. LOVE CORN cheesy corn kernels can be had on their own as a snack and can even be used as a topping for your salads and soups.
17. Bada Bean Bada Boom Roasted Fava Beans
Sweet Cinnamon Crunchy Roasted Broad Beans have broad beans (otherwise known as fava beans) as the main ingredient, making it a good blood pressure lowering snack option for those of us looking for ways to incorporate beans into our diets.
18. Nut Or Seed Butter
Having a slice of whole grain bread with some nut butter is another option for a quick and easy snack. There are many different options on the market for types of nut or seed butter: peanut butter, almond butter, hazelnut butter, cashew butter, pumpkin seed butter, etc.
When shopping for nut butter, you want to go for a product with no added sugars. look for a nut butter that has only one simple ingredient: dry-roasted almonds.
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19. Sardine Avocado Dip – The Heart Dietitian
Baby Carrots and Avocado Dip are a vibrant snack full of vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats. Try this sardine avocado dip that provides extra omega 3 fatty acids for lower blood pressure effects.
20. RXBAR (Protein Bars)
RXBAR can also be a snack option for those of us who are on the move. The RXBAR Blueberry protein bar contains fruit (i.e., dates and blueberries), as well as nuts (i.e., almonds and cashews).
Other Ways To Manage Blood Pressure
- Partaking in moderate-intensity, dynamic activities, like walking, swimming, and riding your bike, for ½ hour to 1 hour a day, 4 to 7 times a week.
- Staying clear of alcoholic beverages or having them in moderation.
- Working on lowering stress levels if they may be affecting your blood pressure.
- Sticking to an eating pattern made up of fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and plant sources of protein – aka the DASH diet!
Final Thoughts
Following the DASH diet can help you manage your blood pressure while still being able to enjoy a variety of foods and recipes.
From fiber-rich fruits to heart-healthy nuts, the possibilities for DASH diet snacks are as endless as they are delicious. After all, eating healthily is not about punishing your taste buds, but about discovering new flavors and enjoying the richness that nature’s pantry has to offer.
Try out the snacks and recipes from the list above and let us know which ones are your favorites!
Article was written by Hira Ghani, RD. Reviewed by Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE.