Evidence suggests that both a Mediterranean diet and a DASH diet benefit your heart and overall health, but they differ in many ways. Find out which is the best choice for you.
Mediterranean diet
Despite the name, there is no single Mediterranean diet (MD). It is a collective term for easily cooked food-based dietary plans common to countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Italy, Crete and Greece. Studies have linked MD to better heart health. Includes a study of about 26,000 women found to reduce their chances of developing cardiovascular disease by 25% after a 12-year diet.
The Mediterranean diet is based on cereal foods, fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans and lentils), nuts and seeds, with few highly processed products. MD is not a low-fat diet-olives are the main source of added fat. The Mediterranean-style plan minimizes animal food, but contains moderate amounts of eggs, chicken, fish, and dairy products. There are few lean or processed meats such as beef and mutton. Red wine is included in MD, but includes food and small quantities. However, you don’t have to drink wine to follow the MD.
MD is healthy for the heart because it is low in saturated fat, sodium and sugar and rich in dietary fiber. Also, although no calorie counting is required, this dietary style can help with weight management and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. All of these cause heart disease.
Dash diet
“DASH” is an abbreviation for diet to stop high blood pressure (high blood pressure). The Dash Diet is designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure, and writing a letter accordingly can lower your blood pressure in just one week. Studies have shown that DASH’s dietary plan also lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol, which can clog arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes.
The Dash Diet is based on foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, including grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and dairy products. It limits the addition of excess sodium, saturated fat, and sugar. Like MD, the DASH diet is rich in plant-based foods, but you can get more fat-free or low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and chicken.
Not only olive oil, but also fats such as mayonnaise, salad dressings and vegetable oils are planned. A standard dash diet can only take 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, about the same amount as a teaspoon of salt contains. Another version limits sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day. This is less than the 3,300-4,300 milligrams of sodium that Americans normally consume daily.
The dash diet is structured. Followers choose a calorie level that determines what they eat and how much they eat each day. The Dash diet is not a weight loss plan, but some people lose weight because they need potion control. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight contributes to normal blood pressure, reduces stress on the heart and reduces the risk of hyperglycemia that harms blood vessels.
Which diet is best for your heart health?
Both DASH’s diet plan and MD promote heart health, so choosing one may result in your health history and lifestyle.
The DASH plan defines your dietary options, so you may need to make significant changes to your diet. Food should be weighed and measured, at least until you are accustomed to the appropriate serving. MD isn’t that robust, but you may need to figure out how much you eat so you don’t gain weight or miss some or all of the benefits of this plant-based plan.
Whichever you choose, it’s always a good idea to replace highly processed foods with fresher alternatives and choose whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and seafood more often. Your heart thank you.
Photo courtesy of: gruizza / iStock via Getty Images
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