The DASH Diet for Healthy Weight Loss, Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

March 19, 2026.The DASH Diet was found to be the top diet for preserving memory. People who followed the DASH diet closely had a 41% lower risk of experiencing cognitive decline, compared with those who did not. When it comes to brain health, DASH diet beat out the other top healthy diets.

January 5, 2026. US News again puts the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diets on top as America's overall healthiest diets especially for heart health and diabetes control. The Mediterranean and DASH diets are the top overall diets.

The DASH Diet

Why was the DASH diet ranked as the best diet, the healthiest diet, and the best diet for diabetes? The expert panel of physicians assembled by US New & World Reports chose DASH because it is proven to improve health, has a balance of healthy food groups, and it actually works. DASH has been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and is associated with lower risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, heart failure, kidney stones, reduced risk of developing diabetes, can slow the progression of kidney disease, and now is associated with reduced risk of depression.

Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets are plant-focused diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, nuts, with low-fat and non-fat dairy, lean meats, fish, and poultry, mostly whole grains, and heart healthy fats. Perfect together. You fill up on delicious fruits and vegetables, paired up with protein-rich foods to quench your hunger. This makes a plan that is so easy to follow. Learn about the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet plans and browse sample menus.

New research shows that following the DASH diet over time will reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as kidney stones. The benefits of the DASH diet have also been seen in teens with hypertension. The DASH diet truly is the diet for everyone.

The full DASH diet plan is shown on the page, "What is the DASH diet?" Learn more about the pumped up weight loss versions in The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution or The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution. Learn more about the DASH diet research.

The only books based on the most recent updated Mediterranean and DASH research, include the brand new, high flavor and high impact The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution and the all-time best seller The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, both of which can help you harness the health benefits of the DASH diet for weight loss. The DASH Diet Younger You, is pumped up on plants to help you become and look younger from the inside out. It fully supports both vegetarians and meat eaters (as does the Med-DASH book), with meal plans and recipes, and are based on real, unprocessed, and additive-free foods. The essential companion, The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook will make a great addition to your kitchen collection. These books stand alongside the top DASH diet resource, The DASH Diet Action Plan, to give you a fresh start to healthy eating.

The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution was chosen as one of top new diet plans by The Today Show, while The DASH Diet Action Plan was named one of the top life-changing health books, by Huffington Post readers. See more recent news stories about the DASH diet. Meet the author, Marla Heller, MS, RD, and learn more about the weight loss plan by watching our Dr. Oz episode, the PBS show, or join one of our free support groups for weight loss or for the mostly vegetarian plan, or our new group for the Med-DASH plan on Facebook!

Chicken and Chickpea Skillet

Chicken and Chickpea Skillet from The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution.

The DASH Diet for Weight Loss

While the DASH diet was originally developed as an eating style to help lower blood pressure, it has been found to be a great plan for weight loss. The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution turbocharges weight loss with a powerful plan based on previously overlooked DASH research. And the book The DASH Diet Younger You is more pumped up on plants to help you become healthier, lighter, and actually physically younger, from the inside out. It features 14 days of meal plans for vegetarians, and 14 days of plans for meat-eaters, supporting your diet preferences and showing many options on how to put DASH together. It relies on all natural foods, with no artificial additives or sweeteners!

The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution has special benefits for people who carry their excess weight around the middle, which often goes along with having metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, or postmenopausal weight gain. And, it has been shown to be very effective in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

See more about our free Facebook weight loss support group and 60-minute video from our PBS show, at The Dash Diet With Marla Heller, MS, RD. We will help you get started on this healthy path!

The DASH Diet for Health

The DASH diet is especially recommended for people with hypertension (high blood pressure) or prehypertension. The DASH diet eating plan has been proven to lower blood pressure in studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). In addition to being a low salt (or low sodium) plan, the DASH diet provides additional benefits to reduce blood pressure. It is based on an eating plan rich in fruits and vegetables, and low-fat or non-fat dairy, with whole grains. It is a high fiber, low to moderate fat diet, rich in potasium, calcium, and magnesium. The full DASH diet plan is shown here. The DASH diet is a healthy plan, designed for the whole family. New research continues to show additional health benefits of the plan.

In addition to being recommended by your physician, DASH is also endorsed by:

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (one of the National Institutes of Health, of the US Department of Health and Human Services)
The American Heart Association (AHA)
US guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure
The American Heart Association Treatment Guidelines for Women
The Mayo Clinic

The DASH eating plan has been proven to lower blood pressure in just 14 days, even without lowering sodium intake. Best response came in people whose blood pressure was only moderately high, including those with prehypertension. For people with more severe hypertension, who may not be able to eliminate medication, the DASH diet can help improve response to medication, and help lower blood pressure. The DASH diet can help lower cholesterol, and with weight loss and exercise, can reduce insulin resistance and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

The NY Times Best Sellers, The DASH Diet Action Plan and The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, provide real life solutions to make it easy for people to follow the DASH diet. They each have 28 days of meal plans, recipes, guidance for weight loss, how to eat at restaurants, fast food places, etc. and still stay on track. It shows you how to stock up your kitchen for the DASH diet, and how to read food labels to make good choices. And, of course, the meal plans and recipes are all low sodium/low salt. The books show you how to add exercise and other lifestyle changes to help lower blood pressure. The books help you design your own personal "DASH Diet Action Plan" and your own "DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution."

Vegetarian DASH Diet

Want to take the DASH diet to the next level? The DASH Diet Younger You will support you with following the DASH diet if you want to follow a vegetarian plan with 14 days of vegetarian meal plans and lots of recipes. And it is flexible enough for those who love meat/fish/poultry with an additional 14 days of meal plans for omnivores along with even more recipes. It also supports those who want an all natural, additive-free approach to the DASH diet. These were the top requests from readers of the DASH diet books.

Featuring . . .

14 days of vegetarian meal plans
14 days of omnivore meal plans
all foods without artificial ingredients
no artificial sweeteners

The DASH Diet and The Mediterranean Diet

US News & World Reports: Best and Healthiest Diet Plans.

The DASH Diet

The DASH Diet for Weight Loss

The DASH Diet for Health

Vegetarian DASH Diet