The plan, called the DASH diet, favors fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and plant-based protein over meat.
Women with those eating habits were 24% less likely to have a heart attack and 18% less likely to have a stroke than women with typical American diets.
Heart Healthy Diet
Here are examples of food choices made by healthy women in a 24-year study. They had fewer heart attacks and strokes than women with less healthy eating habits.
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) guidelines are as follows:
- More than 8 total servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A serving is a half-cup of cooked vegetables or one cup raw or a small piece of fruit.
- One total serving daily of nuts and legumes, about a handful of peanuts or a half-cup legumes, including lentils, kidney beans, and split peas.
- At least 2 servings daily of whole grains. A serving is a slice of whole-grain bread or a half-cup cooked whole-grain pasta or rice, or about a cup of dry cereal.
- Almost 2 daily servings of low-fat dairy products. A serving equals 8 oz of milk or 1 cup of yogurt.
- A half serving daily of red or processed meats, including bacon and hot dogs. A full serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
Note: The DASH diet does not recommend high-fat meats. It calls for no more than two daily servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry.
