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 choices listed below are similar to the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
- More than eight 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 two servings daily of whole grains. A serving is a slice of whole-grain bread or a half-cup of cooked whole-grain pasta or rice, or about a cup of dry cereal.
- Almost two daily servings of low-fat dairy products. A serving equals eight ounces of milk or one cup of yoghurt.
- 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. (The DASH diet does not recommend those high-fat meats. It calls for no more than two servings daily of lean meat, fish or poultry.)
Read more:
The DASH diet
April 2008