The short version
- 1
In its first trial, DASH eating lowered blood pressure by 11.4/5.5 mm Hg in people with high BP, within 8 weeks, without cutting salt.3
- 2
Indians eat about 8 g of salt a day, and most of it goes in at home. Aim for under 5 g: about a teaspoon.7,8,11,14
- 3
Dals, palak, potato, dates and bananas bring potassium, which helps balance the salt.8,16
The plan
DASH, translated into Indian meals
DASH needs no special foods. Here is NHLBI’s 2,000-calorie plan, with Indian portions next to it.
- Grains · 6–8 a day
- A serving is half a cup of cooked rice, dalia or millet, or a small phulka. Make most of them whole grains.2,8
- Vegetables · 4–5 a day
- A katori of salad or half a katori of sabzi each. Lean on palak, methi and other greens.2
- Fruit · 4–5 a day
- One banana, guava, orange or apple is a serving. That’s much more fruit than most of us eat.2
- Low-fat dairy · 2–3 a day
- A glass of toned milk, a katori of curd, or chaas made without salt.2
- Dal, beans, nuts and seeds
- DASH asks for 4–5 servings a week; most Indian homes already eat dal daily. Keep nuts unsalted.2
- Fish, chicken, eggs · up to 170 g a day
- Grilled, roasted or in a light curry. Vegetarians can let dal, paneer or curd fill this slot.2
- Oil · 2–3 tsp a day; sweets · 5 or fewer a week
- Less oil than most Indian cooking uses, and count the sugar in chai and mithai.2
The evidence
How much DASH lowered blood pressure
Drop in the top (systolic) number, against the usual diet, in the main trials.
- DASH, everyone in the trial5.5 mm Hg
- DASH, people with high BP11.4 mm Hg
- DASH plus low salt, people with high BP11.5 mm Hg
- DASH plus low salt, starting at 150 or more20.8 mm Hg
Salt
Where Indian salt hides
Sodium per 100 g in packaged foods from Delhi and Hyderabad supermarkets.
- Ready curry and masala pastes3,240 mg
- Packet soups2,117 mg
- Achaar1,759 mg
- Masala mixes1,468 mg
- Processed cheese1,074 mg
- Ketchup and table sauces1,020 mg
- Breakfast mixes847 mg
- Instant noodles670 mg
- Namkeen627 mg
- Bread445 mg
Packets aren’t the main problem, though. In North and South India, 83.5–87.7% of salt is added while cooking or at the table. The kitchen namak matters most.14
What to change
Easy salt swaps
- Salted namkeenUnsalted roasted chana or peanuts
Namkeen averages about 627 mg of sodium per 100 g.15
- An extra pinch of saltLemon, amchur, kokum or fresh herbs
WHO’s advice: cook with little salt and flavour with herbs and spices.7
- Raita with chaat masalaPlain curd, or chaas with jeera
Chaat masala is usually made with salt and black salt.
- Papad and pickle with every mealSalad and a fresh chutney
ICMR-NIN lists papad and pickles among the saltiest everyday foods.8
Ordering in? Ask for “kam namak”. WHO also suggests switching to a lower-sodium, potassium-containing salt, but people with kidney disease, or on medicines that raise potassium, should ask their doctor first.7,9,18
Potassium
The Indian foods richest in it
Potassium per 100 g, raw, from ICMR-NIN’s food tables.
Your day
A DASH day, Indian style
- Breakfast
- Vegetable dalia or oats with toned milk, and a banana or guava.
- Mid-morning
- A fruit and a few unsalted almonds.
- Lunch
- Two phulkas or a measured katori of rice, dal, a leafy sabzi, salad, and curd without salt. No papad or pickle.
- Evening
- Unsalted roasted chana and a glass of chaas.
- Dinner
- A millet roti or rice with rajma or chole, a vegetable, and fruit afterwards.
An example built from NHLBI’s DASH servings and ICMR-NIN’s plate, not a prescription. If you take blood pressure or diabetes medicines, tell your doctor before a big change.2,8
Myths
What you might hear
They say
“Sendha namak or pink salt is low-sodium.”
Actually
ICMR-NIN: whatever the variety, the sodium is almost the same. Use less of any salt.8
They say
“I barely add salt, so mine is fine.”
They say
“DASH is a Western diet that doesn’t suit Indian food.”
Actually
It needs no special foods. Dal, sabzi, fruit, curd and whole grains fit its food groups directly.1
They say
“Only salt matters for BP.”
They say
“If I feel fine, my BP is fine.”
Actually
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. The only way to know is to measure it.20
Get help if
- Your BP reads 180/120 or higher: wait five minutes and recheck, then call your doctor if it stays high.
- That high reading comes with a sudden severe headache, chest or back pain, breathlessness, numbness, weakness, vision changes or trouble speaking. This is an emergency.
- Chest pain spreads to your arm, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, nausea or breathlessness.
- Your clinic readings are 140/90 or higher, or home readings 135/85 or higher: book a check.
With kidney disease, or medicines that raise potassium, ask before using potassium salt or making big potassium changes.
Frequent headaches or blurred vision are worth getting checked too.9,17,19,20
