> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sonohealth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The DASH Diet and Foods That Affect Blood Pressure

> How the DASH eating pattern lowers blood pressure, which foods raise or lower it, the truth about salt sensitivity, and how to track the effect at home.

What you eat is one of the most powerful levers for blood pressure — and the evidence points to an eating *pattern*, not a single magic food. Here's how diet affects your numbers and how to use it alongside home monitoring.

<Note>
  Diet supports, but does not replace, medical care. If you take blood pressure medication, talk to your doctor before making big dietary changes, and never adjust medication on your own.
</Note>

## What is the DASH diet?

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It emphasizes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, and low-fat dairy, with less red and processed meat, sugary foods, and sodium. It works largely because it is naturally **high in potassium and low in sodium**, a combination linked to lower blood pressure in study after study.

## Which foods help lower blood pressure?

Potassium-rich plant foods — leafy greens, beans, lentils, bananas, potatoes, and yogurt — help counterbalance sodium. Whole grains, nuts, and seeds round out the pattern. The benefit comes from the overall diet, so consistency matters more than any single "superfood."

## Which foods push it up?

Most dietary sodium hides in **processed and restaurant foods**: cured and deli meats, canned soups, frozen meals, chips, and fast food — not the salt shaker. Heavy alcohol intake also raises blood pressure. Cutting back on ultra-processed foods is usually the highest-impact change.

## Does salt raise blood pressure for everyone?

Reducing sodium lowers blood pressure on average, but people vary in how **salt-sensitive** they are — some see a large drop, others a smaller one. Because you can't easily know your sensitivity in advance, cutting processed-food sodium is a sensible default. Use a [home monitor](/blood-pressure/how-to-measure-at-home) over a few weeks to see how your own readings respond.

## How do I track whether it's working?

Pick a consistent routine — for example, [morning and evening readings](/blood-pressure/morning-vs-evening-readings) — and log them over several weeks as you adjust your diet. Patterns over time tell you far more than any single reading, and they give your doctor real data to work with. SonoHealth's **BPpro** and **BPMAX** upper-arm monitors make consistent tracking easy.

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**Related:** [Lower Blood Pressure Naturally](/blood-pressure/lower-blood-pressure-naturally) · [Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Guide](/blood-pressure/overview) · [Normal Blood Pressure by Age](/blood-pressure/normal-blood-pressure-by-age)