lipid.siteDASH
A blood-pressure diet from the NIH that also trims LDL-C: lots of produce, low-fat dairy and whole grains, with less saturated fat, sugar and salt.
LDL-C effect in studiesAbout 4 to 11 mg/dL lower LDL-C (roughly 3 to 8%)
This section shares information about dietary patterns and the research on them. lipid.site doesn't recommend any particular diet, and nothing here is medical or nutrition advice for you. Talk with your clinician or a registered dietitian before making big changes, especially if you have diabetes, kidney disease, an eating-disorder history, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take blood thinners or other daily medicines. Food changes can work alongside cholesterol medicines; they usually don't replace a medicine your clinician prescribed.
Eat more
- Vegetables and fruit (8 to 10 servings a day in the trial)
- Low-fat or fat-free dairy
- Whole grains
- Beans, nuts and seeds
- Fish and poultry
Eat less
- Red and processed meat
- Full-fat dairy and butter
- Sweets and sugary drinks
- Salt and salty packaged foods
A typical day
- Breakfast: bran cereal with low-fat milk, a banana and a handful of unsalted nuts
- Lunch: chicken or bean salad with spinach, oranges and whole-grain bread
- Dinner: grilled fish, a baked sweet potato and two vegetable sides
Who it may suit
People with high blood pressure or prediabetes, people who like dairy, and anyone who wants a structured, government-backed plan.
Things to watch
- DASH is high in potassium; people with kidney disease or on medicines that raise potassium (such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs or spironolactone) should check with a clinician.
- In the DASH trial HDL-C also fell slightly; that is generally not considered harmful.
- Lactose intolerance: lactose-free or fortified soy milk work.
Tell me more
In the original DASH feeding trial, LDL-C fell about 11 mg/dL (0.28 mmol/L) versus a typical American diet, alongside sizable blood-pressure drops. A meta-analysis of 20 trials found a smaller average LDL-C drop of about 4 mg/dL (0.10 mmol/L). The effect on blood pressure is the best-established benefit.
Evidence strength: strong means several good trials agree; moderate means trials agree but are small, short or varied; limited means a few small trials or mostly indirect evidence. LDL-C numbers are averages from studies. Your own result can be larger, smaller or zero.
- Cost: moderate; lots of produce, which frozen vegetables make cheaper.
- Effort: low to moderate; free NIH meal plans exist.
- Eating out: restaurant food is salty, so this pattern is easiest when you cook more.
- Strongest choice if blood pressure is also a concern.
Comes up mostly from people managing blood pressure too; the sodium limits are the part they find hardest.
Themes from public online discussions. One person's experience can differ from yours.
Combines well with
Sources
Your results will vary
Diet affects LDL-C differently from person to person. Two people on the same plan can see very different results, and genetics (including familial hypercholesterolemia and Lp(a)) set a floor that food alone may not move. The only way to know what a change does for you is to recheck your labs, usually after 6 to 12 weeks of sticking with it. Log your results here to see the trend.
Medicines still matter
If your clinician has recommended a statin or other medicine, changing your diet works together with it. Many people need both to reach their goal.
Reviewed by Kaustubh Dabhadkar, MD, on October 20, 2026. General education from published research. lipid.site is not a healthcare provider.