DASH-Style Diet Helps Control Blood Sugar

For over 30 years, doctors have recommended the DASH diet to help people reduce high blood pressure. Studies have repeatedly shown that the DASH eating plan can improve heart health. The DASH diet seems to have other health benefits. But its effects on blood glucose, also called blood sugar, in people with type 2 diabetes were unclear.

The DASH diet encourages eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. It favors beans and lean meats for protein. It suggests limiting saturated fats and sugar-sweetened food and drinks.

In a new study, researchers tweaked the DASH diet to help improve glucose control. The adjusted diet for diabetes is called DASH4D. It includes slight changes, such as eating even fewer sweets and starchy foods like potatoes.

Researchers studied 89 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants followed four different diets, in random order, for five weeks each. Two of the diets were variations on DASH4D. The other two were similar to the typical American adult diet.

Compared to a typical diet, the DASH4D eating plan led to more time with blood glucose in the recommended range. The results suggest that a modified DASH diet could help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

“The original DASH diet has long been recommended for people with diabetes and other health conditions due to its effectiveness in lowering blood pressure,” says Dr. Elizabeth Selvin at Johns Hopkins University. “But this is the first time a controlled study has shown a significant improvement in glucose control as well.”