A Day’s Worth of Food on the OmniHeart Diets

The diets used in the DASH and OmniHeart studies trim blood pressure and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Here’s a hybrid of the two OmniHeart diets—one higher in protein and one higher in unsaturated fat—that also lowered triglycerides. We used the Wild Card (see below) for protein (the salmon), but you can use it for more oil or carbs if you prefer.

This version is for someone who needs only 2,100 calories a day. We added a few extra servings of fruits and vegetables. Extra salad greens can’t hurt!

Daily Targets

Below are the OmniHeart study’s targets for a day’s worth of food. The nutrient targets for a 2,100-calorie diet are: saturated fat: 14 g / protein: 105 g / fiber: at least 30 g / potassium: 4,700 mg / magnesium: 500 mg / calcium: 1,200 mg / sodium: no more than 2,300 mg. Our day’s worth of food (shown above) roughly matches those targets.

Vegetables & Fruit
11 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
½ cup cooked vegetables
½ cup raw vegetables
1 cup salad greens
1 piece fruit
½ cup fresh fruit
¼ cup dried fruit

Grains
4 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
1 slice bread
½ cup cereal, pasta, or rice

Low-fat Dairy
2 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
1 cup milk or yogurt 1½ oz. cheese

Legumes & Nuts
2 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
¼ cup nuts
½ cup cooked beans
4 oz. tofu

Fish, Poultry, & Meat
1 serving per day
What’s 1 serving?
¼ lb. cooked

Oils & Fats
2 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
1 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. margarine or mayo

Desserts & Sweets
2 servings per day
What’s 1 serving?
1 small cookie 1 tsp. sugar

Wild Card
1 serving per day of
Fish, Poultry, & Meat or Desserts & Sweets or Oils & Fats or Grains

Source: JAMA 294: 2455, 2005.