Mediterranean DASH Diet: Embracing a combined approach for health and wellness

A Mediterranean DASH diet is a combined dietary approach that blends the main concepts of Mediterranean and DASH diets. This diet implies focusing on foods like:

• Vegetables (focus on leafy greens)
• Fruits (focus on berries)
• Whole grains
• Olive oil
• Nuts, seeds, and legumes
• Poultry, low-fat or fat-free dairy, fish, and seafood

At the same time, the diet implies cutting down on sodium (salt) intake and limiting or avoiding foods like:

• Processed foods and snacks
• Red meats
• Sugar and sugary products
• Butter, margarine, and full-fat dairy products

When looking to manage weight, there are plenty of known and time-tested dietary approaches to try, including Keto, intermittent fasting, and many others. Mediterranean and DASH diets are also among the popular options. But what if we tell you that combining both can actually offer you more health benefits than following just one diet?

This article will be your complete guide to a combined Mediterranean DASH diet for health and body benefits.

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Understanding the Concepts Behind Mediterranean and DASH Diet

As we already mentioned, a DASH Mediterranean diet is a fusion of two dietary approaches rather than one specific diet. In order to understand the benefits of combining them, let’s first explore the concept and benefits of each diet separately.

What Is a Mediterranean Diet?

A Mediterranean diet emerged based on the traditional eating habits that are typical for countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Given the fact that there are at least 16 countries in the area, there is no one standard Mediterranean diet but rather a set of variations, each tailored to the culture, religion, geography, agriculture, and other specs of each country in the Mediterranean.

Although the variations of this diet may have certain differences, the primary elements remain unchanged:

• Emphasis on plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, potatoes, etc.
• Low to moderate amounts of eggs, fish, poultry, and dairy products.
• Olive oil is a primary source of healthy fats.
• The diet limits added sugars, highly processed foods, saturated fats, refined carbs, and fatty meats.
• Unlike many other diets, the Mediterranean approach allows regular wine consumption but in low to moderate amounts and typically with meals.

What Is a Dash Diet?

DASH is short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. As the name suggests, this dietary approach is more geared toward health (heart health, in particular) than weight management. In essence, it is a very balanced and flexible eating style that’s designed to be easier to sustain in the long run. And thanks to its science-backed health benefits, the DASH diet was named “Best Heart-Healthy Diet” and “Best Diet for High Blood Pressure” by U.S. News & World Report in 2025.

The main principles of the DASH diet include:

• Focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Moderate intake of poultry, fish, and dairy products.
• Include nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils in your meal plan.
• Limiting saturated fats, processed foods, fatty meats, and full-fat dairy products.

DASH diet vs Mediterranean Diet: What’s the Difference?

At first glance, the difference between DASH diet and Mediterranean diet is barely noticeable. Both approaches emphasize high consumption of plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, and others. Also, both diets limit processed foods and fatty, red meats, focusing on antioxidant-rich and low-glycemic-load foods instead. Still, despite visible similarities, there are a few core differences between them.

Let’s quickly compare the Mediterranean vs DASH diet based on their key distinctive features:

Mediterranean Diet vs. DASH Diet: A comparison

Fat Sources

• Mediterranean Diet: Extra virgin olive oil is the main fat source. The diet tends to be higher in fat overall, ideally around 27% of total daily calories.
• DASH Diet: Uses vegetable oils, but doesn’t focus on olive oil. Total fat content is generally lower than in the Mediterranean Diet.

Meat Choices

• Mediterranean Diet: Prioritizes fish and seafood as key protein sources.
• DASH Diet: Focuses on lean meats and poultry as the primary sources of protein.

Dairy Intake

• Mediterranean Diet: Includes dairy in low to moderate amounts, often as yogurt or cheese, without a strong emphasis on choosing low-fat options.
• DASH Diet: Recommends low-fat or fat-free dairy products while limiting full-fat versions.

Sodium Guidelines

• Mediterranean Diet: Does not have strict rules on sodium, but overall intake tends to be lower due to the focus on fresh, unprocessed foods.
• DASH Diet: Strongly emphasizes reducing sodium as a key component for improving heart health and lowering blood pressure.

Food Philosophy

• Mediterranean Diet: Centers around whole, natural foods and traditional meal patterns. Emphasizes fresh ingredients and minimal processing.
• DASH Diet: Promotes balanced meals that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy, with careful portion control.

Alcohol Consumption

• Mediterranean Diet: Allows moderate consumption of wine, particularly red wine, typically enjoyed with meals.
• DASH Diet: Generally advises against alcohol or recommends very limited intake.

DASH and Mediterranean Diet Fusion: Key Rules

Now that you know about the difference between DASH and Mediterranean diet, let’s talk about a hybrid dietary approach that merges them for added benefits.

A Mediterranean DASH diet takes concepts from both Mediterranean and DASH diets and merges them. If you decide to follow this eating plan, the main foods to eat include:

• Vegetables - You can diversify your diet with all kinds of raw and lightly processed veggies but keep the main focus on antioxidant-rich leafy greens that offer added heart and brain benefits.
• Fruits - Include different fruits as a primary form of dessert to manage sugar cravings. Also, be sure to eat lots of berries as they support heart, brain, digestion, and blood sugar health.
• Whole grains - Consume products like oats, brown rice, and quinoa to receive enough fiber, vitamins, and nutrients crucial for your health.‍
• Olive oil - Although the DASH diet allows consuming fats from different vegetable sources, you should focus on olive oil when blending it with the Mediterranean diet.
• Sodium - Strive to reduce the amount of salt you consume. For better taste, focus on using more spices and herbs instead of salt.
• ‍Nuts, seeds, and legumes - These products will help you diversify your plant-based diet and receive essential micronutrients.‍
• Proteins - Eat poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy in moderation and diversify it with fish and seafood a few times per week.

As you can see, the list of products allowed on a combined diet considers the main differences we explored when comparing the DASH diet vs Mediterranean diet and strives to create a balance between these two eating approaches. Apart from the recommendations provided above, the hybrid version of these two diets implies limiting or avoiding certain foods, such as:

• High-sodium products or excessive use of salt in cooking.
• Overly processed foods and snacks.
• Red meat–it can be included in your diet only as an exception, a few times a month maximum. 
• Sugar, sweets, and sugary beverages.
• Butter, margarine, and full-fat dairy products.

Practical Tips for Getting Started With DASH Diet Mediterranean Style and Sustaining Your Diet

Following a Mediterranean DASH diet is relatively easy thanks to its flexibility. Still, getting started with a new dietary approach is often associated with certain concerns and challenges.

Here are a few practical tips to help you get started and sustain your diet in the long run:

• Embrace gradual changes instead of rushing into it.
• Write grocery shopping lists and plan your meals in advance to avoid binge eating or consuming foods or snacks that should be avoided.
• Experiment with different recipes to make your diet diverse and delicious.
• Reduce sodium intake easily by reading food labels and replacing salt with lemon juice and herbs.

FAQ

What is the difference between DASH diet and Mediterranean diet?

At first glance, comparing DASH vs Mediterranean diet is hard because of their similarities, such as a focus on fresh, unprocessed foods. However, if you dig deeper, it becomes clear that the Mediterranean diet generally uses more fat (primarily olive oil), allows wine consumption, and emphasizes traditional meals. The DASH diet uses different fat sources (mainly vegetable oils), embraces low-fat or fat-free dairy, uses poultry more often than fish, discourages alcohol, and keeps focus on reducing sodium intake.

Mediterranean diet vs DASH diet: which one is better?

It’s hard to give you a one-size-fits-all answer because both diets have certain health and weight-management benefits. Yet, combining their main principles into a unified DASH Mediterranean diet can help you get even more benefits.

What are the benefits of a Mediterranean DASH diet?

Combining the two dietary approaches, this diet can help you gain added benefits, including improved heart health and optimized blood pressure, stronger cognitive function, reduced inflammation, and many others.

Conclusion

Both Mediterranean and DASH diets focus on whole, unprocessed foods and offer a number of benefits. However, when you combine them, you can use the best of the two and double the health benefits you get.

Namely, following the DASH Mediterranean diet can help you:

• Lower cholesterol levels
• Optimized blood pressure
• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Improved cognitive function
• Better mental clarity
• Reduced inflammation
• Faster metabolism and simplified weight management

After reading this guide, you should have a better understanding of original diets, see the difference between Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, and understand the core principles of combining them into a beneficial Mediterranean DASH diet. Follow the tips we shared with you here to adjust your eating plan gradually and gain the most benefits out of it!

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