DASH Diet Tops 2026 Heart Health Rankings Again
The science-backed DASH Diet just earned its second straight win as America's best heart-healthy eating plan, proving you don't need restrictive rules to protect your heart. Developed by researchers nearly 30 years ago, this flexible approach keeps ranking at the top because it actually works.
A diet created by scientists in the 1990s just proved it's still the gold standard for heart health in 2026.
The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) claimed the number one spot for best heart-healthy diet in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 rankings for the second year running. It also secured second place overall among 38 diets evaluated across 21 categories.
What makes DASH special? It's refreshingly simple and backed by nearly three decades of solid science.
The eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy while cutting back on red meat, sweets, and sugary drinks. No food groups are completely off limits, making it easier to stick with long term.
Dr. Catherine Champagne, one of the original researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center who developed DASH, watched her team's work transform millions of lives. The original study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1997, has been cited by other researchers about 6,000 times since then.
The results speak for themselves. DASH lowers blood pressure, reduces stroke risk, and decreases the chance of cardiovascular events through foods rich in fiber, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
The 2026 rankings placed DASH in the top five across 14 different health categories. It earned first place for high blood pressure management, second for healthy eating and prediabetes, third for high cholesterol and ease of following, and fourth for diabetes, arthritis, mental health, fatty liver, brain health, and inflammation.
The Ripple Effect
What started as research in a Louisiana lab became national policy and everyday practice. The DASH approach now shapes clinical guidelines doctors follow and public health recommendations that reach millions of Americans trying to eat better.
Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor at Pennington Biomedical, noted how this research delivers measurable benefits for people and communities today while shaping tomorrow's health landscape. The evaluation process involved 69 expert panelists, including medical doctors, registered dietitians, and nutrition researchers who rigorously assessed each diet's scientific backing.
Nearly 30 years after its creation, DASH continues proving that the best diets aren't trendy or extreme, they're simply grounded in good science and real food.
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Based on reporting by Medical Xpress
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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