The Surprising Health Benefits of Beets: A Simple Way to Lower Blood Pressure

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure is a major or contributing factor in more than 1,000 deaths per day in the United States. New research suggests that a simple dietary addition, beet juice, may offer a powerful tool for managing hypertension.

Medical studies have found that just one glass of beet juice per day can significantly reduce high blood pressure. The effect is largely due to high levels of nitric oxide (NO) in beets, a compound that helps relax and dilate blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering pressure.

The Research

A meta analysis of 16 trials conducted since 2013, published in The Journal of Nutrition, confirms the blood pressure lowering potential of beet juice.

"High blood pressure is a serious public health concern," explains Professor Emerita Ahluwalia from the Department of Vascular Pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London. "It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, chronic heart failure, and kidney disease. Finding a safe and effective way to reduce it is crucial."

Interestingly, nitric oxide is also abundant in leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage, making them additional natural sources of this heart protective compound.

The Study

Professor Ahluwalia and her team studied 64 participants aged 18 to 85 with high blood pressure. Half were already taking medication, while the other half had been diagnosed but had not yet started treatment.

Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one consumed a 250 milliliter glass of beet juice containing inorganic nitrate daily, while the other drank nitrate free beet juice for one month.

The results were striking. "Patients who consumed beet juice with inorganic nitrate experienced a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure, returning it to normal levels," says Professor Ahluwalia.

However, when participants stopped drinking the juice, their blood pressure returned to high levels. "This is the first study providing evidence of the long term benefit of nitrate supplementation in patients with high blood pressure," explains the lead researcher, emphasizing the potential for future studies to build on these findings.