Drinking a cup of beetroot juice can
lower blood pressure, researchers say.
In their latest study, published online April 15, 2013 in the journal Hypertension, Dr
Amrita Ahluwalia (Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK)
and her colleagues, found that beetroot has high concentration of
inorganic nitrate. The beetroot juice, after coming
into contact with human saliva, increases levels of plasma nitrate and nitrite
and leads to significant blood-pressure decreases.
Drinking 250ml (8oz) cut high blood
pressure readings by 10mm of mercury in a study of 15 patients, bringing some
into the normal range. This is because the nitrate in beetroot widens blood
vessels to aid flow. Thus many people with angina use a nitrate drug to ease
their symptoms.
The effect was most marked after
three to six hours. And it was still detectable a day later.
Prof Peter Weissberg, medical
director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "It supports current
advice that we should all be eating plenty of green vegetables.
"But we need larger studies in
patients to determine if nitrate-rich vegetables are effective at lowering
blood pressure over the long term."
The researchers, from Barts and The
London School of Medicine and Dentistry, also said more work is still needed.
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