Poor dietary decisions often result in hypertension or high blood pressure, but making smart food choices can act as an antidote. According to an expert, one drink can significantly reduce blood pressure in just a few hours.
Beetroot, known for its earthy taste, is not only a flavorsome salad ingredient but also offers impressive health benefits. It contains essential vitamins, nutrients, and fiber that provide significant health benefits.
Fitness expert Ben Dillon from Exercise With Style suggests that the juice from this colorful vegetable can decrease blood pressure within three to six hours.
As explained by the expert, dietary nitrates (NO3-) are abundant in beet juice and get transformed into nitrites (NO2-) through the action of oral bacteria in the mouth.
Afterwards, these nitrites are absorbed into the bloodstream when they reach the stomach and convert into nitric oxide (NO) under low-oxygen conditions.
Nitric oxide, being a signaling molecule, plays a pivotal role in vasodilation, which involves the widening and relaxation of blood vessels.
“This increased vasodilation,” according to the expert, “results in reduced peripheral resistance, improved blood flow, and ultimately, a decrease in blood pressure.”
Additionally, other sources support the potential benefits of beet juice on blood pressure. In a 2015 meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers examined 22 independent studies to evaluate the effects of consuming beet juice.
The results of the study led the research team to determine that beet juice consumption can result in a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the reduction in blood pressure was more notable in studies that administered higher doses of beet juice, exceeding 500 milliliters per day.
A 2010 study published in the Hypertension journal of the American Heart Association reported that drinking 500 milliliters of beet juice resulted in a reduction in blood pressure within three to six hours. The most significant decline occurred three to four hours after consumption.
The study also discovered that the reduction in blood pressure was sustained for a minimum of 24 hours.
To obtain the advantages of lowering hypertension, the expert advised drinking between 250 to 500 milliliters of beet juice daily.
It is worth noting that “the optimal amount for each person may differ” depending on various factors such as “genetics, age, and overall health,” so individual responses may vary,” he cautioned.
Additionally, if you are already taking medication to lower your blood pressure, it is advisable to consult your doctor before adding beet juice to your diet as it “may lead to excessively low blood pressure, which can cause symptoms like dizziness, fainting, and even be life-threatening in severe cases.”
Image Credit: Getty
