The Natural Drink That Can Drastically Lower Blood Pressure and Protect Your Heart, Brain – According to Study
Boiled beets are a must-have in autumn salads, and they hold a special place among the season’s favorite vegetables due to their delightful sweetness.
What makes beets even more remarkable is their contribution to heart health and inflammation management, owing to their rich antioxidant content.
These same incredible benefits extend to beetroot juice. The secret to these advantages lies in the valuable components within. Beets, along with other foods like lettuce, spinach, and celery, are packed with inorganic nitrates.
When these nitrates interact with oral bacteria, they’re converted into nitric oxide, a crucial compound that regulates blood vessels and neurotransmission, facilitating chemical messages in the brain.
As we age, our nitric oxide production naturally decreases, which can lead to compromised vascular and cognitive health.
By incorporating beetroot juice into your routine, you can boost nitric oxide production and effectively lower blood pressure.
Speaking to the efficacy of blood pressure regulation, Mattias Carlström, a respected Cardiophysiology researcher and Professor at the Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, reveals that consuming 5-10 mmol of nitrate per day leads to a reduction of approximately 4 to 5 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 2 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure on average.
In practical terms, this simple addition to your daily habits can reduce the risk of stroke by 10%.
What Scientific Studies Have Found:
A multitude of scientific studies has delved into the positive impact of beetroot juice and whole beets on cardiovascular health.
A study conducted at the University of Exeter, published in Redox Biology, examined the effects of beetroot juice on 26 healthy older adults.
They participated in two ten-day supplementation study periods, one involving nitrate-rich beetroot juice and the other a mock nitrate-free juice, both consumed twice a day.
The results were promising, as levels of bacteria associated with good vascular and cognitive health increased, and systolic blood pressure saw an average reduction of five units (mmHg) following beetroot juice consumption.
In another study, 68 people with hypertension were given 250ml of beetroot juice daily.
The findings revealed that this daily habit could significantly lower participants’ blood pressure, highlighting the remarkable potential of this natural remedy.
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