photo credit: franklin_hunting
What super food can decrease blood pressure, protect you from NSAID-induced damage, increase endurance and stamina?
Beets. That’s right, beets. Or more specifically, beet juice.
In this two-part series, we’ll take a closer look at this amazing data. Multiple studies have been conducted over the last couple years that have shown that drinking beet juice can significantly decrease your blood pressure, increase stamina and may even provide cardiovascular and gastrointestinal protection during chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use.
Blood Pressure Reduction
Writing in Hypertension – Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers from the London School of Medicine showed that drinking 500 ml of beet juice can significantly reduce blood pressure 3 hours after consumption, with continued reduction up to 24 hours after ingestion.
The benefits were linked to the nitrate content of the vegetable, and suggest an alternative explanation for the heart-healthy potential of vegetable-rich diets previously attributed to their antioxidant vitamin content. Other nitrate rich vegetables include spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots and radishes.
Research indicates that the nitrite produced after eating these foods can increase nitric oxide production, which can act as a potent vasodilator, which opens up the blood vessels and improves circulation.
Protection from NSAIDs
Other researchers from the National Institutes of Health and John Hopkins note that these results may also provide protection from the increased cardiovascular risks and stomach ulcerations associated with chronic NSAID use. They note that the nitrite compounds formed may strengthen the gastrointestinal tract lining by ‘generating nitric oxide in the stomach’.
Chewing is the KEY
These studies have yielded some very promising results. I also want to point out another interesting aspect of this study is that it showed that chewing your food is crucial to obtaining the beneficial effects of these nitrate rich vegetables.
The reason is this – the decrease in blood pressure correlated with peak increases in nitrite concentration; the conversion of nitrate to nitrite occurs in the saliva by bacteria on the tongue. Therefore, it is vital to chew your food thoroughly, thereby mixing it with your saliva to obtain the beneficial effects.
Check out the recipes
Eat and juice nitrate-rich vegetables to help manage your blood pressure. You’ll also benefit from all the other beneficial vitamins, minerals and antioxidants contained in these superfoods. You might even like it!
Source article: Beet Juice and blood pressure reduction: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Beetroot-juice-may-lower-blood-pressure-study.