Did you know that one of the most vibrant, earthy vegetables—the humble beetroot—holds a powerful secret weapon for your heart health? It’s true! If you’re looking for a simple, natural way to help keep your blood pressure in check, it’s time to embrace the beet.
Let’s dive into the simple science behind this amazing root vegetable and how it can help you maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
The Secret Ingredient: Nitrates
The key to the beet’s blood pressure-lowering magic lies in its high concentration of inorganic nitrates. Don’t let the technical term scare you—these are naturally occurring compounds found in many vegetables, but beets are particularly loaded with them.
Here is the simple chain reaction that happens once you drink that earthy beetroot juice or enjoy a salad of roasted beets:
How Beets Become a Blood Pressure Hero
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Consume the Nitrate: You eat or drink the beets, taking in the $NO_3^-$ (nitrates).
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Conversion Begins: Special bacteria on your tongue convert the nitrate into nitrite ($NO_2^-$).
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The Final Step: In your body, the nitrite is quickly converted into a vital molecule called nitric oxide (NO).
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Blood Vessels Relax: Nitric oxide is a powerful signaling agent that tells the smooth muscle around your arteries to relax and widen. This process is known as vasodilation.
The Result? When your blood vessels widen, there’s less resistance and pressure inside them, which leads to a measurable drop in your blood pressure!
What the Research Says
Studies tracking people who regularly consume beetroot juice have shown exciting results:
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Significant Systolic Drop: Beets are especially effective at reducing systolic blood pressure (the top number in your reading). Researchers have observed drops of several points (4 to 11 mmHg) after a single dose.
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A Lasting Effect: The pressure-lowering benefits can begin a few hours after consumption and may last for up to 10 hours. This is why consistency is key!
Tip for Getting Started
To get the most benefit, try incorporating beets into your diet daily. A small shot of beetroot juice (about 250ml) is the most studied and effective way, but roasting, blending, or grating fresh beets into salads also works! Another easy way to incorporate the power of beets, is with Super Beets. They offer an assortment of high quality beet products to make it easy to add this superfood to your daily regiment.
My favorite:
Super Beets by Humann – Backed by 12 years of scientific research, the Super Beets chews and powders use research grade ingredients for maximum cardiovascular support. Humann uses Beetroot powder that is sustainably-sourced from non-GMO, American-grown beets and blended with a unique ratio of dietary nitrates and nitrites that can more effectively support Nitric Oxide production than other standard beetroot powders.
The Super Beets Heart Chews are my favorite because they remind me of Starburst candy, but in a healthy way. It’s tangy, chewy and absolutely delicious. Doctor formulated support for healthy blood pressure, heart healthy energy and healthy circulation and blood flow. Nearly 2X more effective at supporting healthy blood pressure than diet and exercise alone with clinically-studied grape seed extract.
Humann also makes a Super Beets Root Powder if drinks are more your jam. Clinically-studied and formulated with advanced, patented technology that’s more effective and efficient at generating Nitric Oxide than other standard beetroot supplements.
Important Note: While beets are a fantastic natural tool, they are not a replacement for any prescribed high blood pressure medication. Always talk to your doctor before making major changes to your diet or health routine.
