Beetroot juice lowers pressure
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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A glass of beetroot juice will help lower blood pressure, say Australian scientists.
During the study, experts found that if you drink beet juice for several hours, the systolic blood pressure is reduced by an average of 4-5 indicators.
Experts point out that, despite the small reduction in pressure, even at such a low level, at the level of public health, a slight decrease in the risk of death from heart disease can be equated to 10%.
"This is promising, because we see results from the use of just one dose of beet juice," said lead author of the study, a member of the University of Melbourne, Leah Coles. - This effect can grow if you consume juice constantly. In the long term, this can have a positive effect on health. "
Previous studies have shown that beet juice can lower blood pressure, but all experiments were conducted in the laboratory. Experts say that this is the first study, in which beet juice was added to the daily diet of a person without any changes in his habitual way of life and nutrition.
The study involved 15 men and 15 women. Half of them drank almost 400 grams of the drink, which consisted of three quarters of beet juice and one fourth of apple juice. The rest drank a placebo - a drink made from black currant.
The specialists monitored the condition of the volunteers for 24 hours. The same procedure was repeated two weeks later, only now beet juice was drunk by those who drank a placebo in the first part of the study.
As a result, it was found that both among men and women there was a tendency to lower systolic blood pressure after six hours after drinking beet juice. However, in the case of male participants, the results were more tangible - for those who consumed beet juice, the pressure dropped by an average of 4.7 indicators. In women, the effect was less pronounced.
Dr. Coles says that such differences can be explained by the age of women, as well as the intake of oral contraceptives.
The effect that beet juice produces is associated with a high content of nitrates in the beet. In the process of digestion, they are processed into nitric oxide, thus increasing blood flow and maintaining a low level of blood pressure. Nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels and expands them, allowing blood to flow more easily and lowering blood pressure.
Also, the researchers studied the effect of the pigment, which is responsible for the rich red color of beet - betalain. As a result, it turned out that the red and white beet produces the same effect.
"Our research confirms the fact that foods rich in nitrates can lower blood pressure, but more research is needed to help identify long-term effects of nitrate use and their effect on blood pressure," the researchers say.
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