According to a recent breakthrough, the consumption of a glass of beetroot juice has an immediate and effective impact on lowering blood pressure levels. The study shows clear evidence of the reduction of the systolic blood pressure (the higher reading out of the two) by about 4 to 5 points on an average.
This reduction may not seem to be significant, but the fact is, that this would mean a 10% fall in death tolls due to heart diseases.
Some quick facts about the reducing effects of beet juice on blood pressure levels-
- The effect starts to show from the very first dose, and over time it cumulates to maintain a normal Blood Pressure.
- You don’t need to make dietary or lifestyle changes in order to notice the impact.
- Both men and women show a reduced systolic blood pressure after a mere 6 hours of drinking the juice. But, according to some research, the effect is more significant in men as compared to women. The reason behind this may be that women after a certain age tend to be on medications like oral contraceptives.
The scientific reason behind Beetroot’s Blood Pressure Reducing Effect
According to experts, beetroots owe this power to one of their major constituents- Nitrates. When we consume nitrates from any external source, may it be beetroots or green leafy vegetables; they are converted to nitric oxide (NO) within our body following some biological chemical reaction. This NO then relaxes our blood vessels by dilating them, which in turn helps the blood to flow with more ease. Hence reducing the blood pressure!
Norman Hord, PhD, MPH, a registered dietician identifies beetroot as the most powerful food that lowers blood pressure through diet. There is a lot more to grasp to have a better understanding of the effects of nitrates on our blood pressure in the long term, but, you can certainly, without having a second thought, start consuming a diet that is rich in nitrates, esp. leafy veggies and beets.
Also, according to the ‘Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension’ diet, you must eat more and more fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, whole grains, fish, nuts, poultry, while limiting the intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
A wonderful beetroot juice recipe
The Beet Pina Colada – The classic pina colada with a twist of beetroot!
We all love the exotic mixture of pineapple and coconut in the classic Pina Colada. But here, we present another version of this drink that doesn’t contain alcohol and has our Super ingredient- Beetroot! It is an exotic and refreshing recipe that you can savor yourself or serve to guests. The earthy flavor of the beetroot is overcome by the pineapple and coconut juice, but, the natural flavor of the drink is enhanced by the sweetness of the beetroot. This is one complete package that comes with taste, antioxidants, vitamins and healthy fats!
Ingredients:
- 1 large beetroot
- 4 ounces of Coconut meat
- Half Pineapple
- Ice
Preparation:
Step 1. Cut the pineapple in small pieces and run it through the juicer. Pour the juice into a cup.
Step 2. Add ice to it and stir around.
Step 3. Now run the beetroot through the juicer, and pour its juice into the cup.
Step 4. Extract raw coconut meat from a young coconut and juice it as well.
Step 5. Stir all the juices together to have a smooth drink.
Start serving this juice to all your family members, especially those who suffer from high BP. Suggest it to all your friends and motivate them for devouring this Blood Pressure reducing juice daily.