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The new study deals with how a regular vegetable can help to reduce blood pressure in adults.
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Older participants drank beetroot juice, changed their mouth bacteria and reduced their blood pressure.
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Here’s what you need to know about this new study.
There are many things in life that can affect your blood pressure, including how often you train and how stress you are. However, some new studies show that you may have succeeded in neutralizing high blood pressure using a humble vegetable: beets.
This is the main show from a survey published in the magazine Free radical biology and medicine (And many other studies, TBH). But why beetroot? And how many items do you need to actually get your health benefits? Here’s what you need to know using the insights of expert doctor and two nutritionists.
Meet the experts: Sonya Angelone, RDN, nutritionist and registered nutritionist based in San Francisco; Cheng-Han Chen, MD, Interventional Cardiologist and Memorialcare Saddleback Medical Center Medical Director of Medical Heart Program Laguna Hills, California; Christy Brissette, MS, RD, 80 Twenty Nutrition Owner
What did the study find?
During the study, researchers employed 39 people under 30, as well as 36 people out of the 60s and 70s, allowing them to move two different phases of two weeks. In one phase, they used nitrate beet juice daily (also known as beet juice). In the second phase, people used a placebo -drinking version with removed nitrates.
If you are not familiar with nitrates, they are nitrogen and oxygen compounds that naturally occur in soil, water, vegetables and processed meat. Nitrates in vegetables are converted to nitric oxide, which has heart health benefits.
Between the two steps, participants had to “wash” the period for two weeks to reset their body. Researchers also used the bacterial gene sequence to find germs that were present in the mouth before and after each treatment phase. They also took blood pressure.
Finally, the researchers found that the participants’ mouth microbiomas changed dramatically after they consumed nitrate -rich beet juice, but the differences in older and younger groups were differences. The older group has significantly reduced the pre -oral bacterial prevotele after drinking beetroot juice, as well as increased good mouth bacteria such as Neisseria.
Initially, the older group had higher blood pressure readings at the beginning of the test, but their blood pressure dropped after having nitrate -rich beet juice. (But not after they drank placebo.)
How do beetroot helps lower blood pressure?
This is not the first study linking beets to lower blood pressure. 2022 The published scientific analysis shows that people have improved in their blood pressure by consuming 70 milliliters, 140 milliliters and 250 milliliters (about a cup) of beet juice per day.
In the next 2024. The published analysis shows that up to 90 days after participants had a “significant effect of systolic blood pressure (maximum blood pressure)).
But … why? Well, it’s a bit complex process. “Beetroot contains nitrates that are converted to nitrites in the mouth,” explains Sonya Angelone, RDN, a dietitian and registered nutritionist, located in San fransisk. “Nitrite rich saliva is swallowed where it is converted to nitric oxide in the stomach.”
That nitrogen oxide is absorbed into the bloodstream where it helps to relax and expand the blood vessels in the process called vasodilation, says Cheng-Han Chen, MD, intervention cardiologist and Memorialcare Saddleback Medical Center Laguna Hills, Ca. “This process improves blood pressure,” he says.
Your mouth bacteria are also important. “Without a good balance of good bacteria in the mouth, nitrate converting to beetroot cannot happen, so you will not receive vascular reducing beetroot or beetroot root juice,” says Christy Brisette, MS, RD, 80-twenty diet owner. “Eating a diet that contains a lot of inorganic nitrates from beetroot and green leafy vegetables also prevents the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the mouth, which can also help reduce blood pressure.”
What other health benefits do beetroot?
Beetroot actually has a lot of them outside of blood pressure. They are also a good source of fiber that is good for digestion and intestinal health, ”says Angelon. And they contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Not only is the beetroot containing folate and potassium that are good for heart health. “They can also maintain athleticism by enhancing the function of mitochondria, the structure of energy production in cells,” says Angelon.
How much should I eat to get benefits?
To get the health benefits of beetroot, it is worth eating about a cup of vegan cup almost every day, says Angelon.
Of course, if you have high blood pressure, Brisissette says it’s important to talk to your health care provider about your lifestyle movements to try to lower that blood pressure. Also, keep in mind that beetroot or beetroot juice is not intended to replace blood pressure lowering drugs where you may be, but they can support your efforts through a doctor Chen. “The drop in blood pressure is small, but they are measured,” adds dr. Chen.
One more thing to look out for: Beetroot is not the only nitrate -rich vegetarian. So, if this vegetable is not for you, consider loading spinach, celery and cabbage to get similar benefits.
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