Drinking just two shots of beetroot juice a day could help to lower blood pressure—a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.
An intriguing new study found that people in their 70s who added the vibrant juice to their daily diet for a period of two weeks saw their originally high blood pressure drop to within the healthy range.
The researchers, from the University of Exeter, also found that the nitrate-rich shots were beneficial for young people too, boosting levels of healthy bacteria in the mouth in under-30s.
Speaking of the findings, study lead Professor Anni Vanhatalo urged older adults to incorporate more nitrate-rich vegetables into their diet—whether that’s beetroot, spinach, rocket, celery or kale.
‘We know that a nitrate-rich diet has health benefits and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age.
‘Encouraging older adults to consume more nitrate-rich vegetables could have significant long-term health benefits.’
The researchers believe nitrate-rich vegetables like beetroot may help boost the levels of beneficial bacteria in the mouth and gut, which are thought to be helpful in clearing harmful cholesterol from the blood, lowering blood pressure.
When nitrates enter the body they are converted into nitric oxide—a compound which can relax blood vessels, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Drinking beetroot juice really could help reduce dementia risk, if promising new research is to be believed
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is essential for various bodily functions.
An excess of ‘bad’ cholesterol—known as LDL—has long been linked with serious health problems including heart attacks and strokes.
This is because LDL can form plaques that build up and block arteries, limiting the supply of blood to and from the heart.
An estimated 6.3 million people in the UK are thought to suffer from the condition, which left untreated can increase the risk of heart disease.
In the six-week study, nine adults in their 70s and nine young adults under 22 were analysed to see how introducing concentrated beetroot juice to their daily diets affected their health.
Participants underwent two 10-day dietary supplementation periods where they were randomly assigned either beetroot shots or a placebo supplement.
Blood samples and blood pressure was measured at the start of the study and on days eight to ten of each trial to track nitric oxide levels.
On one of these days, researchers also assessed arterial stiffness, a key indicator of low nitric oxide levels.
Saliva samples were also collected on each visit.
At the end of the study, the older adults experienced a significant drop in blood pressure, but the same effect was not observed in the younger cohort.
Drinking beetroot juice was also associated with a reduction of harmful bacteria, called prevotella, which have been linked with an increased risk of death in older people.
Results also showed an increase of healthy bacteria belonging to Neisseria, which help to produce nitrites, boosting heart health.
Dr Lee Beniston, from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, who was not involved in the current study, said the study opens up new opportunities for improving heart health through nutrition.
He added: ‘This research is a great example of how bioscience can help us better understand the complex links between diet, the microbiome and healthy ageing.’
An estimated 270 people are admitted to hospital with a heart attack each day in the UK according to the British Heart Foundation.
About 175,000 Britons die from heart and circulatory diseases each year in the UK, equivalent to 480 per day and more than the city of Oxford.
It comes as promising new research has suggested that the nutrient packed shot could help reduce dementia risk, by boosting blood supply to the brain.
Researchers also from the University of Exeter, found that adults with ‘healthy brain function’ had higher levels of the ion nitrite in their mouths.
Bacteria in the mouth convert nitrates into nitrites — meaning nitrate-rich beetroot could help raise levels of nitrites.
Research has also previously suggested beetroot can both lower blood pressure and even inhibit certain chemical reactions in the brain that are involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
