Beeting High Blood Pressure?

A study published last month in the online journal Hypertension found that beet juice significantly lowered blood pressure in a small group of individuals with high blood pressure over a 24 hour period. Systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 11.2 mm of mercury, and diastolic by 9.6 mm, within 6 hours of consuming  250 milliliters (about 8 ounces) of beet juice.Beets, as well as leafy greens, contain high levels of inert nitrate, but researchers found that contact with saliva coverts the nitrate into nitrite, a bioactive compound known to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Nitrate content may explain some of the benefit of leafy greens and fruits to cardiovascular health, and this study may support  dietary nitrate supplementation as a treatment for high blood pressure.The impressive results will need more testing, since this trial only measured blood pressure effect for 24 hours.A study published last month in the online journal Hypertension found that beet juice significantly lowered blood pressure in a small group of individuals with high blood pressure over a 24 hour period. Systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 11.2 mm of mercury, and diastolic by 9.6 mm, within 6 hours of consuming  250 milliliters (about 8 ounces) of beet juice.Beets, as well as leafy greens, contain high levels of inert nitrate, but researchers found that contact with saliva coverts the nitrate into nitrite, a bioactive compound known to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Nitrate content may explain some of the benefit of leafy greens and fruits to cardiovascular health, and this study may support  dietary nitrate supplementation as a treatment for high blood pressure.The impressive results will need more testing, since this trial only measured blood pressure effect for 24 hours.