Beets may be highly most effective methods for lowering blood pressure due to their high content of nitrates.
In a new study in “The Journal of Nutrition”, researchers randomly assigned 47 hypertensive patients to receive beets, beets + folic acid, or a nitrate-depleted beetroot juice. After 60 days, blood levels of nitrates and folic acid increased, suggesting that the subjects were adhering to the dietary plan and digesting the beets. The subjects given beets + folic acid decreased blood pressure by an average of 6 mmHG, while the group given beets with no folic acid decreased by 10 mmHG.
Conclusions
Beets appear to be effective at improving blood pressure, and these effects appear to be dependent on the nitrate concentration. Interestingly, the subjects who received folic acid experienced only 60% of the beneficial blood pressure reduction. Future studies should investigate whether methylfolate has the same effect. Overall, patients with high blood pressure may likely benefit from increasing consumption of foods rich in nitrates.
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