What Researches Say About Beetroot?

Recent research findings reported that beetroot appears to be a powerful dietary nitrate that acutely lowers blood pressure in healthy humans. However, dietary nitrate itself is not considered to mediate any specific physiological function. You may wonder then how beetroot helps you to lower your blood pressure. Actually, after ingestion of beetroot, bacteria in your saliva facilitate the reduction reaction that converts dietary nitrate in beetroot to nitrite.


In 2014, European research has found that consumption of 250 mL of beetroot per day can diminish blood pressure by 10 mmHg. The reason is beetroot contains nitrite which converted into nitric oxide in the body and this gas can widen the blood vessels. As a result blood pressure will significantly drop.

Research findings also reported that beetroot is a rich source of betalains and treatment with betalains can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and dyslipidemia-related diseases such as stenosis of the arteries, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cancer.  


Moreover, beetroot is good for athletes because beetroot juice increases levels of nitric oxide, which serves multiple functions in the body such as increasing the blood flow and oxygen utilization during contraction skeletal muscle, improve the lung function, promote mitochondrial biogenesis and efficiency, and strengthening of the muscle contraction.


However, beetroot consumption leads to red urine. Because red pigment in beetroot known as betanin is not digested inside the body and excreted via urine or stool. As a result, temporally urine and fecal matter become a reddish color and this is known as beeturia. It is important to note that, this is not harmful to your body.


Beetroot can be incorporated into our diet like juices, salads, as a curry, etc. Tap the full potentials of this lovely vegetable help to cure your hypertension. 


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References


Asgary, S., Afshani, M. R., Sahebkar, A., Keshvari, M., Taheri, M., Jahanian, E., ... & Sarrafzadegan, N. (2016). Improvement of hypertension, endothelial function and systemic inflammation following short-term supplementation with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) juice: a randomized crossover pilot study. Journal of Human Hypertension, 30(10), 627-632.


Gilchrist, M., Winyard, P. G., Fulford, J., Anning, C., Shore, A. C., & Benjamin, N. (2014). Dietary nitrate supplementation improves reaction time in type 2 diabetes: development and application of a novel nitrate-depleted beetroot juice placebo. Nitric Oxide, 40, 67-74.


McDonagh, S. T., Wylie, L. J., Webster, J. M., Vanhatalo, A., & Jones, A. M. (2018). Influence of dietary nitrate food forms on nitrate metabolism and blood pressure in healthy normotensive adults. Nitric Oxide, 72, 66-74.


Bond, H., Morton, L., & Braakhuis, A. J. (2012). Dietary nitrate supplementation improves rowing performance in well-trained rowers. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 22(4), 251-256.







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