A cup of beetroot juice a day can help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, according to a new study reported by Tribune
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The scientists examined the impact consuming nitrate has on blood pressure in rats and then confirmed their findings in a small study involving 15 patients with
high blood pressure.
Vegetables rich in nitrates include:
beetroot
lettuce
cabbage
fennel
Vegetables take in
nitrate through their roots in the soil, where the chemical is naturally found.
Nitrate is crucial to the growth of vegetables. The authors explained that when it is converted to a gas called nitric oxide, it has a relaxing effect on blood vessels and may help lower blood pressure.
“Our hope is that increasing one's intake of vegetables with a high dietary nitrate content, such as green leafy vegetables or beetroot, might be a lifestyle approach that one could easily employ to improve cardiovascular health.”
The participants all had a systolic blood pressure between 140 to 159 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg), did not have other medical problems, and were not on any medication for their
hypertension.
The subjects drank 250 mL of beetroot juice or water consisting of a low amount of nitrate, and over the following 24 hours, had their blood pressure observed.
About 0.2g of dietary nitrate was contained in the beetroot juice. A large bowl of lettuce or two beetroots contain about the same amount of nitrate, according to the scientists.
The participants who consumed this level of nitrate experienced a positive outcome on their blood pressure for 24 hours - an average ten-point decrease in their blood pressure levels.
“We were surprised by how little nitrate was needed to see such a large effect. This study shows that compared to individuals with healthy blood pressure much less nitrate is needed to produce the kinds of decreases in blood pressure that might provide clinical benefits in people who need to lower their blood pressure. However, we are still uncertain as to whether this effect is maintained in the long term,” Ahluwalia said.
About 16 million people in the UK have high blood pressure, according to the
UK Blood Pressure Association, however, several individuals are undiagnosed. Hypertension can result in a significantly increased likelihood of experiencing a
heart attack or
stroke.
People can lower their blood pressure by altering their lifestyle, such as consuming less salt or losing weight. A previous study in
Cochrane Library indicated that consuming cocoa powder and dark chocolate may slightly reduce blood pressure, reported Medical news today.
“This promising study shows that it may be possible to reduce high blood pressure by eating more foods that contain large quantities of nitrates, such as green vegetables and beetroot.
It supports current advice that we should all be eating plenty of green veg. But we need larger studies in patients to determine if nitrate-rich vegetables are effective at lowering blood pressure over the long term."
Mubin Ul Haider
http://mubinulhaider.com/index.html
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