Beet Juice: The Healthiest Drink to Control Your Blood Pressure
In current times, hybrid beet species have red and white candy-cane stripes. Beetroot comes in a variety of colors, all of which have the same rich, earthy flavor and brighten the dish with their rainbow hues.
Beets’ leaves and roots are high in nutrients, including antioxidants that protect cells and lower the risk of heart disease. Beets contain betalains, a potent antioxidant that gives them their brilliant color. Betalains can help prevent cancer and other disorders by reducing inflammation. Beetroots are a sweet, bulbous root vegetable that most people either love or despise. It is not a new kid on the block, but in the last decade or so, it has become a superfood.
Beet juice, commonly known as beetroot juice, has been shown in studies to be beneficial to your health.
Per Serving Nutrients
A half-cup of beetroot provides the following nutrients:
- 37 calories
- 1 gram protein
- Less than 1 gram of fat
- 8 grams of carbohydrates
- 2-gram fiber
- 7 grams of sugar
Beets are also high in the following nutrients:
Folate
Manganese
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant.
Potassium
Vitamin A
Beet juice helps in reduce High blood pressure
Beet juice has been shown to help decrease blood pressure. People who consumed 250 milliliters (or 8.4 ounces) of beet juice daily had reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, according to the study.
The culprit is nitrates, which are chemicals in beet juice that convert to nitric oxide in the blood and help widen and relax blood vessels.
As we know drinking a glass of beet juice can help decrease blood pressure right away. Beet juice dropped systolic blood pressure (the highest number in a blood pressure reading) by an average of 4-5 points in a small group of healthy men within hours of consuming it, according to the study.
According to the researchers, while that reduction may appear insignificant, it equates to a 10% reduction in deaths due to heart disease on a public health level.
It is encouraging that we can show a response from only one dose. If you are not one to drink it every day, you must know that that benefit might be greater in the long run.
Benefits of Beet Juice
Beet juice, often known as beetroot juice, has been demonstrated in previous research to reduce blood pressure in a laboratory setting. The study is the first to look at the impact of adding beet juice to a healthy person’s diet without making any other dietary or lifestyle modifications, according to the researchers.
In the experiment, 15 men and 15 women were given either 17.6 ounces of beet juice beverage (approximately three-quarters beet juice and one-quarter apple juice) or a placebo drink. After that, they were monitored for 24 hours. The treatment was repeated two weeks later, with individuals who had received the placebo the first-time receiving beetroot juice the second time.
The results demonstrated a trend toward decreased systolic blood pressure six hours after drinking the beet juice in both men and women.
However, when the study was limited to men only, researchers discovered a substantial drop of 4.7 points among those who drank the beetroot juice.
Previous research has also revealed that the blood-pressure-lowering effects of beetroot may be less effective in women.
The Effect of Nitrates on Blood Pressure
The benefits, according to experts, are due to the high content of nitrates in beets.
Nitrates from foods like beets and leafy green vegetables are transformed into nitric oxide in the body through a complex biological process. Nitric oxide relaxes and dilates blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely and lowering blood pressure.
You are seeing a consistent benefit of nitrates in lowering blood pressure, whether from foods or juice. It is certainly the diet’s most effective blood pressure lowering component.
Coles believes that this could be explained in part by the fact that the women in the study were older and many were taking prescription drugs, such as oral contraceptives. Previous studies have indicated up to a ten-point drop in blood pressure when researchers monitored blood pressure three hours after drinking beet juice.
Although additional research is needed to better understand the long-term effects of nitrates on blood pressure, Hord recommends eating a diet high in nitrates, which may be found in natural sources such as beets and leafy green vegetables.
It is a diet comparable to the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure. The DASH diet encourages people to eat more fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, chicken, and nuts while limiting saturated fat and cholesterol. These meal patterns have been demonstrated to reduce blood pressure. Nitrates are now thought to be responsible for at least part of that effect, according to research.
Beets: How to prepare them
Beets are a cool season crop that thrives in the spring and autumn. Whenever the leaves still are young and fragile, the roots are harvested. In the winter, look for baby beets for the sweetest, most sensitive beets.
If fresh beets are not available, frozen, or canned beets are still healthful. Beetroot powder is also widely used as a dietary supplement.
Beets are frequently roasted because their natural sugars caramelize well when baked at high temperatures. They can be eaten uncooked as well. For a splash of bright color, grate them on a salad or fan the slices on a cheese plate.
Here are some more unusual ways to eat beets:
- To add color and taste to gazpacho, add roasted beets.
- In a salad, combine beets and creamy ricotta.
- Serve with a vinaigrette and grated raw beets and carrots.
- With pureed beets and ranch dressing, make an eye-catching purple dip.
- Add fresh apple or orange juice to the juice of a tiny beet.
- With a mint yogurt sauce, serve roasted beets.
- In a microwave-safe bowl with a little water, cook beets for 10 minutes.
- Serve beet borscht, a popular Russian soup.
- Add them to couscous after roasting them with sweet potatoes.
- Beets, chopped, add color to minestrone.
Precautions
After eating beets, your pee and stools may appear red or pinkish. Beeturia is a completely innocuous illness. It may, however, be surprising if you are not expecting it.
If you have low blood pressure, drinking beet juice daily may put your BP at risk of dropping too low. Keep a close eye on your blood pressure.
Do not drink beet juice if you are prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones. Oxalates, which are naturally occurring chemicals that create crystals in your urine, are abundant in beets. They could result in stones.
Steps to take next
Beets are good for you no matter how you cook them. Juicing beets, on the other hand, is a better way to consume them because heating them diminishes their nutritious content. If you do not enjoy the flavor of beet juice on its own, try adding apple slices, mint, citrus, or a carrot to balance out the earthiness.
If you decide to incorporate beet juice into your diet, start slowly. To begin, juice half a small beet and notice how your body reacts. You can drink more as your body adjusts.