Are Canned Beets Good for High Blood Pressure ?

  • Are Canned Beets Good for High Blood Pressure?

     In studies, it has been shown that drinking beet juice can lower high blood pressure. Lowering high blood pressure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. February is Heart Month awareness month and I will be focusing on prevention of heart diseases. 


     High Blood Pressure Statistics

  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease. 
  • 80 million Americans have high blood pressure
  • 33% of Americans have pre-hypertension
  • Only 50% of Americans have their blood pressure under control
  • Over 400,000 Americans die from high blood pressure per year
  • High blood pressure costs around 50 billion dollars per year
A study was done that included 15 women and 15 men. The subjects were given 500mg of beet juice and 500g of random other juice. All of the subjects had a baseline blood pressure done. The subjects were evaluated after 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, the subjects who drank the beet juice had a lower systolic blood pressure. 


Why Does Beet Juice Help Lower High Blood Pressure

Studies have shown that nitrate helps lower high blood pressure. Beets contain a large number of nitrites. Nitrates from foods are rapidly absorbed in the small intestine. In the small intestines, nitrates have 100% bioavailability. The nitrite is reduced to nitric oxide by the bacteria on the tongue. Nitric oxide has the ability to dilate the veins which also decreases the blood pressure. Evidenced has proven that when the body has decreased nitric acid, the person has a tendency to have hypertension. 

What Foods Have Nitrite/ Nitric Acid

Vegetables have the highest amount of nitrites. Some of these foods are :
  • Lettice
  • Red beetroot
  • Spinach
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Celery
  • Cress
The food that has the highest amount of nitrate is beets. These foods have also been beneficial for the prevention of coronary artery disease and strokes. Beets are a rich source of nitric acid. The Beetroot Juice was given to people with a systolic blood pressure of over 120.  The people ranged in age from 23-68 years of age. The people who consumed the beet juice saw an average of a 7 point drop in their systolic blood pressure.   



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